{"id":54,"date":"2017-01-15T16:45:30","date_gmt":"2017-01-15T16:45:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ieomsociety.org\/ieom2018\/?page_id=54"},"modified":"2026-03-08T14:30:41","modified_gmt":"2026-03-08T14:30:41","slug":"keynotes","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ieomsociety.org\/capetown2026\/keynotes\/","title":{"rendered":"Keynotes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Keynote Speakers\u00a0
<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n
\n

Wednesday, May 13, 2026<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
\n

9:30, <\/span>Tuesday, October 14, 2025 – Opening and <\/span>Conference Chair Welcome Message:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Prof Bingwen Yan<\/strong>
Head of Department<\/strong>
Department of Operations Management<\/strong>
Cape Peninsula University of Technology<\/strong>
Cape Town, South Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Bingwen Yan is based at Faculty of Engineering and The Built Environment, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa.<\/p>\n

Bingwen Yan is a professor and the Head of the Department of Operations Management and Past Head of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa.<\/p>\n

His research spans a wide range of fields, including industrial engineering, engineering management, public administration and business management.<\/p>\n

\n

IEOM Society Welcome<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"AhadAli\"<\/a>Dr. Ahad Ali<\/strong>
Associate Professor<\/strong>
Director, Director of Doctor of Engineering in Advanced Manufacturing
<\/strong>Director of Industrial Engineering Programs (BSIE and MSIE)<\/strong>
A. Leon Linton Department of Mechanical, Robotics and Industrial Engineering<\/strong>
Lawrence Technological University,\u00a0Southfield, Michigan, USA<\/strong>
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), IEOM Society International<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Dr. Ahad Ali<\/strong>\u00a0is an associate professor and director of industrial engineering programs (BSIE & MSIE) and director of a graduate certificate in Lean Six Sigma at A. Leon Linton Department of Mechanical, Robotics, and Industrial Engineering of the Lawrence Technological University (LTU), Southfield, Michigan, USA. He established the Siemens Electro-Matic Industrial Engineering Lab at LTU. Dr. Ali was the primary author of the ABET self-study report of the BSIE Program at LTU in 2022. He earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), Bangladesh, a Master\u2019s in Systems and Engineering Management from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, and a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, USA. Dr. Ali was an Assistant Professor in Industrial Engineering at the University of Puerto Rico \u2013 Mayaguez, a Visiting Assistant Professor in Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering at the University of Toledo, and a Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at the Bangladesh Institute of Technology, Khulna. He received an Outstanding Professor Award from the Industrial Engineering Department, University of Puerto Rico -Mayaguez. Dr. Ali has been recognized with a Fulbright Award. He has published 75 journal papers and 150 conference papers. Dr Ali conducted research projects with Chrysler, Ford, DTE Energy, New Center Stamping, Whelan Co., Delphi Automotive System, GE Medical Systems, International Truck and Engine Corporation (ITEC), and Rockwell Automation. His research interests include manufacturing systems, quality, lean, six-sigma, simulation, artificial intelligence, supply chain, and optimization. He supervised 11 doctoral students in Doctor of Engineering in Manufacturing Systems (DEMS). He is a Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of IEOM Society International. Dr. Ali is a Co-Chair of the International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management. Dr. Ali organized IEOM conferences around the globe on six continents including Dhaka, Kuala Lumpur, Istanbul, Bali, Dubai, Orlando, Detroit, Rabat, Bristol, Bogota, Paris, Washington, DC, Lima, Johannesburg, Bangkok, Pilsen, Toronto, Costa Rica, Monterrey, Sao Paulo, Riyadh, Manila, Melbourne, New Delhi, Sydney, Augsburg, Tokyo, and Muscat. He is an associate editor of the IJIEOM. Dr. Ali is a member of IEOM, INFORMS, SME, and IEEE.<\/p>\n

