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The winners of the 2025 MIT Prize for Open Data included Center for Transportation and Logistics researchers Connor Makowski, Tim Russell, Willem Guter and Austin Saragih for their work on SCGraph, an open-source Python toolkit for modeling transportation and logistics networks. SCGraph enables researchers and practitioners to tackle real-world supply chain challenges by running accurate, offline routing simulations across road, rail and maritime networks — without the costs or limitations of commercial APIs.

AI has been hyped as everything from world-saving to world-ending. But beneath the noise lies a more urgent question: is AI actually useful? And if so, useful for what, and for whom?

MIT AgeLab was profiled in an article with the Wall Street Journal, written by Amy Dockser Marcus.

"It took two people to make me feel like I was a woman in my 80s.

Martin Staadecker, a Research Assistant in the MIT Sustainable Supply Chain Lab, has been honored with the MIT-GE Vernova Energy and Climate Alliance Technology and Policy Program Project Award in recognition of his work addressing Scope 3 emissions within supply chains. This prestigious award underscores Staadecker's commitment to advancing sustainable practices and his significant contributions at the MIT Sustainable Supply Chain Lab, which is led by Dr. Josue Velazquez and housed at the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics. 

Managers at small and midsize businesses may perceive automation as too expensive to be feasible, but research has identified strategies that make implementing it possible even on a tight budget. A framework for evaluating the five main factors that can reduce — or increase — the cost of an automation project can help leaders make more informed decisions about whether process automation might be a viable and cost-effective option for their company.

Teaming humans with robots delivers better results for warehouse operations than having only robots, but there are opportunities to improve that collaboration in the face of increasing demands for speed and accuracy in e-commerce fulfillment. Studies have shown that having a mix of humans and robots can lead to greater efficiency, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness compared with full automation alone, but companies must carefully consider the respective roles that humans and robots should play in warehouse facilities. 

AI is revolutionizing supplier negotiations, driven by the need for speed, scalability, and strategic agility in complex supply chains. Initially used for automating low-value tasks, AI can now play a crucial role in a growing number of key procurement decisions.

Loughborough University, which hosts the UK SCALE Centre through a partnership with the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics, won a significant award in higher education.

Despite advances, developing workplace systems that facilitate AI-human working relationships is still in its early stages. Companies need to invest in systems that enable robots and humans to assume more sophisticated roles gradually.                  

By Ken Cottrill, editorial director, MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics

Cambridge, MA —The MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics (CTL) mourns the passing of Frederick Smith, founder and executive chair of FedEx, and honors his enduring legacy as a pioneer of innovation in global logistics and a valued friend to the CTL community.

MIT CTL Research Scientists Drs. Inma Borrella and Maria Jesus Saenz, in collaboration with Dr. Elena Revilla, wrote a case study which has been recognized as the top-selling case in Operations Management at Ivey Publishing for 2024/2025. The case study, "Dell: Roadmap of a Digital Supply Chain Transformation," examines a real-world digital supply chain transformation, offering insights into how leading companies are leveraging technology to build more resilient and responsive operations.

How will generative AI aid supply chain practitioners to navigate threats and eliminate risk? MIT Technology Review featured MIT CTL Director of Research Matthias Winkenbach in an article about supply chain resilience in the age of generative AI. 

New technologies and approaches are paving the way to more efficient use of AI systems. 

By Ken Cottrill, editorial director, MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics, published in Supply Chain Management Review May/June 2025

The advent of AI as a widely available business tool has given rise to numerous applications that are proliferating at a dizzying pace. As we strive to stay current with the latest applications, it’s essential not to overlook the ongoing efforts to enhance existing ones. 

Cambridge, MA – The MIT Supply Chain Management Master’s Program has recognized thirty-four exceptional students from nine renowned undergraduate programs specializing in supply chain management and engineering across the United States.

Cambridge, MA – The AWESOME award represents a significant commitment by the MIT Supply Chain Management Master’s Program, the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics, and AWESOME (Achieving Women’s Excellence in Supply Chain Operations, Management, and Education) to encourage students to prepare for and perform successfully in supply chain leadership roles. This fellowship was awarded to two students each year: one from the residential cohort and one from the blended.

By Matt Villano for Business Insider

MIT CTL’s first-ever Emerging Research Showcase brought together early-career researchers and industry leaders at the MIT Museum on March 19, 2025. Organized by Drs. Miguel Rodríguez García and Selene Silvestri, the event served as a platform for researchers to share their work, receive feedback, and foster collaboration between researchers and industry.

The showcase featured a series of compelling presentations tackling inefficiencies, technological advancements, and future challenges in supply chain networks. Presentations included the following: 

Five years after the Covid-19 pandemic began, and several years after the global outbreak has been brought under control, it might be tempting for supply chain leaders to pay less attention to supply disruption and uncertainty. But this is no time to let one’s guard down. While companies typically keep risks like natural disasters, supplier disruptions, and geopolitical conflicts on their radar, there is much more to think about now. Unprecedented volatility in U.S.

Dr. Eva Ponce and Laura Allegue write in Supply Chain Xchange that as retailers increasingly use artificial intelligence (AI) to create customized shopping experiences, supply chains are under pressure to improve product availability, visibility, and inventory accuracy.

In 2024, the MITx MicroMasters® Program in Supply Chain Management continued to grow, welcoming 92,000 new enrollments and expanding our global community to over 60,000 learners from more than 190 countries.

By Maria Jesús Saénz, Executive Director, MIT SCM Masters Program; Leonard Morrison, Manager, Professional Development MIT SCM Masters Program; and Ken Cottrill, Global Communications Consultant, MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics

Chinese New Year and its Impact on Global Supply Chain

Dr. Jay Guo | MIT Global SCALE Network's Ningbo China Institute for Supply Chain Innovation

January 28, 2025

How Boston Is Poised to Become the Nation’s Leading Longevity Hub

Getting older? You’re in the right place.