Hui Zhao
Professor of Supply Chain Management, Center for Supply Chain Research
Department Center for Supply Chain Research
Office Address 419 Business Building
Phone Number
814-863-1940
Email Address
huz10@psu.edu
Hui Zhao
Professor of Supply Chain Management, Center for Supply Chain Research
Department Center for Supply Chain Research
Office Address 419 Business Building
Phone Number
814-863-1940
Email Address
huz10@psu.edu
Professor Zhao’s research applies analytics to the healthcare systems with particular interests in pharmaceutical supply chains, public policy, and innovative design of healthcare systems (such as telehealth, online platforms, and using new technology such as machine learning to address healthcare problems). Most of her work looks at the incentive misalignment in the healthcare value chain, seeking solutions to resolve such problems. She works on high-impact problems such as the US drug shortages, high drug pricing, illicit online pharmacy, using telehealth to help sexual assaulted victims, accelerated drug approval. She is keenly interested in applying new technology in study these problems to overcome data challenges in the industry. Her work has been published in the top journals in her field and has received multiple awards including a finalist for the prestigious Pierskalla award by INFORMS in 2015, the runner-up for the Ralph Gomory Best Industry Studies Paper Award by the Industry Studies Association (ISA) in 2018, winner of the SCOR innovation award from Smeal/Penn State in 2018, and finalist for the Industry Studies Dissertation award for her PhD student in 2020. In addition to academic contributions, her work also seeks to help government agencies and industry to make informed decisions. She has been invited by FDA on expert panel for drug shortages and has gone to the Department of Health and Human Services multiple times to make presentations. Zhao is also actively involved with industry consortiums such as Xavier Health’s Artificial Intelligence Applications in Healthcare Initiative.
Expertise
Healthcare Analytics
Pharmaceutical Supply Chain
Health Public Policy
Innovative Design of Healthcare Systems
Incentives and Contracts
Education
Ph D, Industrial Engineering, Purdue University, 2003
MS, Industrial Engineering, Purdue University, 2002
CERT, Applied Management Principles (Mini-MBA), Purdue University, 2001
MS, Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering, Tianjin University, 1997
BE, Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering, Tianjin University, 1994
BS, Industrial Economics and Systems Engineering, Tianjin University, 1994
Courses Taught
SCIS 501 – Business Analytics (3)
SCIS 501 develops students¿ understanding of and ability to apply a variety of business analytic tools and techniques to describe data, make predictions, and prescribe optimal solutions. Students will explore some of the following topics: Data Visualization, Exploring Data with R, Regression simple and multiple, Logistic regression, Classification trees, Machine learning for regression (data adaptive), Deterministic optimization (linear, integer, nonlinear), Monte Carlo Simulation, Decision Analysis. These topics enable students to address issues in descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive business analytics. Students will learn how to bridge descriptive, predictive, prescriptive analytics across a variety of business scenarios. Software packages, concepts, and business applications will vary and evolve to keep pace with technology, theory, and instructor interest. This course is focused more on the methodological aspects of business analytics.
SCIS 596 – Individual Studies (Variable)
Creative projects, including nonthesis research, that are supervised on an individual basis and which fall outside the scope of formal courses. A specific title may be used in each instance and will be entered on the student's transcript.
SCM 421 – Sc Analytics (3)
Models and Methodologies for supply chain analysis. SCM 421 Supply Chain Analytics (3) This course provides a spreadsheet-based, example-driven approach to learn about important supply chain models, problems, and solution methodologies. The objectives of this course are: (1) to develop valuable modeling skills that students can appreciate and use effectively in their careers (2) reinforce and enrich your understanding of supply chain theories, principles, and concepts studied previously in foundation courses. Student evaluation is based on: (1) individual and team group performance on problem-based exercises (2) individual performance on examinations (3) class participation.
SCM 494H – Research Project (Variable)
Supervised student activities on research projects identified on an individual or small-group basis.
BA 597 – Special Topics (2)
Formal courses given on a topical or special interest subject which may be offered infrequently.
SCM 596 – Individual Studies (Variable)
Creative projects, including nonthesis research, that are supervised on an individual basis and which fall outside the scope of formal courses.
SCIS 597 – Special Topics (3)
Formal courses given on a topical or special interest subject which may be offered infrequently; several different topics may be taught in one year or semester.
SC&IS 596 – Individual Studies (7)
Creative projects, including nonthesis research, that are supervised on an individual basis and which fall outside the scope of formal courses. A specific title may be used in each instance and will be entered on the student's transcript.
Selected Publications
First published: 29 March 2021
[The methodology developed in this paper was granted a U.S. patent No. 10,672,048. This journal (JMIR) is ranked #1 in Health informatics by Google scholar.]
[-This paper was a Runner up (second-place) for the Ralph Gomory Best Industry Studies Paper Award, awarded by Industry Studies Association (ISA), 2017.
-This paper was a Finalist for the Pierskalla Award 2015, the prestigious healthcare research award by INFORMS.]
[This paper was selected as a featured article for Industrial Engineers Magazine in Oct. 2013.]