Biographies

Professors

J. Rene Villalobos
Associate Professor
Dept. of Industrial Engineering
Arizona State University
Phone: (480)965-0436
rene.villalobos@asu.edu

J. Rene Villalobos is an associate professor in the Industrial Engineering Department of Arizona State University. He holds an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Tecnologico de Chihuahua, a M.S. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Texas at El Paso and a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M University. His research interests are in the areas of automated quality systems, manufacturing systems and applied operations research. His educational interests include the introduction of entrepreneurship-based courses into the engineering curriculum. Sponsors of Dr. Villalobos’ research include the National Science Foundation, Texas Advanced Technology Program, US Army and private industry totaling an excess of $3 million dollars. He was the recipient of the 1993 IIE Doctoral Dissertation Award and a 1995 NSF Career Grant. He has published in journals such as IIE Transactions, International Journal of Production Research and Computers and Industrial Engineering and similar journals. Dr. Villalobos is an active member of the Institute of Industrial Engineers, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Informs, the North American Manufacturing Research Institution and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. He is a registered professional engineer in the State of Texas.

Mark Henderson
Professor
Fulton School of Industrial Engineering
Arizona State University
480.965. 2899
mark.henderson@asu.edu

Mark Henderson is professor of Industrial Engineering at Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ. He received the MS degree in biomechanical engineering and the Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Purdue University. Henderson is co-author of the textbook, Computer-Integrated Design and Manufacturing and was named a Presidential Young Investigator from 1985-90. His major research includes 60 papers in computer-aided design and global engineering. He directs international educational programs including the Global Engineering Design Team for undergrads and the Nomadic Design Academy summer study abroad program with 6 other multi-national universities. Henderson is co-director of the research center Partnership for Research on Spatial Modeling (PRISM; prism.asu.edu) and the undergrad transdisciplinary design studio entitled InnovationSpace (innovationspace.asu.edu).

John W. Fowler
Professor
Dept. of Industrial Engineering
Arizona State University
480.965.3727
john.fowler@asu.edu

John W. Fowler is a Professor in the Industrial Engineering Department at Arizona State University. Prior to his current position, he was a Senior Member of Technical Staff in the Modeling, CAD, and Statistical Methods Division of SEMATECH. He received his Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M University and spent the last 1.5 years of his doctoral studies as an intern at Advanced Micro Devices. His research interests include modeling, analysis, and control of manufacturing systems. Dr. Fowler is the co-director of the Modeling and Analysis of Semiconductor Manufacturing Laboratory at ASU. The lab has had research contracts with NSF, SRC, SEMATECH, Infineon Technologies, Intel, Motorola, ST Microelectronics, and Tefen, Ltd. He is also an Area Editor for SIMULATION: Transactions of the Society for Modeling and Simulation International and Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Electronics Packaging Manufacturing. He is a member of ASEE, IIE, IEEE, INFORMS, POMS, and SCS.

Jorge Limón Robles, Ph.D.
Dean of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Professor
+52(81) 8328-4072
jorge.limon@itesm.mx

Dr. Limón worked as Mechanical Design Engineer for the steel industry for several years before joining the Department of Mechatronics and Automation at the Monterrey Institute of Technology in 1989 as Research Assistant Professor. Since August 2003, he joined the Industrial and System Engineering Area and the Industrial Engineering Research Chair related to Logistics and Extended Enterprise for Mass Customization as Full Professor. He has been involved in the design and construction of diverse educational automated workstations used to teach logical, digital and continuous electroneumatic control, as well as instrumental measurement. These workstations are part of the Engineering and Technology Active Learning Center at the Monterrey Campus. In addition, Dr. Limón has extensive experience in development and technology transfer through consulting projects for domestic and international firms such as: Case-New Holland, Cemex, Nemak, Grupo Maseca, Industria del Alcali, Sales y Oxidos y Grupo VITRO, among others. Based on his experience, he has directed numerous theses, published academic papers and conducted talks and seminars in the fields of Industrial Engineering and Automation.

