Dr. Sreedevi Rajagopalan has been elevated to Director of the Sustainable Supply Chain Lab at the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics, having previously served as a Research Scientist within both the SSCL and the Low-Income Firms Transformation (LIFT) Lab. Having worked with the labs for three years, first as a postdoctoral researcher and then as a research scientist, Dr. Rajagopalan played a significant role in the research and writing of the SSCL's annual State of Supply Chain Sustainability Reports. She was recently interviewed by The Associated Press on the emissions impact of fast shipping based on a research paper she co-authored, which found that about 70% of consumers chose to opt for slower delivery when informed about the environmental impact of fast shipping.
Her research with the LIFT Lab focused on transforming business and supply chain practices among small and micro firms in emerging markets through the application of AI and technology, with the goal of improving their productivity and survival. As part of the Sustainable Supply Chain Lab, she collaborates with large corporations to measure and manage Scope 3 emissions and promote sustainable sourcing practices. Her work supports organizations in developing data-driven strategies to reduce environmental impact and achieve sustainability goals across their supply chains.
Dr. Rajagopalan brings over 15 years of combined experience in industry, academia, and research. Prior to joining MIT, she was on the faculty at the S P Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai, where she taught courses in Operations Management, Procurement & Strategic Sourcing, Behavioral Operations, and Quantitative Methods.
She earned her Ph.D. in Production and Operations Management from the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, with a dissertation focused on supply chain risk management. Her doctoral research was recognized as a finalist for the Emerging Economies Doctoral Student Award at the 27th Annual Conference of the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) in Orlando, USA. Dr. Sreedevi is actively engaged in academic service and professional organizations and is committed to advancing inclusive and sustainable practices in global supply chains.