Kara Combs Air Force Institute of Technology |
Texas A&M University |
| Kara: I have been with OR/MS Tomorrow for the last two years. Before moving into my current role as Co-lead Editor, I was one of the social media coordinators upon the graduation of my predecessor, Yue Wang. Yue served as the OR/MS Tomorrow social media coordinator for one year from May 2020 until May 2021 while attending Texas A&M University (College Station, TX). While there, she is pursuing a Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering with an emphasis on Operations Research and also worked as a Graduate Assistant Lecturer in the Wm Michael Barnes ’64 Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering |
Yue’s research focuses on supply chain optimization, and her world experience rather than in the classroom. Through this, dissertation is "Optimization models for last-mile service operations." In her free time, she often works as a licensed Zumba instructor and certified ACE Group Fitness instructor at her local gym.
Her day-to-day involves primarily doing research, using a variety of methodologies in operations research to address optimization challenges in inventory management, transportation & logistics, and healthcare. She also teaches and mentors under- graduates as part of her job. Since Spring 2022, Yue has been working as a Graduate Assistant Lecturer within her department at Texas A&M University and teaching ISEN 370 - Production Systems Engineering. In Fall 2023, Yue will start a new chapter as a tenure-track assistant professor in the SIE department at The University of Arizona, where her research would focus on real-world applications and problems in supply chain management. Her goal is to bridge the gap by turning theoretical academic research into solutions implemented in industry.
When asked to reflect on her time as part of the OR/MS Tomorrow team, she immediately pointed out the professional skills and friendships she developed as a result. She was able to grow professionally by introducing herself to new ideas, learning how to provide useful feedback in a review process, and curating her ability to be a leader. These skills must be learned through real-world experience rather than in the classroom. Through this, it has strengthened her qualifications in the job market, given not all students are able to work in such a dynamic group setting while attending school. However, the most valuable part of her experience was the new friendships that evolved with other members of OR/MS Tomorrow. Professionally, she was mentored by senior team members, has several references to assist with job searching, and has identified potential research collaborators. Prior to joining the team, she was often given in- dividual tasks through her coursework and job, so she felt that OR/MS Tomorrow was a great way to become better acquainted with working in a team. Furthermore, she learned more about the journal writing/publishing process, which is key for her future in academia.
When looking at the current state of OR/MS Tomorrow, Yue is happy to see how the team continues to grow and improve. She is proud to be an alumni member and looks forward to what is in store for the next generation. We appreciate Yue’s volunteer service to the team and taking the time to contribute to this article. We look for- ward to seeing what is in store for Yue as she continues to lead the way for operations research and the management sciences!