\n

\"Mbohwa\"<\/a>Professor Charles Mbohwa, Ph.D. (IEOM President 2025 \u2013 2026)<\/strong>
<\/strong>Distinguished Professor
University of South Africa (UNISA)
Pretoria, South Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Past Pro-VC, University of Zimbabwe<\/strong>
Former Executive Dean, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of Johannesburg<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Professor Charles Mbohwa is a Visiting Professor at University of Johannesburg, South Africa. He was a Pro-Vice Chancellor Strategic Partnerships and Industrialisation at University of Zimbabwe and an affiliated Professor in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment. He is an established researcher and professor in the field of sustainability engineering and energy.\u00a0 He was the Chairman and Head of Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Zimbabwe from 1994 to 1997 and was Vice-Dean of Postgraduate Studies Research and Innovation in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at the University of Johannesburg from 2014 to 2017. He has published more than 350 papers in peer-reviewed journals and conferences, 10 book chapters and three books. He has a Scopus h-index of 11 and Google Scholar h-index of 14. Upon graduating with his BSc Honours in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Zimbabwe in 1986, he was employed as a mechanical engineer by the National Railways of Zimbabwe. He holds a Masters in Operations Management and Manufacturing Systems from University of Nottingham and completed his doctoral studies at Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Technology in Japan. He was a Fulbright Scholar visiting the Supply Chain and Logistics Institute at the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, a Japan Foundation Fellow, is a Fellow of the Zimbabwean Institution of Engineers and is a registered mechanical engineer with the Engineering Council of Zimbabwe. He has been a collaborator in projects of the United Nations Environment Programme. He has also visited many countries on research and training engagements including the United Kingdom, Japan, German, France, the USA, Brazil, Sweden, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mauritius, Austria, the Netherlands, Uganda, Namibia and Australia. He has had several awards including British Council Scholarship, Japanese Foundation Fellowship, Kubota Foundation Fellowship; Fulbright Fellowship.<\/p>\n

\n

10:00 – 10:30 am, <\/span>Wednesday, May 13, 2026<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

10:30 – 11:00 am, <\/span>Wednesday, May 13, 2026<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"Guiping Hu, PhD<\/strong>
Professor and Department Chair<\/strong>
Systems Engineering & Operations Research<\/strong>
College of Engineering and Computing<\/strong>
George Mason University<\/strong>
Fairfax, Virginia, United States<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Short biography:<\/p>\n

Dr. Guiping Hu is a Professor and Department Chair of Systems Engineering and Operations Research at George Mason University. During 2023 \u2013 2025, she served as the School Head of Industrial Engineering and Management at Oklahoma State University. During 2022-2023, she served as the Associate Chair of the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering at Iowa State University where she was a faculty from 2009-2023. Dr. Hu\u2019s research has been supported by NSF, USDA, DOE, and DOD with over $12M funding. She has published over 100 journal articles and 50 conference proceedings. She is an Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) Fellow, ELATES fellow, and an NSF IAspire Leadership Academy Fellow.<\/p>\n

Keynote Title: System thinking to address trans-disciplinary societal challenges<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Abstract: The landscape in research for industry and service sectors continues to evolve rapidly, driven by emerging opportunities and challenges with significant societal implications. As a pivotal approach to embracing these challenges and opportunities, trans-disciplinary research plays an increasingly important role, especially as systems become borderless and dynamic. During this process, it is critical to embrace and adopt system thinking to address trans-disciplinary service challenges. Dr. Hu will share an overview of industrial and service systems along with the digitalization in the era of artificial intelligence and digital twin adoption. Application domains will include supply chain design, manufacturing production, renewable energy production, sustainable agriculture, and healthcare.<\/p>\n

\n

11:00 – 11:30<\/span>\u00a0– Break<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

