Özgür Araz is the Ron and Carol Cope Professor and Professor of Supply Chain Management and Analytics. His research interests are systems simulation, business analytics, healthcare operations and public health informatics. His research had been supported by NIH, Veterans Engineering Resource Center (VERC), HDR company, Boys Town of Nebraska, Nebraska Medicine and the University of Nebraska. Before joining the College of Business at UNL, he served as a faculty member of the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). He received his Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from Arizona State University and was a postdoctoral research fellow at the Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics of The University of Texas at Austin.

Dr Araz’s published research appeared in peer review journals including IISE Transactions, Production and Operations Management, Decision Sciences, INFORMS Journal on Computing, Annals of Operations Research, Decision Support Systems, International Journal of Production Economics, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, in addition to high impact medical and health care journals such as American Journal of Public Health, Emerging Infectious Diseases, Obesity, Medical Care, American Journal of Emergency Medicine, among many others. He is a member of INFORMS, POMS (Production and Operations Management Society), Decision Sciences Institute, System Dynamics Society and HIMSS (Healthcare Information Management Systems Society). He currently serves on the Editorial Review Board of Production and Operations Management and IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management journals, and as an editorial advisory board member of the Transportation Research Part -E journal. He is also an associate editor for IISE Transactions on Healthcare Systems Engineering journal and the Public Health Informatics Area Editor for the Health Systems journal. Professor Araz served as an associate editor for Decision Sciences (Jan 2020- March 2023). Dr Araz was a faculty fellow of Nebraska Governance and Technology Center and currently is a faculty fellow for the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute. 