José Manuel Sánchez García, Ph.D.
Director of the Applied Logistics International Research Center
Professor
+52(81) 8328-4072
jsanchez@itesm.mx

Dr. Sánchez was an Associate Researcher at The Automation and Robotics Research Institute, in Fort Worth, Texas and CIM Systems, in Richardson, Texas. He had published several academic papers in international journals such as The Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing, The Journal of Integrated Computer-Aided Engineering, Computer Integrated Manufacturing, and Expert Systems with Applications. He is a co-author of “Product development design for manufacturing: a collaborative approach to producibility and reliability” and “Handbook of life cycling engineering: tools and technologies”. Dr. Sánchez was a Research Professor at the Artificial Intelligence Research Center at the Monterrey Campus. He was awarded the Premio Anual a la Labor Docente e Investigación assigned by the Monterrey Institute of Technology, Campus Monterrey in 1992, 1995, 1998 and 2001, as well as winner of the Premio Rómulo Garza in 1999 y 2002.

José Luís González Velarde, Ph.D.
Chaired Professor of Industrial Engineering, Research Chair in Logistics and Extended Enterprise for Mass Customization.
Professor
+52(81) 8328-2042
gonzalez.velarde@itesm.mx

Dr. González has been a Visiting Professor at several institutions such as Colorado University, University of Texas, Universidad del Norte en Barranquilla (Colombia), among others. He has conducted several talks and seminars in numerous national and international universities, and published several academic papers in scholarly journals. Dr. González is co-author of three books: “Variable Compleja”, “Optimización Heurística y Redes Neuronales”, and more recently “Computing Tools for Modeling, Optimization and Simulation”; and associate editor of the Journal of Heuristics. Since 1990, he is a Full Professor at the Integrated Manufacturing Systems Research Center at the Monterrey Institute of Technology, Campus Monterrey and Chaired Professor of the Industrial Engineering Research Chair in Logistics and Extended Enterprise for Mass Customization. . In addition, Dr. González has considerable experience in consulting projects for diverse industries and companies like Deacero, Bancomer y Grupo Cydsa, among others. His biography was published on the Who's Who in Science and Engineering 2003-2004, Seventh Edition

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Slava Kalashnikov, Ph.D.
Applied Logistics International Research Center
Assistant Professor
+52(81) 8328-4072/ 8358-2000 Ext. 5161
kalash@itesm.mx

Dr. Kalashnikov was an Associated Professor of Cybernetic Theory and Applied Mathematics School at the Altai Bernaul University in USSR. Later, he worked as Researcher in the Institute of Mathematics of the Siberian Department of the Academy of Science of USSR at Novosibirsk and Associate Professor at the Applied Mathematics School at the University of Sumy in the Ukraine. From 1992 to 1995, Dr. Kalashnikov was a post-doctorate researcher at the Institute of the Economic and Mathematic Academy of Science in Moscow. He was legislator of the Director at the Economic School at the Russian University of Humanitarian Sciences (1998-2000) and Full Professor and Department chair in the Mathematical Models Department at the Economics School at the Sumy University at Ukraine. He presided over a Research Chair for a Level II SNI-CONACYT from 2000 to 2002 at the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering School at the University of Nuevo Leon. Since 2002, Dr. Kalashnikov joined the Monterrey Institute of Technology, Campus Monterrey as an Assistant Professor. As part of his extensive research work, Dr. Kalashnikov has presented several papers at national and international seminars; while in 2002 he published a book titled “Complementarity, equilibrium, efficiency, and economics”.