11:30 – 12:00, <\/span>Wednesday, May 13, 2026<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"Dr Rechard Noor<\/strong>
Managing Director, W-Tech Manufacturing and Fibretek Manufacturing<\/strong>
Group Managing Director, H&M Group<\/strong>
Research Associate, Nelson Mandela University<\/strong>
Chairperson, Community Chest of the Western Cape<\/strong>
Chairperson, Advisory Board Meeting, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Cape Peninsula University of Technology<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Dr Rechard Noor is a distinguished South African industrialist, academic, and community leader whose career spans over four decades of transformative leadership in the manufacturing and operations management sectors. He currently serves as Managing Director of W-Tech Manufacturing and Fibretek Manufacturing, and as Group Managing Director of the H&M Group\u2014an integrated portfolio of advanced manufacturing companies operating across composite materials, industrial coatings, and polymer technologies. Under his strategic stewardship, the Group has evolved from a struggling enterprise into a highly competitive and profitable industrial organisation.<\/p>\n

Dr Noor holds a Doctor of Philosophy from Nelson Mandela University, where his research examined decentralised organisational systems, human capital development, radical transformation, and sustainability within advanced manufacturing environments. His scholarly contributions are anchored in bridging theory and practice\u2014linking strategic management and organisational innovation with the operational realities of industrial enterprises. His book, Radical Transformation and Sustainability for an Advanced Manufacturing Industry (2020), co-authored with Dr Oswald Franks, Prof Brink Botha, and Prof Bingwen Yan, has become a key reference in understanding transformative approaches to manufacturing resilience, human-centred leadership, and sustainable growth in emerging economies.<\/p>\n

Over the years, Dr Noor has been instrumental in redefining leadership and operational excellence within South Africa\u2019s manufacturing landscape. His pioneering implementation of decentralised management systems and advanced human capital development models has consistently resulted in improved productivity, workforce empowerment, and long-term organisational sustainability. His work exemplifies how engineering management principles can be strategically aligned with social innovation to foster inclusive industrial growth.<\/p>\n

Within academia, Dr Noor serves as a Research Associate at Nelson Mandela University, contributing to studies in industrial transformation and sustainable operations management. He also holds prominent governance and advisory positions at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, where he chairs the Advisory Board in Operations Management and Industrial Engineering. In these capacities, he plays a crucial role in strengthening the interface between industry and higher education, ensuring that academic programmes remain responsive to the evolving needs of the manufacturing and operations sectors.<\/p>\n

Beyond academia and industry, Dr Noor has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to community development and ethical leadership. As Chairperson of the Community Chest of the Western Cape and Chairperson of the Electronic Recycling Association of South Africa, he advocates for corporate citizenship, sustainability, and environmental responsibility. His leadership extends to various non-profit and sports organisations, reflecting his holistic view of leadership as a vehicle for social transformation.<\/p>\n

Dr Noor\u2019s thought leadership has been featured on major media platforms including ENCA, Heart FM, Good Hope FM, and KFM, where he has shared insights on sustainability, governance, and energy efficiency. His professional journey\u2014from an apprentice fitter and turner at Murray & Roberts Engineering to the helm of a major industrial group\u2014embodies resilience, continuous learning, and visionary leadership.<\/p>\n

Guided by his enduring philosophy that \u201ctrue transformation is not about politics or power\u2014it is about unlocking human potential and building organisations and societies that are ethical, sustainable, and people-centred,\u201d Dr Rechard Noor continues to inspire the next generation of engineers, entrepreneurs, and community builders across Africa and beyond.<\/p>\n

\n

12:00 – 12:30, <\/span>Wednesday, May 13, 2026<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Dr. Jingshan Li
<\/strong>Head and Chair Professor
Department of Systems Engineering
City University of Hong Kong
Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR<\/h2>\n
\n

12:30 – 1:00, <\/span>Wednesday, May 13, 2026<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Dr. Selim Erol, MSc<\/strong>
Head of Institute of Industrial Engineering and Management<\/strong>
Institute of Industrial Engineering and Management<\/strong>
University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt GmbH \u2013 Campus 1<\/strong>
Johannes Gutenberg-Stra\u00dfe 3, Austria<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u00a0Dr. Selim Erol is an Austrian academic with extensive experience in industrial engineering, digitalization, and production research. He completed his studies in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on Engineering Management at TU Wien, including a study abroad program in Australia, and went on to earn a PhD in Information Systems from the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU Wien). His professional career began in consulting before he transitioned to academia in 2008.<\/p>\n

