Tuesday, November 25, 2025
Welcoming Remarks: 11:00- 11:10am), Tuesday, 25 November 2025
Conference Chair
Dr Felix Kin Peng Hui
Conference Chair &
Associate Professor of Engineering Management and an Academic Specialist
Department of Infrastructure Engineering
University of Melbourne
Melbourne, Australia
Dr Felix Kin Peng Hui is an Associate Professor of Engineering Management and an Academic Specialist in the Department of Infrastructure Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and IT, University of Melbourne. He is also the Program Director/Academic Coordinator for the Master of Engineering Management program and the Engineering Business specialisation for postgraduate masters degrees.
Dr Hui is an experienced engineer with over 25 years of industry experience in managing continuous improvement projects, factories, and business units. He has held senior management positions in a range of manufacturing industries which includes machine tools, precision engineering and semiconductors. He has also consulted to organisations seeking continuous improvements to optimise their operational efficiency. His research interests are in the areas of operational process optimisation, operational efficiency, lean systems, organisational development and team dynamics in engineering projects. He is currently a lead investigator on several government funded projects which includes mega-infrastructure projects research, prefabricated modular construction research, next generation buildings with Building 4.0 CRC and on CRC-P projects involving end-of-life treatment processes. Dr Hui is a registered Professional Engineer (Singapore), an ASEAN Chartered Professional Engineer and a Fellow of Institute of Managers and Leaders.
Remarks from IEOM Society International
Professor Donald M. Reimer
Chief Operating Officer
IEOM Society International
Southfield, Michigan, USA
Donald M. Reimer is an adjunct faculty at the A. Leon Linton Department of Mechanical Engineering in College of Engineering at Lawrence Tech in Southfield, Michigan. He coordinates the Certificate of Entrepreneurial Engineering Skills. Mr. Reimer holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management from Lawrence Technological University and a Master of Arts degree in Political Science from University of Detroit/Mercy. He is a Certified Management Consultant with over 35 years of experience in working with closely-held businesses. He has taught courses in entrepreneurship, strategic management, corporate entrepreneurship and innovation for engineers. Mr. Reimer is a member of the Lawrence Tech Kern Campus Committee, Coordinator of the Lawrence Tech Innovation Encounter. He is faculty Advisor of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization. Mr. Reimer serves as a Kern Fellow of The Kern Family Foundation, Co-Direct of the Coleman Fellows Program, member of the National Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization Faculty Advisory Council and is a member of the American Society of Engineering Education.
He has operated his own consulting company – The Small Business Strategy Group for 23 years. He published numerous articles on small business, entrepreneurship and strategic thinking. He has received several awards and recognition by local, state and federal agencies for his work in entrepreneurship and minority business development. Mr. Reimer served as member of the Minority Economic Development Committee of New Detroit. Mr. Reimer is member of the Small Business Advisory Council of the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Reimer is a member of Advisory Board of the Milwaukee Junction Small Business Assistance Center. He is also a member of the Applied Innovation Alliance. Mr. Reimer serves as a KEEN Fellow for The Kern Family Foundation and is a member of United States Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
Keynote Speakers – 2025 IEOM Melbourne Conference
Keynote I: (11:10- 11:50am), Tuesday, 25 November 2025
Dr Daniel Prior FAMI CPM SFHEA MILT
Associate Professor
Director, Supply Chain Sustainment Research Group
University of NSW Canberra, Australia
Topic: Opening the closed systems paradigm in operations research: Guidelines for use case referencing
Daniel Prior is an Associate Processor in Management in the School of Business at UNSW, Canberra. Daniel is also a member of UNSW Cyber and has held visiting appointments at Cranfield University, UK, and the University of Texas at Austin, USA. Between 2017 and 2019, Daniel was Professor of Strategic Sales Management, Co-Director of the Centre for Strategic Marketing and Sales, Director of the Executive MBA and Director of the Key Account Management and Strategic Sales Forum at Cranfield University. Prior to this, he was on the faculty in the School of Business at UNSW Canberra. Daniel has worked in industry for companies such as KPMG, Acer Computer Australia and Communications Design and Management. Daniel is active on a range of corporate and not-for-profit boards, and, as a marketing strategy consultant and mentor for industry, particularly in new product development, complex systems implementations and in strategy.
