Professors Thomas Allen and David Simchi-Levi will succeed professors Steven Eppinger and Paul Lagace as co-directors of two programs: Leaders for Manufacturing (LFM) and System Design and Management (SDM). Allen represents the Sloan School as LFM-SDM co-director, while Simchi-Levi represents the School of Engineering, effective July 1.
The change was announced by Dean of Engineering Thomas L. Magnanti and Richard L. Schmalensee, dean of the Sloan School of Management. The schools are partners in the two programs. William Hanson will continue as the third LFM-SDM co-director, representing industry.
Allen, professor of engineering systems and the Howard W. Johnson Professor of Management at Sloan, has been on the MIT faculty for 37 years. His research explores the relationship between organizational structure and behavior, the role of technological gatekeepers in technology transfer, and the influence of architectural layout on communication.
Simchi-Levi, professor of engineering systems in the Engineering Systems Division and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, joined the faculty in 2000. His research focuses on supply chains, network design, inventory models, pricing and procurement strategies, and production scheduling.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on June 12, 2003.