He has held academic positions at WU Wien, TU Wien, the University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien, and currently serves as Head of the Institute of Industrial Engineering and Management at the University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt. He was also a member of the management board at Fraunhofer Austria during his time at TU Wien.<\/p>\n

His teaching and research focus on production and logistics systems, data analytics and visualization, systems modeling and simulation, and applications of artificial intelligence in industrial processes. Dr. Erol is an active member of several professional associations, including IEEE and EUROMA and has authored more than 50 academic publications in conferences, journals and books. Dr. Erol has led pioneering projects to build a cutting-edge Industry 4.0 Pilot Factory at TU Wien and Innovation Lab Industry 4.0 at UAS Wiener Neustadt.<\/p>\n

He has led and contributed to numerous publicly and privately funded research projects at both the national and EU level. Additionally, he is a frequent keynote speaker at international conferences and serves as a reviewer and committee member for leading journals and academic events. His work bridges academic research with industrial applications.<\/p>\n

\n

Thursday, May 14, 2026<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
\n

10:00 – 10:30 am, <\/span>Thursday, May 14, 2026<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"Lizhi Wang, PhD<\/strong>
Professor of Bioengineering<\/strong>
Department of Systems Engineering & Operations Research<\/strong>
College of Engineering and Computing<\/strong>
George Mason University<\/strong>
Fairfax, Virginia, USA<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Short biography:<\/p>\n

Bio: Lizhi Wang is a professor in the Department of Bioengineering and the Department of Systems Engineering and Operations Research at George Mason University. Between 2007 and 2023, he worked at Iowa State University in the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering as an assistant, associate, and then full professor. Between 2023 and summer of 2025, he worked at Oklahoma State University as the inaugural holder of the Ken and Lynn Case Endowed Chair position in the School of Industrial Engineering and Management. Dr. Wang is a co-founder of Crop Convergence, a startup company that offers digital twin as a decision support tool in the controlled environment agriculture industry.<\/p>\n

Keynote Title: A systems engineering approach to digital twin models for biological systems<\/p>\n

Keynote abstract:<\/p>\n

Abstract: Most commonly used models for biological systems are either process-based or data-driven. Process-based models simulate major physiological processes throughout the life cycle, which are explainable and insightful but require experimental measurements for parameterization. On the other hand, data-driven models use machine learning techniques to approximate the complex input-output relationship, which can often produce accurate predictions given adequate training data, but it is hard to explain how the predictions are reached. As an attempt to overcome the challenges of these two types of models and combine their strengths, we have developed a variety of digital twin models using systems engineering principles. Such a model can be considered as a special neural network with a delicately designed architecture, where every neuron represents part of a physiological process and every parameter has a biological meaning. Examples of digital twin models for plants, animals, and\/or human body will be introduced to demonstrate the potential of these models.<\/p>\n

\n

10:30 – 11:00, <\/span>Thursday, May 14, 2026<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Dr. Mukondeleli Grace Kanakana-Katumba<\/strong>
DVC Teaching and Learning<\/strong>
Vaal University of Technology (VUT)<\/strong>
Vanderbijlpark, South Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n

11:00 – 11:30, Thursday, May 14, 2026<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

11:30 – 12:00, <\/span>Thursday, May 14, 2026<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

12:00 – 12:30, <\/span>Thursday, May 14, 2026<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

12:30 – 1:00, <\/span>Thursday, May 14, 2026<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