Daniel completed his PhD in 2008. He holds a Master of Commerce (Marketing), a Graduate Certificate in University Teaching and Learning, and a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing. Daniel is a Fellow of the Australian Marketing Institute and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Association (UK). Daniel’s core interest is in buyer-supplier engagement, particularly where there are complex relationships that are high risk and that develop over extended periods. Daniel’s research, teaching and consulting interests have two foci. First, Daniel is interested in understanding how supplier firms create value, how buyer firms realise value, and how relationships determine the nature of value at multiple levels of interaction. Current projects centre on developing ‘value narratives’ for complex solutions, integrating circular economy principles into complex value propositions, and supply chain sustainability. Second, Daniel is interested the application of computer science techniques to address problems that arise from buyer-supplier engagement. This includes for situational awareness and in understanding human factors, particularly as these pose risks to the viability of buyer-supplier engagements. Core topics include customer relationship management, supplier selection, contract monitoring and information integrity.
Keynote II: (11:50am- 12:30pm), Tuesday, 25 November 2025
Professor Dr. Fitra Lestari
Vice Dean, Faculty of Science and Technology
Professor in Industrial Engineering Department
Universitas Islam Negeri Sultan Syarif Kasim Riau
Riau, Indonesia
Topic: Operation Management for Implementing the Effective Community Service Project
Fitra Lestari is currently a Professor and Former Head of Industrial Engineering Department in Faculty Science and Technology, UIN Sultan Syarif Kasim Riau, Indonesia. Then, He also Head of Emerging Technology and Continuous Improvement in Center Of Islamic Data Science And Continuous Improvement (CIDSCI) Research Group, UIN Sultan Syarif Kasim Riau, Indonesia. He gained his BEng and MEng in Industrial Engineering from Andalas University (Indonesia) and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM- Malaysia). Then, He has continued the PhD project at UTM Malaysia in the field of Supply chain relationships in a downstream sector of the Palm Oil industry. He has published extensively including several refereed journal papers, conference papers, book chapters, and edited reference books associated with Supply Chain Management, Marketing, Logistic, and Performance Measurement. He serves as a reviewer, associate editor and editorial member for several national and international journals. He joins as a member of the International Association of Engineers (IAENG), and Director of student competition in Industrial Engineering and Operations Management (IEOM Society- Indonesia), and Head of Indonesian Industrial Engineering Higher Education Organizing Agency (BKSTI Indonesia-Sumatera II). He also registered as Halal Auditor in Indonesia. His industrial and government collaborators include Strategy of Small Medium Enterprises, Halal Supply Chain dan Performance Assessment and Institutional Strengthening of Oil Palm Supply Chains.
Keynote III: (12:30- 1:10pm), Tuesday, 25 November 2025
Chris Gaspardis
Manufacturing Engineering Manager
PACCAR, Melbourne, Australia
Topic:
Chris Gaspardis is an accomplished Manufacturing Engineering Manager at PACCAR, with over 15 years of experience in industrial and manufacturing engineering. Chris has held progressive leadership roles at PACCAR, including Industrial Engineering Manager and Senior Industrial Engineer, where he has played a key role in transitioning major projects from prototype to full-scale production. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Systems) from The Australian National University, where he actively contributed to motorsport and sustainability projects such as Formula SAE and the Solar Car Challenge. Chris brings a strong foundation in mechanical systems, composites, and SolidWorks, complemented by hands-on experience from previous roles at Bosch and in entrepreneurial initiatives. He is known for his motivation, communication skills, and ability to deliver complex projects with precision and enthusiasm.
Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Keynote IV: (11:00- 11:40am), Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Dr Gary Yu-Hsin Chen
Professor
Department of Logistics Management
National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology
Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Topic: Telecommunications and Operations Research: How My Industrial Experience Inspires My Research
Gary Yu-Hsin Chen is a professor of Logistics Management at the National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology (NKUST) in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Dr. Chen earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Purdue University, a Master of Computer Science in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Arlington, a Master of Business Administration from the University of North Texas, and a PhD in Industrial Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington. Before joining academia, he worked as a software developer and test engineer for major telecommunications companies such as Motorola, Nokia, and Siemens. He has been certified by the American Society for Quality – Software Quality Engineer (ASQ-CSQE).
