BOSTON – June 6, 2008 – Amiya Chakravarty, Philip R. McDonald Chair and Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management in the College of Business Administration at Northeastern University, has been recognized by the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration and the Austrian-American Educational Commission as the recipient of the Fulbright Distinguished Chair for the Spring 2008. Professor Chakravarty, whose expertise in supply chain management and global operations led him to this position, has spent the past two months at Vienna University. He has been focusing on research projects in product bundling and telecommunication value chain, and teaching advanced management courses on market-driven supply chain.

Having previously visited the University College Dublin, Ireland, Dr. Chakravarty is interested in collaborating with European scholars who are doing advanced supply chain research in the telecommunication and auto industries. With the emerging technologies in telecommunications, there are many opportunities for companies to position themselves in the value chain, from software to networks device manufacturers and service carriers, and Chakravarty is looking at several aspects of this field to try to help guide decision makers with innovative business models. By working with experts in Europe, he hopes to expand his knowledge and collaborate with them on how to develop new business models that represent both the European and American business standards.

“The Fulbright grant has afforded me the opportunity to work with like-minded professionals interested in developing new ways to create links between the United States and Europe through common research projects,” said Chakravarty.

Chakravarty is also spending time teaching students about how to make a supply chain responsive in products, processes and technology. By utilizing interactive tools with his students, such as online discussions and audio presentations, he hopes to foster a unique learning environment. “I believe that the transfer of knowledge from the instructor to the students must also motivate them to interact with one another,” added Chakravarty. “Students learn through discovery and from interactions with people and objects, and I hope that I facilitate the type of environment conducive to such learning for my students while at Vienna University.”

With the semester coming to a close, Chakravarty hopes to present his research findings in journal articles and in a new book that he will be writing. He hopes to continue his studies both in the United States and abroad, based on his experience in Vienna.

For more information about Chakravarty or his research, please contact Jenny Eriksen at (617) 373-2802 or via email at j.eriksen@neu.edu.

About Northeastern

Founded in 1898, Northeastern University is a private research university located in the heart of Boston. Northeastern is a leader in interdisciplinary research, urban engagement, and the integration of classroom learning with real-world experience. The university’s distinctive cooperative education program, where students alternate semesters of full-time study with semesters of paid work in fields relevant to their professional interests and major, is one of the largest and most innovative in the world. The University offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs leading to degrees through the doctorate in six undergraduate colleges, eight graduate schools, and two part-time divisions. For more information, please visit www.northeastern.edu.