Proposed Center for Supply Chain Management and Logistics

Main Content

We are one year into our journey to establish a center for supply chain management and logistics here at SIU! What an exciting year it has been…

We’ve all seen the importance of supply chain management in myriad ways, including railroad strikes, air traffic disruptions, river traffic curtailment, congestion at major seaports, and, most recently, the bankruptcy of Yellow Freight. These events have touched us all, sometimes in obvious ways, at other times in a more subtle fashion. Our goal is to be a part of the solution to these critical challenges.

We have mapped out an approach that will engage students, faculty, and our regional business/government entities. This year will be a time of growth and experimentation for our proposed center. We are planning exciting partnerships with supply chain management practitioners to bring more learning and networking opportunities to Southern Illinois – for both students and regional businesses. We will work to build and support experiential learning opportunities that will pair student teams with local firms to address real-world problems. The proposed center will offer support to faculty who are engaged in supply chain management research and teaching.

Most importantly, we will continue our outreach efforts. We must make the opportunities offered by a supply chain management career clear to prospective students, our regional businesses need our students, and we need to find those students and get them into the SIU program. Our business community needs to have opportunities to share, learn and work together. All of us need to be more aware of the importance of supply chain management in our personal and professional lives.

Stay tuned for events, developments, and news. Please contact Dr. DeYong if you want to be part of the supply chain management solution here at SIU.

Vision

By leveraging location, infrastructure, and institutions to provide opportunities for our students and associates, the CSCML will take advantage of the natural advantages and capabilities of Southern Illinois to support academics, research and service.

Mission

The CSCML will serve students by promoting awareness of LSCM careers and will help students become LSCM leaders in their future roles. The Center will provide students with the opportunity to interact with academia, industry leaders, and local firms to understand real-world applications of LSCM tools and techniques. In alignment with the COBA mission, the CSCML will support the distinct student body attracted to SIU in their LSCM education and career development.

The Center will serve faculty by supporting research and pedagogical activities. By providing a research “hub” to bring together a mix of faculty from various disciplines (business, engineering and computer science, to name a few) not only from SIU-C, but also from institutions throughout the region, the CSCML will allow researchers to develop partnerships and ideas. Support of faculty teaching activities through workshops, colloquia and resources will be designed to improve the quality of LSCM courses.

The CSCML will serve the region by engaging and supporting firms who depend upon LSCM activities. Key elements of this engagement include raising awareness the importance of LSCM, providing learning and networking opportunities, and supporting the development of a thriving LSCM “culture of excellence” in Southern Illinois and the surrounding region.

In the news

About the Director

photo of Dr. DeYongGregory DeYong, Ph.D. is leading the development of the proposed CSCML. DeYong is an Associate Professor of Management at SIU-C. He has extensive experience in manufacturing and supply chain management. Prior to completing his doctorate, Dr. DeYong spent 17 years in industry positions such as international sourcing and factory director. DeYong has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals covering topics such as inventory control, logistics and quality.

For more information about the proposed CSCML, or for information about supply chain management as a career, contact Dr. Gregory DeYong (gdeyong@siu.edu)

Input Requested

As we design and build the center, we are seeking input from a wide variety of sources:

  • Local firms
  • Regional and National firms
  • Regional academic institutions
  • Students and alumni