Afrooz Kazerouni

Afrooz Moatari-Kazerouni, MSc, PhD

  • Assistant Professor
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Affiliated Programs

Education

  • Post-doctorate, Manufacturing Engineering
    McGill University, Quebec, Canada
  • Post-doctorate, Management and Technology
    Université du Québec à Montréal, Quebec, Canada
  • PhD, Industrial Engineering
    École Polytechnique de Montréal, Quebec, Canada
  • MSc, Manufacturing Engineering, Production Management
    Technical University of Denmark, Denmark

 

About Me

I am an Industrial Engineer by training, with a Ph.D. from Polytechnique Montréal and post-doctoral fellowships at McGill University and Universite of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM), Canada. My academic journey spans Europe and North America, blending rigorous research with practical applications in operations, technology, and process improvement. My research explores how disruptive technologies can enhance supply chain resilience, sustainability, and healthcare efficiency. I am particularly interested in the intersection of ESG integration, digital transformation, and operational safety.
In the classroom, I bring theory to life through courses in Operations Management, Business Process Management, and Technology Management. I emphasize hands-on learning with industry tools such as ARIS, Celonis, and simulation software, preparing students to lead in a data-driven and rapidly evolving business landscape.
I am actively engaged in the academic and professional community through leadership roles in organizations such as INFORMS, DSI, and ABPMP. I have served as Conference Chair for the Northeast Decision Sciences Institute (NEDSI) 2026 annual conference and contribute to various leadership roles within INFORMS Women in OR/MS (WORMS). I collaborate with fellow researchers, industry partners, and students passionate about building smarter, more sustainable operations.

Research Interests

My research is centered on how organizations can become more resilient, sustainable, and efficient through technology adoption and process innovation. A primary stream of my work investigates the design and performance of supply chain networks under disruption, with a particular emphasis on how digital tools, such as Blockchain, IoT, and process mining, enhance transparency, agility, and ESG integration. In healthcare, I study how technologies like RFID and analytics can optimize surgical instrument logistics, staff scheduling, and clinical trial management, contributing to safer and more efficient patient care. I also explore the integration of occupational health and safety into operational systems, developing risk assessment frameworks that align safety with productivity in manufacturing and service environments. Additionally, I am engaged in pedagogical research that examines how generative AI and concept mapping can transform the teaching and learning of business analytics and supply chain management.

Media Expertise

  • Operations and Supply Chain Management
  • Business Process Management and Improvement
  • Healthcare Operations and Process Optimization
  • Technology Integration (RFID, Blockchain, Digitalization)
  • Sustainability and ESG
  • Supply Chain Resilience
  • Occupational Health and Safety in Operations
  • Data-Driven Decision Making and Analytics
  • Pedagogical Innovation in Business Education

