Rafael Diaz is PhD Program Director, PhD Summer Academy Director and Professor of Supply Chain Management at the MIT-Zaragoza International Logistics Program. He is also a Research Affiliate at the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics. Previously, he has been a Research Associate Professor at Old Dominion University’s Virginia Modeling, Analysis, and Simulation Center (VMASC).
He has a Ph.D. degree in the field of Modeling and Simulation Analytics focused on Operations and Supply Chains Management and an M.B.A degree in financial analysis and information technology from Old Dominion University. He holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Jose Maria Vargas University, Venezuela.
Prof. Diaz's research interests lie in the general area of supply chain management, logistics, production planning, lean manufacturing systems, and the intersection between operations management and information and technology. He studies the intersection between sustainability, product innovation, and information/operations technology (Industry 4.0). He is also interested in researching healthcare management, humanitarian logistics, and lean production systems.
Dr. Diaz's publications have appeared in several prestigious peer-reviewed journals including Production and Operations Management (POM), International Journal of Production Economics (IJPE), Computers and Industrial Engineering (CAIE), and Transportation Research Part A and Part E. Over the years, his research has been supported by a number of sponsors including National Institutes of Health (NIH), Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM), U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).
Prior to his academic career, Dr. Diaz worked for seven years as a process engineer and management consultant in the international consulting arena.