Plenary sessions

Prof. Ana Barbosa-Póvoa

Center for Management Studies (CEGIST). Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Portugal

Multi-Objective Optimization for Sustainable Supply Chain Design and Planning

Abstract: The growing recognition of sustainability's importance is transforming supply chains, driving them toward the development of sustainable supply chain networks. These networks are complex systems of interconnected entities that manage the flow of products from suppliers to customers, including returns, while addressing economic, environmental, and social objectives simultaneously.
Integrating environmental and social goals alongside traditional profit-driven objectives presents significant challenges due to the inherent complexity of supply chains. To address these challenges, multi-objective optimization models have proven to be essential tools for balancing these diverse and often conflicting goals.
By utilizing optimization-based approaches, supply chain decision-makers can systematically incorporate sustainability objectives while accounting for the structural complexities and operational constraints of supply chains.
This work explores the key components of these multiobjtive models, demonstrating their application in real-world base cases to support the design and planning of sustainable supply chains.

Bio

Ana Barbosa-Póvoa is a Full Professor in Operations and Logistics at the Engineering and Management Department of Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), University of Lisbon. She holds a PhD from Imperial College of Science, Technology, and Medicine.
Her research focuses on developing a deep and comprehensive understanding of complex problems in supply chains and operations management, supported by innovative engineering systems models and techniques. Key areas of her work include sustainability, resilience, uncertainty, and risk management in the design and planning of supply chains.
Ana is the founder and coordinator of the Operations Management, Logistics, and Supply Chain Management (OpLog) research group at IST’s Centre for Management Studies(CEGIST). She has extensive experience in supervision and has secured multiple research grants. Her contributions have been recognized with numerous national and international awards, including twice being named the Best Researcher in Industrial Management at the University of Lisbon.
Ana serves as an editor for the Computers and Chemical Engineering Journal and sits on the editorial boards of several prestigious journals, including the European Journal of Operational Research, the International Journal of Production Economics, TOP, and Operations Research Perspectives.
She is also Vice President of EURO, the European Association of Operational Research Societies, and a founding member of the EURO Working Group on Sustainable Supply Chains, where she is part of the coordination team. She has also being a founding member of the EURO WISDOM Forum, where she serves on the events sub-committee. Additionally, she is a member of the EURO Working Groups on Retail and Location and Analysis.