SHORT BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Rafael Diaz is Research Associate Professor at VMASC. Previously, he has been an Affiliate Researcher at the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics and an Associate Professor of Supply Chain Management at the MIT-Zaragoza International Logistics Program. He is a co-director of the Advanced Analytics Lab. 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 is in the area of complex supply chain management, data analytics, logistics, production planning, lean manufacturing systems, and the intersection between operations management and information and technology. More specifically, his research seeks to innovate and improve operational performance using data analytics and IoT technology at manufacturing and supply chain levels. He is also particularly interested in supply chain resiliency, coordination issues, and real-time analytics-based decision making. Prior to his academic career, Dr. Diaz worked for seven years as a process engineer and management consultant in the international consulting arena.

EDUCATION

Ph.D. in Modeling and Simulation, 2007
Old Dominion University (ODU), Norfolk, VA

M.BA. in Finance and Information Technology, 2002
Old Dominion University (ODU), Norfolk, VA

B.S. in Industrial Engineering, 1994
Jose Maria Vargas University, Caracas, Venezuela

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

VMASCResearch Professor
Norfolk, VA
2023 - Present

VMASC, Associate Research Professor
Norfolk, VA
2019 - 2023

MIT Center for Transportation & Logisitics, Research Affiliate
Cambridge, MA
2015 - Present

MIT Zarazoga International Logistics Program, Professor of Supply Chain Management
Cambridge, MA
2015 - 2019

VMASC, Associate Research Professor
Suffolk, VA
2013 - 2015

VMASC, Assistant Research Professor
Norfolk, VA
2008 - 2013

VMASC, Postdoctoral Research Associate
Suffolk, VA
2007 - 2008

SUPPLIER PERFORMANCE AI PROTOTYPE

Designing an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Prototype to Analyze Sub-tier Suppliers performance.

SUPPLY CHAIN INNOVATION

Analyzing the Impact Product Introductions in unstable manufacturing processes.

HEALTHCARE ERASMUS+

Structuring and delivering healthcare management program at Masters and PhD level.

HOUSING & VULNERABLE POPULATIONS

Modeling temporary, interim, and permanent housing demand and capacity for medically fragile and vulnerable populations

PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL PAPERS

Diaz R., Smith Katherine, Landaeta Rafael, Padovano Antonio. Shipbuilding Supply Chain Framework and Digital Transformation: A Project Portfolios Risk Evaluation. Procedia Manufacturing 42 (2020): 173-180.

Diaz R., Behr Joshua, Padovano Antonio, Francesco Longo. Supply Chain Modeling in the Aftermath of a Disaster: A System Dynamics Approach in Housing Recovery. IEEE Transaction on Engineering Management (2019).

Diaz, R., and Erika Marsillac. Evaluating strategic remanufacturing supply chain decisions. International Journal of Production Research 55.9 (2017): 2522-2539.

Diaz, R., Joshua G. Behr, and ManWo Ng. Quantifying the economic and demographic impact of transportation infrastructure investments: A simulation study. Simulation 92.4 (2016): 377-393.

Diaz R., Kumar Sameer, Bailey Mike. Analyzing Lost-Sale Stochastic Inventory Model with Markov-Modulated Demands: A Simulation-based Optimization Study. Journal of Manufacturing Systems. 38 (2016): 1-12

Diaz R. Using dynamic demand information and zoning for the storage of non-uniform density stock keeping units. International Journal of Production Research. (2016) 54.8: 2487-2498.

Ng ManWo, Diaz R., Behr Joshua. Inter- and Intra-regional Evacuation Behavior during Hurricane Irene: Results from a Large-Scale Phone Survey. Journal of Travel Behaviour and Society (2016). 3 21-28.

Behr Joshua, Diaz R., Muge Akpinar-Elci. Health Service Utilization and Poor Health Reporting in Asthma Patients. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 13.7 (2016): 645.

CV/RESUME