He has authored multiple scholarly articles on optimization, software testing, and meta-heuristics in renowned journals, including the International Journal of Production Economics, Computers & Operations Research, and the International Journal of Production Research. He received the “Dr. Pao-Long Chang Memorial Publication Award” from the Chinese Institute of Industrial Engineers in Taiwan in 2022. He is a permanent member of the Chinese Institute of Industrial Engineers (CIIE), the Operations Research Society of Taiwan (ORSTW), and the Chinese Society for Quality (CSQ).
Keynote V: (11:40am- 12:20pm), Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Prof Dr Sally Male
Director, Teaching and Learning Lab (Tll)
Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
The University of Melbourne, Australia
Topic:
Professor Sally Male was awarded the 2023 World Federation of Engineering Organizations Medal for Excellence in Engineering Education. As Director of the Teaching and Learning Laboratory in the Faculty of Engineering and IT at the University of Melbourne, Professor Male leads a program of research in engineering and computing education, and higher education, and a program of development and support for engineering educators. Her mission in her research and teaching, is to ensure that students have the best possible opportunities to develop capabilities and attributes to lead successful lives contributing to society. Specifically, Professor Male’s research interests are curriculum development, employability, work integrated learning, and gender inclusion.
Before joining The University of Melbourne, Professor Male held the Chair in Engineering Education at The University of Western Australia. Professor Male has taught electrical engineering at Curtin University and The University of Western Australia.
Professor Male is a Fellow of Engineers Australia, Editor-in-Chief of the Australasian Journal of Engineering Education, and a former Governance Board Member of Engineering Institute of Technology.
Keynote VI: (12:20- 1:00 pm), Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Daniel Kulawiec
Executive, Design and Construct
InfraCo, Telstra Group
Melbourne, Australia
Topic: The AI Journey at Telstra
Daniel Kulawiec, Executive Design and Construct within InfraCo (Telstra), is responsible for leading the design, construction and protection of Telstra’s passive telecommunications infrastructure. Daniel’s business spans almost all of InfraCo’s assets – from the national Fibre network, to exchange buildings and network infrastructure (data centres, ducts, pits and pipes), and includes more than $0.5bn of delivery projects each year.
Daniel, who is based in Melbourne, has more than 28 years’ experience in the Telecommunications industry, and has held a number of senior leadership positions at Telstra including Planning, Director of Process Solutions and various Operations Executive roles. Prior to the Design and Construct role, Daniel has been responsible for the delivery of the Definitive Agreements executed between Telstra, nbn and the Commonwealth – supporting the rollout of nbn’s network and the migration of copper services onto the nbn.
Prior to joining Telstra, Daniel has held various roles in the Mining and Manufacturing industries. Daniel holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Manufacturing Management) with Honours Class 1 from the University of New South Wales, and has also served as President of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) Australia for a number of years.
Thursday, 27 November 2025
Keynote VII: (11:00-11:40am), Thursday, 27 November 2025
Tetsuo YAMADA, Dr. Eng.
Professor
Program Chair of Management Science and Social Informatics
Director of Laboratory for Environment-Conscious Life Cycle Design with Products Information
Department of Informatics
Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering
The University of Electro-Communications, Japan
Tetsuo Yamada is a Professor, Program Chair of Management Science and Social Informatics and Director of Laboratory for Environment-Conscious Life Cycle Design with Products Information, Department of Informatics, Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering, the University of Electro-Communications (UEC), Tokyo, Japan. He received his B.S., M.S. and Dr. Eng. in research on Designs for Assembly Line Systems from UEC. He was an Assistant and Associate Professor from 2007 to 2011 in the Department of Environmental and Information Studies, Tokyo City University (Old name: Musashi Institute of Technology). Additionally, he was a Visiting Senior Research Scientist at the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering, Northeastern University, USA, from 2013 to 2014.