Selected Publications 

1. Y Liu, Araz OM. Estimating the role of uninsured in the spread of COVID-19 via geospatial Bayesian models. Accepted, North American Actuarial Journal, March 2024.
2. Tatar M, Farokhi S, Araz OM, Deshpande A, Wilson FA. Association of social vulnerability and vaccination rates for annual Medicare enrollees at the county-level in the United States. In press. Preventive Medicine, October 2023.
3. Capar I, Araz OM, Capar I. Electric vehicle charging network design with capacity and service considerations. Accepted, IISE Transactions July 2023.
4. Lash M, Sajeesh S, Araz OM. Predicting mobility using limited data during early stages of a pandemic. Journal of Business Research, 157 (2023) 113413. 
5. Brittin J, Araz OM, Ramirez A, Huang T. An agent-based simulation model for testing novel obesity interventions in school environment. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, Vol 20, No 8, August 2023, 2682-2694.
6. Cinar A, Salman S, Araz OM, Parcaoglu M. Managing home healthcare services with dynamic arrivals during a public health emergency. Accepted, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, September 2022. 
7. Sahinyazan F, Araz OM. An alternative vaccine prioritization approach in response to COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management (2022) Vol 12, No 4, 532-553.
8. Sajeesh S, Araz OM, Huang TTK. Market positioning in food industry in response to public health policies. Production and Operations Management (2022) 31, 7 2962-2981. 
9. Ertem Z, Araz OM, Cruz-Aponte M. A decision analytic approach for social distancing policies during early stages of COVID-19 pandemic. Decision Support Systems (2022) 161, 113630. 
10. Mirzayi C, Ozcebe H, Swierad E, Araz OM, Arslan U, Unlu H, Yardim M, Uner S, Bilir N, Huang TK. A structural equation model of physical activity in Turkish schoolchildren: an application of the integrated health behavior model. BMJ Open (2021) 11: e046317. 
11. Araz OM, Cruz-Aponte M, Hanisch B, Margalit Stashefsky R, Wilson FA. An analytical framework for effective public health program design using correctional facilities. INFORMS Journal on Computing (2021) 34 (1) 113-128. 
12. Ramirrez NA, Araz OM, Fowler JW. Decision assessment algorithms for location and capacity optimization under resource shortages. Decision Sciences (2021) 52, 1, 142-181. 
13. Briseno H, Ramirez-Nafarrate A, Araz OM. A multivariate analysis of hybrid and electrical vehicles sales in Mexico. Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, 74, August 2021, 100957. 
14. Araz OM, Ramirrez NA, Jehn M, Wilson F. The importance of widespread testing for COVID-19 pandemic: systems thinking for drive-through testing sites. Health Systems, 9, 2, 119–123 2020.
15. Araz OM. Community supported agriculture: systems thinking in action. American Journal of Public Health (2020) 110, 1, 19-21 (Editorial note). 
16. Araz OM, Choi T, Olson D, Salman S. Data analytics for operational risk management. Decision Sciences (2020) 51, 6, 1316-1319. (Letter to editor). 
17. Araz OM, Choi T, Olson D, Salman S. Role of analytics for operational risk management in the era of big data. Decision Sciences (2020) 51, 6, 1320-1346. 
18. Araz OM, Wilson F, Stimpson JP. Complex systems modeling for evaluating potential impact of traffic safety policies: a case on drug-involved fatal crashes. Annals of Operations Research (2020) 291, 37-58. 
19. Ozcebe H, Arslan U, Uner S, Araz OM, Unlu H, Yardim M, Bilir N, Huang TTK. Association of parents’ body esteem and BMI with children body esteem and BMI: a study in Turkey. Journal of Pediatric Research (2020) 7 (3) 236-243.
20. Frerichs L, Araz OM, Calancie L, Huang TTK, Hassmiller Lich K. Dynamic empirically-based model for understanding future trends in US obesity prevalence in the context of social influences. Obesity (2019) 27 (10) 1671-1681. 
21. Araz OM, Olson D, Ramirez NA. Predictive analytics for hospital admissions from the emergency department using triage information. International Journal of Production Economics (2019) 208, 199-207. 
22. Baccaglini L, Araz OM, Beachy M, Ash M, Naveed Z, Whitsitt B, Winterboer T, Haynatzki G. Predictive factors associated with in-hospital mortality for patients across the sepsis spectrum. Infectious Diseases in Clinical Practice (2019) 27, 5, 273-277.
23. Steenson S, Ozcebe H, Arslan U, Unlu H, Araz OM, Yardim M, Uner S, Bilir N, Huang T. Assessing the validity and reliability of family factors on physical activity: a case study in Turkey.  PLOS One (2018) 13 (6), e0197920. 
24. Huang HC, Araz OM, Morton D, Johnson G, Damien P, Clements B, Meyers LA. Stockpiling ventilators for an influenza pandemic. Emerging Infectious Diseases (2017) 23, 6, 914-921. 
25. Cramer M, Araz OM, Wendl M. Social networking in an agricultural research center: using data to enhance outcomes. Journal of Agromedicine (2017) 22, 2, 170-179.
26. Zhu H, Wilson FA, Stimpson JP, Araz OM, Kim J, Chen B, Wu L. The association between gasoline prices and hospital utilization and costs for motorcycle and non-motorcycle motor vehicle injuries. Medical Care (2016) 54, 9, 837-844. 
27. Buke B, Araz OM, Fowler JW. Cross training workers with imperfect training schemes. Production and Operations Management (2016) 25, 7, 1216-1231. 
28. Wilson FA, Araz OM, Thompson RW, Ringle JL, Mason WA, Stimpson JP. A decision support tool to determine cost-to-benefit of a family-centered in-home program for at-risk adolescents. Evaluation and Program Planning (2016) 56, 43-39. 
29. Ramirez NA, Fowler JW, Lyon J, Araz OM. Point-of-dispensing location and capacity optimization via a decision support system. Production and Operations Management (2015) 24, 8, 1311-1328. 
30. Brittin J, Elijah-Barnwell S, Huang T, Yunwoo N, Araz OM, Drummond WR, Jameton A, Friedow B. Community engaged public health research to inform hospital campus planning in a low socioeconomic status urban neighborhood. HERD Journal: Health Environments Research & Design (2015) 8, 4, 12-24. 
31. Brittin J, Araz OM, Nam Y, Huang T. A system dynamics model to simulate chronic disease trends and sustainable interventions in an urban community. Journal of Simulation (2015) 9, 2, 140-155.
32. *Araz OM, Fowler JW, Ramirez A. A genetic algorithm for optimizing service times during a public health emergency: locating dispensing sites and allocating medical staff. IISE Transactions on Healthcare Systems Engineering (2014) 4, 4, 178-190. * Featured in the Industrial Engineer Magazine.
33. Kuby M, Araz OM, Capar I, Palmer M. An efficient online mapping tool for finding the shortest feasible path for alternative fuel vehicles. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy (2014) 39, 32, 18433-18439. 
34. Araz OM, Bentley D, Muelleman R. Using Google Flu Trends data in forecasting influenza-like-illness- related emergency department visits in Omaha, Nebraska. American Journal of Emergency Medicine (2014) 32, 9, 1016-1023. 
35. Stimpson JP, Wilson FA, Araz OM, Pagan JA. Share of mass transit miles traveled and reduced motor vehicle fatalities in major cities of the United States. Journal of Urban Health (2014) 91, 6, 1136-1143. 
36. Frerichs L, Araz OM, Huang T. Modeling social transmission dynamics of unhealthy behaviors for evaluating prevention and treatment intervention on childhood obesity. PLOS One (2013) 8, 12: e82887.
37. Araz OM, Lant T, Jehn M, Fowler JW. Simulation modeling for pandemic decision making: a case study with bi-criteria analysis on school closures. Decision Support Systems (2013) 55, 2, 564-575. 
38. Araz OM, Jehn M. Improving public health preparedness through enhanced decision-making environments: a survey-based evaluation. Technological Forecasting and Social Change (2013) 80, 9, 1775-1781. 
39. Araz OM, Galvani A, Meyers LA. Geographic prioritization of distributing pandemic influenza vaccines. Healthcare Management Science (2012) 15, 3: 175-187. 
40. Araz OM, Damien P, Paltiel D, Burke S, van de Geijn B, Galvani A, Meyers LA. Simulating school closure policies for cost effective pandemic decision making. BMC Public Health (2012) 12:449. 
41. Araz OM, Jehn M, Lant T, Fowler JW. A new method of exercising pandemic preparedness through an interactive simulation and visualization. Journal of Medical Systems (2012) 36, 1475-1483.
42. Rastogi A, Fowler JW, Carlyle WM, Araz OM, Meltz A, Buke B. Supply network capacity planning for semiconductor manufacturing with uncertain demand and correlation in demand considerations. International Journal of Production Economics (2011) 134, 2, 322-332.