Publications

  • Moatari-Kazerouni, A., Pai, D., Igo, B. J. (2025). Improving Surgical Instrument Picking Processes: A Case Study of Human Resource Allocation through Six Sigma DMADV Framework. Journal of Health Organization and Management, 1-26. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHOM-06-2024-0248
  • Moatari-Kazerouni, A., Antonucci, Y., Kirchmer, M. (2025). Sustainability Adoption Across Supply Chain Network Designs: A Comparative Analysis of Centralized, Decentralized, and Distributed Structures. Sustainable Development Journal, 33(6), 8414-8430. http://doi.org/10.1002/sd.70102
  • Moatari-Kazerouni, A., Antonucci, Y. L., Kirchmer, M. (2025). Unraveling the Resilience Strategies for Supply Chain Network Designs. Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 30(2), 263-282. https://doi.org/10.1108/SCM-10-2024-0676 
  • Keramati, A., Lu, P., Moatari-Kazerouni, A. (2025). Evaluating crash severity at highway-rail grade crossings using an analytic hierarchy process-based hazard index model. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 211, 107918. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2025.107918 
  • Moatari-Kazerouni, A., Pai, D., Chicas, A. E., Keramati, A. (2024). How Blockchain Technology Supports the Business Processes of Clinical Trials: A Systematic Review. Business Process Management Journal, 30(2), 388-410. https://doi.org/10.1108/BPMJ-04-2023-0301 
  • Moatari-Kazerouni, A., Kirchmer, M., Antonucci, Y. (2023). Aligning Sustainability and Financial Performance through Business Processes. IM + io Journal.
  • Smith, C., Moatari-Kazerouni, A. (2021). RFID Traceability for Structure Fires: Lethbridge Fire Department Case. International Journal of Services Operations and Informatics, 11(4), 353-373. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJSOI.2021.120687 
  • Sasanfar, S., Bagherpour, M., Moatari-Kazerouni, A. (2020). Improving emergency departments: Simulation-based optimization of patients waiting time and staff allocation in an Iranian hospital. International Journal of Healthcare Management, 14(4), 1449-1456. https://doi.org/10.1177/0037549715606808 
  • Moatari-Kazerouni, A., Bendavid, Y. (2017). Improving Logistics Processes of Surgical Instruments: Case of RFID Technology. Business Process Management Journal, 23(2), 448‐466. https://doi.org/10.1108/BPMJ-06-2016-0127 
  • Hisarciklilar, O., Woozageer, A., Moatari-Kazerouni, A., Schiffauerova, A., Thomson, V. (2016). Setting priorities in healthcare institutions: case of McGill University Health Centre. Journal of Hospital Administration, 5(6), 38-45. https://doi.org/10.5430/jha.v5n6p38 
  • Moatari-Kazerouni, A., Pennathur, P., Tucker, S. J.; Leyden, L. A. (2015). Engineering Redesign Implications to Increase Utilization of Stairwells vs. Elevators. International Journal of Workplace Health & Safety, 64(2), 57-64. https://doi.org/10.1177/2165079915612789 
  • Moatari-Kazerouni, A., Chinniah, Y., Agard, B. (2015). A Proposed Occupational Health and Safety Risk Estimation Tool for Manufacturing Systems. International Journal of Production Research, 53(15), 4459-4475. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2014.942005 
  • Moatari-Kazerouni, A., Chinniah, Y., Agard, B. (2015). Integrating Occupational Health and Safety in Facility Layout Planning, Part I: Methodology. International Journal of Production Research, 53(11), 3243-3259. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2014.970712 
  • Moatari-Kazerouni, A., Chinniah, Y., Agard, B. (2015). Integrating Occupational Health and Safety in Facility Layout Planning, Part II: Case Study. International Journal of Production Research, 53(11), 3228-3242. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2014.970711 
  • Moatari-Kazerouni, A., Achiche, S., Hisarciklilar, O., Thomson, V. (2011). Appraisal of New Product Development Success Indicators in the Aerospace Industry. ASME Journal of Mechanical Design, 133(10), 101013-101023. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4004974
     

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

  • Decision Sciences Institute (DSI)
  • Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS)
  • Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM)
  • Association of Business Process Management Professionals (ABPMP) 
  • The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA)

Awards

  • Distinguished Service Professor Award, School of Business Administration, Widener University, 2023-2024
  • Early Educator Institute (EEI) Award, Management and Organizational Behavior Teaching Society (MOBTS), 2023
  • Best Paper Award, 18th International Conference on Engineering Design (ICED), 2011

News

In the Media

Noteworthy

  • Business Faculty Named to INFORMS Ambassadors Program, Use Grant Funding to Advance Diversity in Supply Chain Management and Business Analytics Careers

    Afrooz Moatari-Kazerouni, assistant professor of operations and supply chain management, and Jeff Lolli, associate dean for undergraduate programs and professor of sport and event management, received grant funding from the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) to expose high school students to careers in supply chain management and business analytics with a particular focus on first-generation students and students of color. Moatari-Kazerouni and Lolli were one of only nine projects to be accepted and funded as part of the 2025 INFORMS Ambassadors program which aims to create long lasting pathways of inclusion in supply chain management and business analytics careers. 

    Presently, representation of first-generation students and students of color is limited in these fields due to barriers in access to mentorship which can hinder a sense of belonging for students interested in these career fields. Moatari-Kazerouni and Lolli took nearly 40 area high school students for a behind-the-scenes tour of the NFI Distribution Center in Hillsboro, New Jersey, whose primary client is L’Oreal Groupe. Students experienced real-world supply chain management and business analytics applications and engaged with Widener faculty and industry professionals. The group took a tour of the facility, learned about industry safety protocols, attended a career insights panel, and more. 

    Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/business-faculty-named-informs-ambassadors-program-use-grant-funding-advance-diversity-supply-chain