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  • Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management
Jingwei Zhang (she/her), assistant professor, Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management

Academic focus:

Operations, technology and information management.

Research summary:

My research areas revolve around sustainable operations, addressing practical challenges in smart city operations and urban mobility. My research leverages a multidisciplinary approach that combines game theory, machine learning and optimization techniques to transform data into actionable policy recommendations, ultimately promoting environmental, economic and social sustainability.

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

Playing tennis, pursuing photography and spending quality time with my family and friends.

What are three adjectives people might use to describe you?

Creative, energetic, tenacious.

What (specifically) brought you to Cornell CALS?

The remarkable collegiality within the OTIM area and the impactful research in Cornell CALS. I am excited about the potential for research collaborations with the faculty, students and industry leaders. I believe my research interests in sustainability align seamlessly with the goals of Cornell CALS, and I am eager to contribute and create impactful work through synergistic efforts.

Why did you feel inspired to pursue a career in this field?

Back in my time as a Ph.D. student in Los Angeles, relying on public transportation and biking sparked my ideas for improving these green transportation modes and, more broadly, contribute to overall sustainability and social responsibility. With the emerging new business models and technology, I saw the immense potential in making data-driven decisions to pave the way for more sustainable and efficient cities.

What’s the most surprising/interesting thing you’ve discovered about Cornell and/or Ithaca so far?

I’m very much amazed by the beautiful nature but need to adjust to the humidity here after five years in Los Angeles.

If you had unlimited grant funding, what major problem in your field would you want to solve?

To facilitate data-driven and more informed decision-making and make the world more sustainable.

Learn more about Jingwei.

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