Karen Smilowitz
Professor of Operations
Professor of Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences
Dr. Smilowitz studies modeling and solution approaches for logistics and transportation systems. She has developed innovative modeling and solution techniques for these complex systems in both commercial and non-profit applications, working with transportation providers, logistics specialists and a range of non-profit organizations. She is currently leading the Northwestern Initiative on Humanitarian and Non-Profit Logistics.
Dr. Smilowitz has worked on several projects in the area of operational improvement in community-based health care. Community-based operations research is the application of decision models to social issues of a local nature. The goal of this field is to design policies and tactics that have the potential to improve individual life outcomes and neighborhood-level outcomes by addressing welfare, equity and administrative efficiency simultaneously.
Operations for Social Impact (OPNS-951-0)
The rise in data availability and analytics capabilities have begun to revolutionize the way non-profit and humanitarian organizations engage in their work to advance social good. In this course, we will explore the challenges and opportunities of achieving social good in the age of analytics through the lens of operations management. While the ultimate goals of the organizations we study focus on achieving their broad social mission, we will consider how improved operational decisions can facilitate greater impact. Students will explore the links between operational decisions and the mission outcomes of an organization. As one example, we will study how operational decisions related to the scheduling of patients for a mobile health care provider can impact the organization's ability to increase access to healthcare for children with asthma. Students will work in teams on a series of group projects and case studies that range in topic from advanced technology for disaster response and preparedness to improved decision-making frameworks for community-based health care providers. To assist in the understanding of these complex settings, the course will include guest speakers from local and national organizations. Class discussions and related assignments will focus on the development of quantitative models and tools to inform operational decisions that efficiently use limited resources and ultimately expand the capacity of organizations to achieve their missions.
