The Logistics Institute's Expanding
Focus with New Director

The Logistics Institute (TLI) has a new executive director and an expanded vision. Chelsea C. "Chip" White III, ISyE Chair of Transportation and Logistics, became executive director of TLI in July. TLI, a center within ISyE, coordinates all logistics-related activities on the Georgia Tech campus. TLI is in partnership with the National Science Foundation and a broad spectrum of corporations and government agencies known as Leaders in Logistics.

TLI's mission is to create the next generation of logistics and supply chain systems knowledge through basic and applied research, disseminating this new knowledge through the Institute's logistics curriculum and professional courses, and applying it to the real world through joint industry/academic practice. "The primary aim for TLI's future is to grow these core activities while at the same time expand the TLI capabilities footprint to include related enterprise- and industry-level strategic analyses," says Dr. White.

Dr. White and his colleagues anticipate that this expansion will take TLI to a higher level of visibility and impact. "This expanded vision involves a more global, multidisciplinary perspective. Georgia Tech is a multinational university," says Dr. White. "Our students need to understand logistics and supply chain systems at the global level, which is greatly benefited by our current partnership with TLI-Asia Pacific in Singapore, our Executive Master's in International Logistics (EMIL), and TLI's growing number of other international contacts and relationships."

The implications of this expanded vision include a more diverse funding base. TLI is looking forward to increased engagement with federal agencies, foundations, state governments, and international funding sources, as well as an expanded involvement with the private sector. The vision also will include a broader disciplinary span, involving to a greater extent operations management, economics, and corporate strategy, while continuing to be the dominant institute nationally for optimization, logistics, and supply chain research and applications.

Don Ratliff, former TLI executive director, is remaining with TLI, but has scaled back his involvement in order to focus more attention on his own projects. TLI Director Harvey Donaldson remains in his post, where White says he will take a more central role in the organization.

In addition, Diane Kollar, ISyE director of development, will increase her responsibilities to include development activities for TLI. "With Diane, we're looking forward to a higher level of coordination between TLI and ISyE development activities," says White.

TLI also has a new home and new space, moving upstairs into what has been the office suite for the School chair. This is possible because the DuPree College of Management has moved to its new home across campus, freeing up space next door to ISyE. The ISyE faculty and staff now have the opportunity to spread out from what have been cramped quarters.

Dr. White came to Georgia Tech in 2002 from the University of Michigan, where he served as professor of Industrial and Operations Engineering and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, as well as director of the Intelligent Transportation Systems Research Center and co-director of the University of Michigan Trucking Industry Program. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in Computer, Information, and Control Engineering, and has served on the faculties of Southern Methodist University and the University of Virginia.



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