Principal Investigator: Vincent F. Yu, Ph.D.

Professor Vincent F. Yu is a distinguished scholar in operations research, logistics and supply chain management, and computational intelligence, and serves as a full professor in the Department of Industrial Management at National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (Taiwan Tech). He is also the Director of the Global Logistics & Supply Chain Management Laboratory and holds a concurrent professorship in the Graduate Institute of Intelligent Manufacturing Technology.

Professor Yu earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Industrial & Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, complemented by an M.S. in Mathematics from Michigan State University and a B.S. in Mathematics from National Taiwan Normal University.

His research portfolio spans the development and application of quantitative decision models, optimization techniques, and intelligent systems to address complex operational challenges in logistics, supply chains, transportation systems, and energy system optimization. His core research areas include network optimization, vehicle routing and distribution planning, logistics network design, soft computing and metaheuristics, data analytics and machine learning, and sustainable and smart logistics systems.

Professor Yu has authored over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and more than 200 conference papers, contributing significantly to the scientific literature in his fields of expertise. His work has been recognized with multiple national and international awards, including institutional research excellence awards and the Outstanding Researcher Award from the Industrial Engineering and Operations Management (IEOM) Society International. He is also consistently listed among the world’s top 2% scientists.

In addition to his research contributions, Professor Yu plays an active role in the professional community as editorial board member for international journals and leader in professional societies. His research has been translated into industry collaborations with global logistics service providers and technology firms, reflecting a strong commitment to bridging academic innovation and practical impact.

Global Logistics & Supply Chain Management Laboratory

The Global Logistics & Supply Chain Management Laboratory, directed by Professor Vincent F. Yu at the Department of Industrial Management, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, focuses on advancing research in logistics, supply chain systems, and operations optimization. The laboratory serves as an interdisciplinary research environment integrating theory, computation, and empirical applications to address complex decision problems in global logistics and supply chain management.

Mission and Research Scope

The primary objective of the laboratory is to develop innovative quantitative models, algorithmic methods, and decision support systems that improve the performance, sustainability, and resilience of logistics and supply chain networks. Emphasis is placed on bridging foundational research in operations research, optimization, and computational intelligence with practice-oriented problems in transportation, distribution, and service systems.

Core Research Themes

1. Logistics Network Design and Planning: Network structure optimization, Integration of forward and reverse logistics flows
2. Vehicle Routing and Transportation Optimization: Development of exact and heuristic solution methods for variants of the vehicle routing problem (e.g., electric vehicles, multi-echelon distribution, cross-docking).
3. Sustainable and Smart Logistics: Optimization models incorporating environmental objectives (e.g., emissions reduction), Integration of public transportation for last-mile logistics.
4. Computational Intelligence and Metaheuristics: Application of fuzzy logic, metaheuristics, and hybrid optimization frameworks to complex combinatorial problems.
5. Decision Analytics and AI Integration: Data-driven analysis, machine learning methods, and intelligent decision support for logistics and operational systems.

Educational and Collaborative Environment

The laboratory trains graduate and undergraduate students in both theoretical modeling and practical solution techniques. Research outcomes frequently span peer-reviewed publications, collaborative projects with industry partners, and real-world case studies addressing logistics and supply chain challenges.

Location and Structure

The lab is housed in room MA-003 within the College of Management facilities, serving as a hub for research activities, seminars, and student mentoring under Professor Yu’s supervision.