Neale R. Smith, Ph.D.
Applied Logistic International Research Center
Assistant Professor
+52(81) 8328-4072
nsmith@itesm.mx

Dr. Smith is an assistant professor at the Center for Quality and Manufacturing at Monterey Tech. He holds an undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Arizona and M.S. and Ph.D degrees in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Tech. His research interests are in the areas of manufacturing and logistics decision support systems, supply chain planning, and pricing optimization. He has taught both undergraduate and graduate level courses in operations research, logistics and supply chain management and statistical process control. He has published in journals such as the International Journal of Production Research and the European Journal of Operational Research and is an active member of Informs. He worked as a Senior Consultant/ Solution Architect for i2 Technologies in Dallas, Texas from 1997 to 2003 and has considerable consulting experience in the development and implementation of logistics related solutions for numerous companies including Timken Steel, Cervecería Cuauhtémoc-Moctezuma, Cemex, Gamesa, VITRO, United States Steel, Famosa, Cydsa, Odebrecht Química, Mexinox, Grupo Modelo, and ESAB México.

Dagoberto Garza Núñez, Ph.D.
Applied Logistic International Research Center
Assistant Professor
+52(81) 8328-4072
dagarza@itesm.mx

Dr. Garza has been an Assistant Professor at the Quality Research Center at Campus Monterey since 2003 and joined the Applied Logistics International Research Center in the summer of 2003. He is the academic coordinator of the Ph.D. program in Industrial Engineering at the Monterrey Institute of Technology, Campus Monterrey since the summer of 2004. In addition, Dr. Garza has considerable experience in several consulting and executive education programs for firms like: Laboratorios Griffith, Gobierno del Estado de Nuevo León, FEMSA Empaque, VITRO Enseres Domésticos, ALCOA, Coca Cola México, ESAB México, CRECE Tamaulipas, AMMAC Tamaulipas, Gobar Systems, among others. He is co-author of the companion solution manual for the textbook Engineering Economy, Thuesen & Fabrycky; ninth edition.

Staff

Joel G. Polanco
jpolanco@asu.edu
Joel Polanco is a graduate student in the Industrial Engineering Department of Arizona State University. He holds an undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering from Arizona State University. His research interests are in the areas of financial engineering, supply chain management and applied operations research. Joel is aspiring to be a professor and an entrepreneur. He would like to run his own consulting business one day while teaching and researching at the university level. He is currently applying for several Industrial Engineering Ph.D. Programs around the U.S., he will finish his Masters in May of 2005. His Master’s Thesis topic is on “Risk Hedging Using Options Contracts for Capacity.”

Students

Luis Trevino
luis.trevinoortiz@asu.edu
Luis Trevino is a graduate student in Industrial Engineering at Arizona State University. He studied Industrial Engineering at Madero Institute of Technology in Mexico and after that he pursued a Masters Degree in Quality and Production at Monterrey Institute of Technology. He was a consultant assistant at Quality Center of ITESM Monterrey, Mexico. He also worked as a production supervisor at Reynosa Maquiladoras Park in Reynosa, Mexico. His masters’ thesis concerns the implications of Headquarters-Subsidiary Contracts in a supply chain. It specifically deals with inventories and demand forecasting between a U.S. Corporation and its subsidiaries.

Luis E. Gaxiola-Baqueiro
luis.gaxiola@asu.edu
Luis E. Gaxiola-Baqueiro is a master's degree student and research assistant in Industrial Engineering (Operations Research and Production Systems) at Arizona State University and a PhD student in Industrial Engineering at Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM), Mexico. Prior to his current position, he was a research assistant and master's degree student (Manufacturing Systems, with minor in Automation) at ITESM and spent 2.5 years of his masters studies in diverse projects, from reengineering processes in service companies (SERPAPROSA, PROEZA) to the application of Holonic Principles to Metalworking SMEs in the Monterrey's urban area. Before his masters degree, he worked for two years in the domestic and industrial appliances industries (MABE, Saltillo, Mex.) and (GE Industrial Systems, Monterrey, Mex.). His research interests include simulation, modeling and analysis of manufacturing systems. His work on the application of Holonic Principles in Metalworking SMEs was exposed in two refereed forums: HoloMAS 2003 (Prague, Czech Republic) and CIIE XXXIV -2004- (Monterrey, Mexico)