• SCMA 451: Introduction to Predictive Analytics
• SCMA 851: Predictive Analytics
• SCMA 452: Database Management and Organization
• SCMA 432: Supply Chain Planning and Control
• SCMA 335: Supply Chain Decision Making Models

PhD Students 

1. Ahmet Cinar, Dissertation: “Prioritized routing and scheduling for home healthcare services: static and dynamic optimization” (Committee member) 2019, Industrial Engineering, Koc University- Chair Sibel Salman.
2. He Zhu, PhD Dissertation: “Systems approach to traffic fatalities” (Committee Member) 2016 (graduated- Postdoctoral fellow at School of Medicine, Duke University), Health Services and Administration, College of Public Health, UNMC- Chair Fernando Wilson.
3. Moosa Tatar, Dissertation: “Association between prescription drug monitoring program and overdose incidence or abuse in the US” (Committee member 2020, Postdoc at Cleveland Clinic), Health Services Research and Administration, College of Public Health, UNMC- Chair Fernando Wilson.

Masters Students Completed

1. Mert Parcaoglu, Thesis: “Routing and scheduling for home healthcare services with cooperating multiple service providers” (Committee member) 2022, Industrial Engineering, Koc University- Chair Sibel Salman.
2. Zijian Qin, Capstone: “Readmission modeling for sepsis patients” (Member), 2016, Master of Public Health (MPH) in Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC)- Chair Lorena Baccaglini.
3. Ben Whittsitt, Capstone: “Predictors of sepsis and natural history modeling” (Member), 2016, Master of Public Health (MPH) in Biostatistics, College of Public Health, UNMC- Chair Gleb Haynatzki.
4. Brock Hanisch, Capstone: “Modeling chlamydia transmission dynamics between jails and the community” (Chair), 2014 (Public Health Analyst in Douglas County Health Department), Master of Public Health, College of Public Health, UNMC.
5. Jagar Jasem, Capstone: “An epidemiological analysis of the acute flaccid paralysis surveillance and poliomyelitis infection in Iraq, 1997-2011” (Member), 2014, Master of Public Health in Epidemiology, College of Public Health, UNMC.

EDITORIAL SERVICE IN JOURNALS

• Production and Operations Management, Editorial Review Board 
• Transportation Research Part–E, Editorial Advisory Board Member 
• IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, Editorial Review Board
• IISE Transactions on Healthcare Systems Engineering, Associate Editor
• Health Systems, Public Health Area Editor
• Decision Sciences, Associate Editor (2020-2023)