IEOM Society Conference Chair: An Interview with Dr. Linda Zhang, Professor of Operations Management

This interview focused on the challenging role of the IEOM Society conference chair. Dr. Zhang provides an in-depth discussion of her experience serving as the Chair of the 2025 European Conference in Paris, France. The conference chair set the tone for the event and served as the leader responsible for bringing together the resources to ensure an outstanding learning environment. Dr. Zhang provided advice for those who will serve as conference chairs in the future. Dr. Zhang shared some of her experience from attending other IEOM Society conferences around the world. She focused on the quality of the keynote presentation and panel, as well as the importance of networking. Dr. Zhang also mentioned the value of student virtual global competitions at the conferences. The interview included a discussion on the role of the Global Council. Dr. Zhang has provided her knowledge and expertise to develop policy and long-term planning for the IEOM Society. She mentioned the diversity and broad representation of the Global Council members. Dr. Zhang is a member of the Academy of Fellows. Our discussion explored the role of the Fellows in the future of the IEOM Society. The interview provided an opportunity to explore how to engage the members in the activities of the organization’s vast global community. The results of this discussion were enlightening. Dr. Zhang is an experienced and dedicated researcher and has published extensively on supply chain and logistics. Since the IEOM Society has a strong student focus, we discussed her advice on how we can foster students’ interest in conducting research in this area.