Manuel Romero Altamirano
manuelraltamirano@asu.edu
He is a man dedicated to achieving his personal and professional goals whatever the cost. Since he received his undergrad at the Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM), he has had a wealth of industry experience. He worked as manager of the department in charge of the final product warehousing and of all national deliveries at a Flexible Package Company named Conver S.A. He started as a programming auxiliary just supporting others work and activities. With the time and experience he acquired, he began to involve himself in the process in a way that people started to depend on his decisions. He eventually decided he wanted a career change and wanted to try something different. He joined a construction company that builds cabins and residential homes as an operation director. He was in charge of planning, administrating and directing all operations related to the building projects, as well as human resources. He just joined Arizona State University and he will try to succeed by applying his experience knowledge in the masters that he enrolled, because he thinks that nobody ever will have enough knowledge that experience is what gives you a new tool to succeed in the roads of learning.

Gerardo Trevino
gerardo.trevinogarza@asu.edu
Gerardo Trevino is studying his Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering at ITESM as a teaching assistant. Prior to this he co-founded ADATECH (www.adatech.com.mx) in 1990, a company dedicated to generate value trough applied operations research, supply chain management & logistics techniques generating models through a high technology development. His main role included leading software development, project leader & information technology areas. Gerardo participated in 25+ projects, in Mexican companies related with cement, glass, foundry, food, mining and retail areas. From 1987 to 1990, he was a full time professor at ITESM in the Systems Engineering Department. He taught system dynamics, data structures, information systems analysis & design and Boolean Algebra. He received his master’s degree in Computer Science in 1986 and his Bachelor in Industrial and Systems Engineering in 1984, both at ITESM. He has been registered as a Technologic Consultant from CONACYT since 2001. His research interests include large-scale optimization and applied deterministic operations research models.

Elias Olivares B.
A00781138@itesm.mx
Elias Olivares B. is a graduate student in the Industrial Engineering Department at Arizona State University. At the same time, he is enrolled in the PhD program in Industrial Engineering at Monterrey Tech. He studied his MSc in Manufacturing Systems Engineering and his BSc in Metallurgical Engineering. He worked for almost five years in TAMSA, a producer of seamless steel pipes for the Oil & Gas Industry, member of the TENARIS Group. He is member of the Mass Customization Research Group at Monterrey Tech. His research interests are in optimization and meta-heuristics.

Guillermo A. Alvarez
guillermo.alvarez@asu.edu
Guillermo A. Alvarez is a graduate student in the Industrial Engineering Department at Arizona State University. Prior to this, he was a part-time Professor in the Industrial Engineering Department at Monterrey Tech. He received a M.S. in Computing (major in Parallel Algorithms) and a M.S. in Statistics (major in Quality Engineering) both from Monterrey Tech. His research interests include Analysis of Algorithms, Statistical Computing, Operations Research and Logistics. He will continue his Ph.D. studies in Industrial Engineering at Monterrey Tech after attending Arizona State University.

Carlos Calleros
carlos.calleros@asu.edu
Carlos Calleros was born on January 24, 1977 in Monterrey, Mexico. He graduated in 1999 with a B.S. in Mechanical-Electrical Engineering from Tec de Monterrey. He started working for John Deere right after school, in their Test and Evaluation Center from June 1999 to March 2000. In September of 2000, he started working for a Japanese company called Yazaki, a supplier for the automotive industry. He worked as a mechanical design engineer in the instrument clusters division for customers such as Toyota, Mitsubishi and GM. In August 2001, he started a Master's program in Manufacturing Systems at Tec de Monterrey. In May 2003, he had the chance to visit Japan for 5 months in a company exchange. He ended his work at Yazaki in August 6, 2004 to start the master's program at Arizona State University.