His research interests are Carbon Neutral and Closed-Loop Supply Chains, Renewable Energy Management, Machine Learning Application, Disassembly/Assembly Systems, Remanufacturing as well as Healthcare Systems Engineering, Work-Life Balance, ERP Systems and e-Learning. He has authored or coauthored over 100 peer-reviewed journals published, and 200 international and 230 domestic conferences. He has supervised 4 PhD’s dissertations in UEC Tokyo and was a pre-examiner of a PhD thesis at Aalto University in Finland in 2018. He was listed as the 7th Rank of Leading fifteen authors in “A review on remanufacturing, reuse, and recycling in supply chain —Exploring the evolution of information technology over two decades” written by Nikunja Mohan Modak, Sudipta Sinha and Debabrata Kumar Ghosh on International Journal of Information Management Data Insights, 3, (2023) 100160, Elsevier, and was the recipients of the Outstanding Paper Award at the 23rd International Conference on Production Research (ICPR-23), Manila, Philippines in 2015 and of the appreciation in his service at NEDSI (Northeast Decision Sciences Institute) 2017 conference, Springfield, MA, USA in 2017. He serves as a council member of the Japan Industrial Management Association and the Kanto Branch Chair of the Society of Plant Engineers Japan, and a member of Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, Operations Research Society of Japan, Scheduling Society of Japan and the Institute of Life Cycle Assessment, Japan. His papers have been appeared in International Journal of Production Economics, Sustainability, Energies, the Journal of Manufacturing Systems, Computers and Industrial Engineering, Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing, Enterprise Information Systems, Assembly Automation, International Journal of Sustainable Manufacturing, Journal of Remanufacturing, Industrial Engineering and Management Systems, International Journal of Automation Technology, Logistics, Recycling, International Journal of Computational Intelligence Studies, Journal of Japan Industrial Management Association (JIMA), etc.
Keynote VIII: (11:40am- 12:20pm), Thursday, 27 November 2025
Dr. Nurbek Kurbonov, PhD
Associate Professor
Tashkent State Technical University (TSTU)
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Dr. Nurbek Kurbonov is a distinguished scholar, project leader, and internationally recognized expert in the field of energy engineering, known for his contributions to energy efficiency, digital energy systems, and IoT-based monitoring technologies. He earned his bachelor’s degree and PhD from Tashkent State Technical University (TSTU) and completed his master’s degree at Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University “LETI”. His professional trajectory includes advanced research training and internships at globally renowned institutions, including Kazan National Research Technical University (Russia), where he specialized in “Energy and Digital Transformation,” the EKRA plant in Cheboksary on protection and automation systems, Tomsk Polytechnic University on “Image Data Processing,” Shandong University and North China University of Technology (China), and Istanbul Technical University (Turkey). Beginning his career as a technician at HydroProject JSC, Dr. Kurbonov advanced through academic and industrial roles, including assistant lecturer at TSTU and NRU MEI (Tashkent) and project manager positions at Energorepair Project and NEOSMET LLC. He currently serves as Associate Professor and lead researcher at TSTU, where he continues to drive innovation in the energy sector. Dr. Kurbonov’s research is distinguished by its interdisciplinary scope and practical relevance, particularly in the areas of energy audits, reduction of technological losses in power distribution networks, and the integration of advanced digital control systems and energy efficiency standards. He has successfully led fundamental, applied, and innovative projects such as FOT-2021-236, PZ-202008308, and IOT-2021-23, while also contributing to the development of Uzbekistan’s national energy regulatory “Roadmap.” His work extends to large-scale industrial energy audit initiatives and international collaborations, including his leadership of an advanced project on lightning risk prediction and intelligent fault diagnostics in wind power stations.
Internationally recognized for his leadership and expertise, Dr. Kurbonov has been a keynote and invited speaker at numerous prestigious conferences and forums, including The First China–Uzbekistan University Science & Technology Innovation Conference (2024), the IEOM Society International Distinguished Professor Award Ceremony (Bali, 2025), ICoMTED 2024 (Best Paper in Engineering), Tomsk Polytechnic University International Lecture Series, Baku Energy Week (2022), PowerExpo Astana (2022), and the Tinchurin Conference (Kazan, 2022). These accomplishments underscore his growing influence as a leading academic and practitioner in energy systems engineering, combining cutting-edge research with practical expertise to address global challenges in power system modernization and sustainable energy development.
Keynote IX: (12:20 1:00pm), Thursday, 27 November 2025