Best Master’s and PhD Theses in Humanitarian Logistics Awarded
The Board of the Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Research Institute (HUMLOG Institute) has installed an annual award for best master's thesis and a bi-annual award for best doctoral (PhD) thesis in humanitarian logistics and supply chain management.
The award winners 2014 were announced during HUMLOG Institute’s seminar on Resilience in Disaster Relief and Development Supply Chains - Managing Challenges of Climate Change, Urbanisation and Security held at Hanken on 29 April 2015.
Best master's thesis in humanitarian logistics 2014, shared first prize:
Julia Moline, MIT
Thesis title: Data-Driven Resource Allocation Decisions: FEMA’s Disaster Recovery Centers
Julia’s thesis has already had an impact on practice. The analysis itself and the interpretation of the outcomes were informed by input from practitioners, which means that they are realistic and attainable and that they are more likely to be used by the practitioners who participated in their development. The research approach provides a path for future scientific work on evidence-based decision support systems during crisis.
Silvia Uneddu, University of Lugano
Thesis title: Supply Chain Optimization of the Distribution of Mosquito Nets in Ivory Coast
Silvia’s thesis supported the planning and implementation of the distribution by UNICEF, in coordination with the Ministry of Health, of 12 Million Long Lasting Insecticide-treated Nets (LLINs) to fight malaria in Ivory Coast in 2014. The mathematical model developed in the thesis identified optimal transport options that lead to significant reduction in the overall procurement and logistics costs.
Best doctoral thesis in humanitarian logistics 2014
Miguel Jaller, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
PhD Thesis title: Resource Allocation Problems During Disasters: Points of Distribution Planning and Material Convergence Control
Miguel’s thesis contributes to the advanced study of an under-researched subject of great importance to disaster response. The mathematical formulations developed by him allow disaster responders to use optimal control policies, thus increasing the overall effectiveness of the response. The models developed as part of the dissertation incorporate the notion of social cost, which is a realistic economic/mathematical construct that leads to sounder allocation of resources. This is a significant step towards the quest of developing mathematical models that account for the unique features of humanitarian logistic endeavours.
The thesis also has important practical implications. The formulations developed are useful to practitioners because they allow the computation of the optimal ways to allocate resources to control the flow of donations and, in the case of the POD Planner, enables disaster responders to estimate the optimal number of PODs required to respond to a disaster of a given magnitude.
Julia Moline receives her diploma from Hannu Kari, National Defense University.