Logistics News: June 2025

Anenson Completes Term as President of the Academy of Legal Studies in Business

Smith’s T. Leigh Anenson, professor of business law and director of the University of Maryland's Center for the Study of Business Ethics, Regulation and Crime, recently finished her term leading the international non-profit organization of teachers and scholars in the fields of business law and ethics outside of professional law schools. She is continuing her service with ALSB through her position on the executive committee, helping lead the academy during its centennial year.

Song Recognized with Industry Award for Early Career Research

Sining Song, assistant professor of supply chain management, was awarded the Carol J. Latta Memorial Award for Outstanding Early Career Research Leadership. The award, presented annually at the the Decision Sciences Institute Annual Conference each November, recognizes "an outstanding researcher in the early stages of his or her career in the field of decision sciences."

Reyna Receives Achievement Award from Alma Mater

Justín Marcos Reyna, associate clinical professor and LBPP associate department chair, earned the University of Rochester's 25th Reunion Achievement Award. The honor recognizes professional accomplishments, contributions to the field, community service and "dedication to humanity that aligns with the University of Rochester's mission and values." 

A Path Forward for Public Pension Reform
American Business Law Journal, lead article

The collision of national pension debt and the COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated financial strains on state and local pension plans, now facing over a trillion dollars in unfunded obligations and leaving policymakers struggling for solutions amidst conflicting interpretations of contract law. Smith professor T. Leigh Anenson suggests "contract minimalism," which aligns public and private employment law by suggesting a daily contract interval, allowing for prospective pension plan adjustments while ensuring employees receive benefits earned. Anenson's forthcoming book on the issue, "The National Pension Crisis and the Constitution," is also set to release in 2025. Read More.

Supply Chain Mapping, Not Climate Prediction, is Key to Mitigating Risk for Corporate Boards
Agenda: Financial Times-produced source for U.S. corporate board analysis

Researchers from the University of Maryland's Supply Chain Management Center collaborated with supply-chain-mapping company Resilinc to deliver insight into how company boards can effectively deal with continuous extreme weather across the globe. Sandor Boyson, Research Professor Emeritus at the Smith School, says boards should be cognizant of the locations of critical supply chain "hubs," and create extreme weather contingency plans with alternative energy backups and medical plans for impacted workers. Read More.

Adding Same-Day Delivery Boosts Sales for Retailers and Delivery Platforms
Journal of Operations Management

Big-box retailers are integrating same-day delivery platforms to serve consumers faster. Supply chain management professor Martin Dresner examines the strategy with Target’s 2017 merger with Shipt. He finds that directing same-day consumers to a partner platform increases the delivery platform’s sales, especially in markets that have fewer online grocery options. He finds that offering both same-day and standard delivery all in one place boosts the retailer’s online sales. Read More.

Grad Students Place Third in Global Case Competition

A team of graduate students studying supply chain management at the Smith School earned third-place honors in the Global Sustainability Supply Chain Student Competition and second place in the Americas region. Emmanuel Eshemokhai Etsu, MS ’24, Jayanthvardan Eswaramurthy, MS ’24, Ahmad Mohi Ud Din, MS ’25, and Fiaz Ahmad, MS ’25, worked with Dean's Professor of Supply Chain Management, Martin Dresner, on presenting Project MapleGuard, a comprehensive solution aimed at tackling excess and obsolete inventory in the fresh produce industry. Read More.

Logistics Service Provider Tech Report

When it comes to investing in technology, there’s little that logistics service providers (LSPs) can glean from public filings to understand industry spending metrics. A new, forthcoming annual report from the Smith School’s Supply Chain Management Center aims to provide technology spend visibility for logistics service providers in a variety of areas. Read More.

Supply Chain Management Students Represent Smith at Networking and Case Competition Events

Undergraduate supply chain management students showcased their skills in events and case competitions across the country. Niratcha “Grace” Tungtisanont, associate clinical professor in the LBPP department, accompanied four students to the Women Impacting Supply Chain Excellence (WISE) at the University of Arkansas. Another team of four students prepared environmentally-conscious manufacturing solutions at the National Women’s Case Competition, hosted by the University of Texas (UT) at Austin. Read More.

Students Explore Global Trade and Sustainability in CGB Industry Trek

The Smith School's Center for Global Business helped undergraduate students experience firsthand real-world examples of logistics, global connectivity and sustainability during site visits to Hughes Network Systems, the Port of Baltimore and the Baltimore office of the Mediterranean Shipping Company. Students met with industry professionals who imparted important international business practices and offered insights on navigating today’s global business landscape. Read More.

Smith Alumnus Captures the Art of Supply Chain

Ed-Lamar Petion ’24, a digital artist and Smith School graduate in supply chain management and marketing, joined Microsoft’s SCORE (Supply Chain Operations Rotation Experience) program with a drive to solve global supply chain issues. At Smith, he also nurtured his passion for digital art, which he has since converted into a small business. Read More.