Stay Connected, Stay Well

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On August 23rd, Health Systems program at Georgia Tech's H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE) hosted a gathering, organized by Shuyan Xia, with support from Nazanin Nejati and Hanxi Sun, Master of Science in Health Systems students in ISyE.  Attendees shared their academic journeys, and discussed career paths and the future of health systems.  The event was a great opportunity for students, faculty, staff and partners to build a close-knit, collaborative, supportive community.

Congratulations to Buse Eylul Oruc Aglar (PhD IE, 2023) for winning the ISyE Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year Award for the academic year 2023/2024.  This award acknowledges her exemplary performance and dedication as a teaching assistant, where she consistently demonstrated excellence in supporting both students and faculty.

Congratulations to ISyE Ph.D. student Yuming Sun for reaching two significant achievements! Yuming successfully completed his Ph.D. thesis proposal on September 15th and received the 2024 AAAS Student E-Poster Competition Honorable mention award. His research, co-advised by Professors Pinar Keskinocak and Lauren Steimle, focuses on modeling the spread of the Poliovirus and assessing the effectiveness of immunization strategies, including outbreak response and resource allocation.

On August 1st, 2024, the Georgia Tech Center for Health and Humanitarian Systems (CHHS) celebrated the appointment of Dr. Dima Nazzal as the new Director of Education and Projects. Nazzal, with her expertise in system modeling and public health research, will be instrumental in advancing the center’s mission to “transform decision-making and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of health and humanitarian systems.” Nazzal will oversee educational programs like the Health and Humanitarian Supply Chain Management Certificate and lead research initiatives aimed at improving health systems globally. Congratulations Dr. Nazzal!

MOPTA 2024 wrapped up on Friday, August 16, with a plenary talk by Dr. Pinar Keskinocak, Director of the Center for Health and Humanitarian Systems (CHHS) and William W. George Chair at Georgia Tech.  In her presentation titled “Operations Research for Preventing, Controlling, and Eradicating Infectious Diseases,” Keskinocak shared how mathematical models and optimization techniques can be used to prevent and manage infectious diseases, focusing on strategies for resource allocation and vaccination programs in public health crises like COVID-19, malaria, and polio. Her expertise in healthcare delivery and disaster preparedness provided a detailed look at how timely interventions can save lives and enhance global health efforts.

Meghan Meredith, a Ph.D. student in ISyE and Professor Lauren Steimle are addressing the alarming maternal mortality crisis in Georgia and beyond. Their recent research highlights the gaps in healthcare access, particularly for reproductive-age women in rural, low-income areas of Georgia, often designated as maternity care deserts. The gaps in healthcare access, particularly for reproductive-age women in rural, low-income areas of Georgia, often designated as maternity care deserts. Their study, published in BMC Health Services Research, advocates for more nuanced approaches to improving maternal health outcomes.

A recent study co-authored by Professor Turgay Ayer, has exposed significant disparities in how Medicare Advantage (MA) plans distribute resources. Published in the INFORMS journal Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, the paper provides evidence of strategic cross-subsidization within MA plans, where high-risk patients receive disproportionately less care, while healthier, low-cost patients benefit more. Ayer’s research underscores the need for stricter oversight and transparency to prevent further exploitation of vulnerable patients and ensure that the system functions equitably. 

Georgia Tech Civil Engineering Professor Iris Tien co-authored the paper “Impact of Youth Education on Green Stormwater Infrastructure Recommendations to Increase Equity and Resilience in Marginalized Communities.” The study highlights the unique perspectives that youth from marginalized communities bring to infrastructure planning, particularly in enhancing flood resilience through green stormwater solutions. The paper was selected as an Editor’s Choice by the ASCE Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management. The research was also featured in ASCE’s Civil Engineering Source.

CHHS Director of Education and Projects, Dr. Dima Nazzal presented on health equity and system-level health challenges at the forum titled “The Social Determinants of Health (and Everything Else)”. This forum brought together various academics and practitioners to discuss how to address critical gaps in healthcare access and community well-being. Nazzal presented CHHS projects that align with the City of Atlanta’s ongoing efforts to close racial equity gaps through targeted investments in key neighborhoods. 

As hurricanes Helene and Milton severely impacted IV fluid production facilities in North Carolina and Florida, hospitals across Georgia are facing critical shortages. In response, William W. George Chair and Professor at Georgia Tech Pinar Keskinocak emphasized the importance of real-time mapping to strengthen medical supply chains. Quoted in the AJC, Dr. Keskinocak suggested that a coordinated effort led by FEMA and private stakeholders could prevent future disruptions by regularly updating maps of supply chain vulnerabilities to ensure resilience.

Congratulations to the Health and Humanitarian Supply Chain Management (HHSCM) 2024 Professional Education Certificate Program graduates! Practitioners from all over the world including India, Ireland, Nigeria, Peru, Sierra Leone, and the United States participated in the program, representing private sector, government, and non-governmental organizations such as Chemonics International, EStrat Solutions, and USAID. Thank you all for your dedication in the course and towards improving health and humanitarian systems! The HHSCM 2025 registration is now open, apply here. A limited number of scholarships are also available! Learn more and apply here.