IEOM honors Sila Çetinkaya as Distinguished Professor
The IEOM Society International recognized the Cecil H. Green Professor of Engineering for her supply chain and healthcare analytics research, industry collaboration and service to the field.
Sila Çetinkaya, Cecil H. Green Professor of Engineering at SMU Lyle, received the Distinguished Professor Award from IEOM Society International at its 16th annual conference in Ankara, Turkey, in June. The society, which focuses on industrial engineering and operations management, recognized her research, industry collaboration and service to the field.
Çetinkaya has been on the Lyle faculty since 2014 as an educator, researcher and mentor in the Operations Research and Engineering Management (OREM) Department. She led the department as chair between 2015 and 2025. Before joining SMU, she was associate head of the Industrial and Systems Engineering Department at Texas A&M University. Each role, Çetinkaya says, has been an opportunity to make a difference.
The award citation recognizes her "outstanding contributions to Operations Research through research in supply chain management and healthcare analytics, impactful industry collaboration and applied research with companies, and dedicated service to the Industrial Engineering and Operations Management profession."
Her research focuses on operational strategy and analytical decision-making under uncertainty in supply chain and healthcare systems.
"My research program advances the science and practice of supply chain management through analytical frameworks for coordinated logistics decisions, transforming complex operational challenges into rigorous, implementable strategies that reduce costs, enhance efficiency and improve system-wide performance," Çetinkaya said.
"In healthcare, my work harnesses the power of industrial engineering and operations research to advance access to life-sustaining treatments for underserved populations, and to translate data-driven insights into equitable healthcare practices and policies."
Her healthcare work ranges from radiation therapy planning for cancer treatment to care delivery for uninsured patients with end-stage kidney disease. She uses stochastic modeling and optimization to help make healthcare delivery more effective for the patients who need it most.
Students may know Çetinkaya from courses such as supply chain operations and control and stochastic models. For her, leadership involves developing courageous thinkers with the knowledge to carry the societal impact of operations research and industrial engineering forward. Her role as an educator, and the impact she sees in her students, continue to motivate her work.
"Teaching and meaningful leadership are continuing reminders that helping others grow also requires being willing to learn from them," Çetinkaya said. "My students extend the impact of my work in ways I could never achieve alone."
Çetinkaya said the recognition from IEOM comes with added responsibility.
"I receive this award with gratitude and a renewed sense of responsibility to pursue research that is rigorous, useful and attentive to societal needs affected by the systems we study," she said. "I share this honor with the students, collaborators, colleagues, and mentors who have contributed along the way."
About the Bobby B. Lyle School of Engineering
SMU's Lyle School of Engineering thrives on innovation that transcends traditional boundaries. We strongly believe in the power of externally funded, industry-supported research to drive progress and provide exceptional students with valuable industry insights. Our mission is to lead the way in digital transformation within engineering education, all while ensuring that every student graduates as a confident leader. Founded in 1925, SMU Lyle is one of the oldest engineering schools in the Southwest, offering undergraduate and graduate programs, including master's and doctoral degrees.
About SMU
SMU is the nationally ranked teaching and research university in the dynamic city of Dallas, and a member of the prestigious Atlantic Coast Conference. SMU's alumni, faculty and more than 12,000 students in eight degree-granting schools demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit as they lead change in their professions, communities and the world.