Friday, May 15, 2026<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
\n

10:00 – 10:30 am, <\/span>Friday, May 15, 2026<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"Prof Nita Inderlal Sukdeo <\/strong>
Associate Professor <\/strong>
Department of Quality and Operations Management <\/strong>
School of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering <\/strong>
University of Johannesburg<\/strong>
South Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Prof Nita Inderlal Sukdeo is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Quality and Operations Management within the School of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. She obtained a Masters in Quality, from the Durban University of Technology and a PhD in Engineering Management from the University of Johannesburg. She is currently registered for a second PhD in Quality Engineering. She is an active researcher in the field of total quality management and operations management. Her field of expertise also include advanced manufacturing technologies, Artificial Intelligence in the manufacturing sector, smart factory, Quality 4.0 framework, quantitative analysis, quality management systems, quality auditing and risk assessment. She is a qualified Lead Auditor, proficient in ISO standards and certification. She is co-chairperson and director of the Society for Operations Management in Africa (SOMA). She is a professional member of the Southern African Society for Quality (SASQ). Empowering and advocating women in Engineering and STEM as the chairperson for Faculty\u2019s Women in Engineering and the Built Environment (WiEBE).<\/p>\n

\n

10:30 – 11:00, <\/span>Friday, May 15, 2026<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Dr. Olufemi Muibi Saibu<\/strong>
Professor & Director<\/strong>
Quality Assurance & SERVICOM Unit\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>
University of Lagos, Nigeria<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n

11:00 – 11:30, Friday, May 15, 2026<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"Dr. Rupa Vasudevan<\/strong>
Chancellor<\/strong>
Bharatiya Engineering Science and Technology Innovation University (BEST IU)<\/strong>
Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Presentation Title: Entrepreneurship and sustainability in higher education<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Dr. Rupa Vasudevan is an Educationist, Sociopreneur, Founder and Co-Chairperson of BEST Group (Gatti Valley Educational Institutions).\u00a0 She is the Chancellor of Bharatiya Engineering Science and Technology Innovation University (BEST IU), a State Private University established in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh.<\/p>\n

Co-Founder and Director of Evergreen Naturals \u2013 EN, a company that focuses on cheaper availability of high-quality agricultural inputs to small and marginal farmers, monitoring growth and farming practices and helping in establishing forward and backward linkages in supply chain management. She is Appointed as one of the ten academicians in the General and Executive Council of Karnataka State Higher Education Council- KSHEC, apex body on education in the State. \u00a0Regional Co-Chair for ASSOCHAM \u2013 Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka State.\u00a0 Founder and Global President of World Forum for Education, an independent non-profit organization working globally to advance sustainable development, humanitarian response and facilitating public good through Knowledge sharing and Education. Trustee of Apna Desh Foundation, a Foundation that spearheads initiatives, finding meaningful ways to make a difference to our farmers while documenting best traditional practices from rural areas of the states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Honorary Trustee of Disha Bharat, a non-profit social organisation that works in the field of value education. Member, Governing Council of Indic Academy (INDICA) \u2013 a non-traditional University for traditional knowledge systems. And Member, Governing Council of India Foundation, New Delhi.<\/p>\n

\n

11:30 – 12:00, <\/span>Friday, May 15, 2026<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

12:00 – 12:30, <\/span>Friday, May 15, 2026<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

12:30 – 1:00, Fri<\/span>day, May 15, 2026<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Keynote Speakers\u00a0 Wednesday, May 13, 2026 9:30, Tuesday, October 14, 2025 – Opening and Conference Chair Welcome Message:\u00a0 Prof Bingwen YanHead of DepartmentDepartment of Operations ManagementCape Peninsula University of TechnologyCape Town, South Africa Bingwen Yan is based at Faculty of Engineering and The Built Environment, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa. Bingwen […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-54","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ieomsociety.org\/capetown2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/54","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ieomsociety.org\/capetown2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ieomsociety.org\/capetown2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ieomsociety.org\/capetown2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ieomsociety.org\/capetown2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54"}],"version-history":[{"count":185,"href":"https:\/\/ieomsociety.org\/capetown2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/54\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3053,"href":"https:\/\/ieomsociety.org\/capetown2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/54\/revisions\/3053"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ieomsociety.org\/capetown2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}