Archis Ghate appointed to Fluor Endowed Chair at Clemson University

An operations research scholar is beginning his first semester at Clemson University as the new Fluor Endowed Chair in the Department of Industrial Engineering.

Archis Ghate, who started this month, brings to Clemson a rich blend of academic excellence and industry collaboration. Prior to joining Clemson, Ghate was a Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Washington, where he won a host of awards marking him as a standout scholar and teacher.

He has served as a principal research scientist at Amazon, where he worked on supply chain optimization technologies. He has also worked on cancer treatment optimization problems for over a decade.

Ghate specializes in optimizing complex systems under uncertainty, employing techniques such as Markov decision processes, game theory, robust and inverse optimization, data-driven optimization and convex optimization. His work has applications in areas as varied as health care, transportation and logistics, manufacturing, economics, and business analytics.

“I am not only joining a university– I am embracing a vision,” Ghate said of his new position. “Clemson’s commitment to groundbreaking research, providing the No. 1 student experience and fostering industry collaboration aligns perfectly with my passion for applying theoretical concepts to real-world challenges. I look forward to working with my colleagues and collaborators to drive innovation and prepare the next generation of leaders.”

The endowed chair position is the highest afforded by the University and comes with funds that can be used to advance the chair holder’s research and education programs. Fluor Corporation, a global leader in engineering, procurement and construction services, donated $2 million to Clemson University in 2007. This donation, in conjunction with an equivalent award from the South Carolina Centers of Excellence program, led to the creation of the Fluor Endowed Chair.

Torrence Robinson, Senior Director of Global Community Relations at Fluor and President of The Fluor Foundation, said Ghate’s appointment reaffirms the significance of Fluor’s collaboration with Clemson.

“Fluor is committed to partnering with universities to assist in educating future graduates that will thrive in the global engineering and construction industry,” Robinson said. “Fluor welcomes Dr. Ghate to Clemson and we look forward to harnessing the full strength of the University’s industrial engineering capabilities to tackle critical challenges for our industry. Clemson serves as a beacon of innovation and engineering prowess, providing a deep well of talent.”

Ghate received a Bachelor of Technology and a Master of Technology, both in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, a Master of Science in management science and engineering from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in industrial and operations engineering from the University of Michigan.

As a faculty member, he has been a recipient of the National Science Foundation’s CAREER Award. His honors have also included the Teaching Excellence Award from the Operations Research Division of the Institute of Industrial & Systems Engineers. His students have won the George B. Dantzig Dissertation Award and the Seth Bonder Scholarship, both from INFORMS.

Kevin Taaffe, chair of the Department of Industrial Engineering, said he was excited to welcome Ghate to the Clemson family.

“Dr. Ghate’s expertise in operations research will be a tremendous asset to the Department of Industrial Engineering and the broader research community,” Taaffe said. “His record of excellence in scholarship, teaching and student mentorship is a testament to his exceptional talent and dedication. I am thrilled Dr. Ghate is joining Clemson, and I invite you to join me in welcoming him to the University.”