Auburn University strengthens global ties through sustainable logistics partnership
Published: Apr 8, 2025 3:00 PM
By Carla Nelson
Auburn University’s Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) team continues to play a vital role in an international partnership with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), contributing to groundbreaking research in sustainable logistics.
The Production Management Group and Logistics 4.0 Lab at NTNU are leading the “Sustainable Logistics of the Future” project, an initiative funded by the Research Council of Norway. Auburn University is among the 18 partners involved, with ISE faculty members Alice Smith, the Joe W. Forehand, Jr. Distinguished Professor, and Daniel Silva, associate professor, leading the university’s contributions.
In 2023, Smith, along with doctoral students Julio Jimenez and Juan Pablo Morande, traveled to Norway to engage in research and educational exchanges. The collaboration continued in 2024 when Morande and doctoral student Daniela Granados-Rivera spent a semester at NTNU working alongside Norwegian researchers on advanced logistics topics. Their joint efforts have already resulted in a publication in the scientific journal OMEGA and another under review in a prestigious journal.
Building on these engagements, Silva spent his recent professional improvement leave at NTNU, contributing significantly to doctoral supervision, lectures, seminars and research activities. Fabio Sgarbossa, professor of industrial logistics and leader of the Production Management Group and the Logistics 4.0 Lab at NTNU, said Silva had a great impact.
“It was simply amazing,” he said. “His time at NTNU has been very impactful. We learned a lot from him and appreciated the time he dedicated to our students and colleagues. I’m personally very happy to have met a great colleague and very good friend.”
Silva, reflecting on his time in Norway, highlighted both the professional and personal benefits of the experience.
“This partnership has been so rewarding for all of us,” he said. “Dr. Sgarbossa, the students and the whole team at NTNU have been so welcoming and willing to share their knowledge with us. We are all better researchers and teachers because of this partnership.”
Beyond research collaborations, the partnership has fostered valuable discussions on the future of logistics education and international cooperation. NTNU hosted a doctoral school where Silva co-led discussions on impactful logistics research, engaging doctoral students from Auburn and across Europe. Additionally, Smith and her team conducted seminars and strategic meetings at NTNU to explore further research opportunities.
As part of the ongoing exchange, NTNU researchers recently visited Auburn University to discuss future collaborations. While the “Sustainable Logistics of the Future” project is set to conclude in July 2025, both institutions are committed to sustaining their partnership and pursuing additional funding to support continued joint research efforts.
“This is just the beginning,” Sgarbossa said. “Over the past three years, we have built a strong group of experts working on advanced logistics topics, and we are eager to expand our work together.”
Media Contact: , carla@auburn.edu, 3347400221
Daniel Silva, ISE associate professor, spent his recent professional improvement leave at NTNU, contributing significantly to doctoral supervision, lectures, seminars and research activities.
