Sustainability analytics, metrics and net zero
As the theme leaders, we are excited to drive forward our mission of integrating advanced analytics and sustainability principles to tackle complex environmental challenges. With the support of the Institute of Sustainability, we have a unique opportunity to utilise cutting-edge analytical techniques and models, enabling us to unlock valuable insights and promote evidence-based decision-making.
Theme aims
Our theme aims to equip organisations and communities with the necessary tools and knowledge to make informed sustainability choices. By combining data-driven approaches with a profound understanding of sustainability, we can uncover hidden patterns, optimise resource utilisation, and develop strategies to achieve net zero sustainability.
Working alongside a team of talented researchers, experts, and industry leaders, we are dedicated to fostering collaboration and driving innovation in sustainability analytics.
Co-leads
Dr David Birch
Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering; Head of Centre for Aerodynamics & Environmental Flow
Biography
Dr. David Birch is the head of the Centre for Aerodynamics & Environmental Flow, the Director of Research at Surrey Sensors Ltd., a Sustainability Fellow at the Institute for Sustainability, and a Visiting Lecturer at Imperial College. Dr. Birch is a Chartered Engineer with more than twenty years of experience in experimental aerodynamics research, specializing in the characterization of highly vortical, unsteady turbulent flows and the development of the specialist instrumentation required for this work. Dr. Birch joined the University of Surrey in 2008.
Professor Ali Emrouznejad
Professor and Chair in Business Analytics, Director of the "Centre for Business Analytics in Practice", and Program Lead for "Sustainability Analytics, Metrics, and NetZero"
Biography
Ali Emrouznejad is a Professor and Chair in Business Analytics at Surrey Business School, UK. He also serves as the director of the Centre for Business Analytics in Practice, leading research efforts in various fields, including performance measurement and management, efficiency and productivity analysis, as well as AI and big data. Prior to his current position, he held the role of head of the Business Analytics Group at Aston University.
He completed his MSc in Applied Mathematics and later earned his PhD in Operational Research and Systems from Warwick Business School, UK. After receiving his PhD in Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) in 1998, he joined the development team of Performance Indicators (PI) in Higher Education (HE) at HEFCE (Higher Education Funding Council for England). The PI in HE has garnered extensive publication and is now released annually by HESA (Higher Education Statistical Agency).
Ali Emrouznejad has been acknowledged as one of the top 2% most influential scientists globally by Stanford University. With h-index of over 60, he has been listed with “World Top 100 Business & Management / Business Administration Scientists 2024”. He holds the title of Fellow in various prestigious institutions, including the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (FIMA), the Institute for Sustainability, and the Institute for People-Centred Artificial Intelligence. Additionally, he is a member of the UKRI (UK Research and Innovation) Talent Peer Review College (PRC).
He has collaborated on numerous research projects, notably including:
- "Assessing cost efficiencies in higher education," funded by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES).
- "Improving efficiency and productivity of hospitals and healthcare systems in several African countries," funded by WHO-Africa (World Health Organization).
- Project on "Analysis of efficiencies and productivity evolution in manufacturing industries with CO2 emissions," funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering.
- "Measuring efficiency of small-scale sugarcane growers in Africa," funded by the British Council.
- "Use of Machine Learning to optimize milk yields and animal feed in the supply chain through to the cheese manufacturing processes," funded by Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP).
Prof Emrouznejad serves as the editor of Annals of Operations Research and holds roles as an associate editor or department editor, guest editor for various other journals, including the European Journal of Operational Research, Journal of Operational Research Society, OR Spectrum, RAIOR-Operations Research, Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, IMA journal of Management Mathematics, Journal of Medical Systems, International Journal of Energy Management Sector, and Data Envelopment Analysis journal. He is also a member of the editorial boards of several other scientific journals, including EURO Journal on Decision Processes, International Journal of Society Systems Science, International Journal of Applied Decision Sciences, Supply Chain Analytics, Decision Analytics, and Central European Review of Economics and Management.
He has authored or co-authored over 250 articles in esteemed journals such as the European Journal of Operational Research, OMEGA, Computers and Operations Research, RAIRO-Operations Research, Journal of Operational Research Society, Annals of Operations Research, Information and Management, International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Expert Systems with Applications, International Transactions in Operational Research, International Journal of Production Research, Computers and Industrial Engineering, International Journal of Operations Research, International Journal of Approximate Reasoning, Knowledge-Based Systems, Soft computing, International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Information Sciences, Expert Systems, Applied Mathematics and Computation, Applied Mathematical Modelling, International Journal of Financial Service Management, Journal of Global Information Management, Assembly Automation, Applied Economics Letters, Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Journal of Environmental Technology and Management, Energy, Energy policy, and Journal of Medical Systems, among others.
Prof Emrouznejad is editor of Springer book series on “Business Analytics in Practice“ has authored or edited several books, including:
- (2023): "Data Envelopment Analysis with GAMS): A Handbook on Productivity Analysis, and Performance Measurement" (Springer).
- (2022): "Big Data and Blockchain for Service Operations Management" (Springer).
- (2022): "Modern Indices for International Economic Diplomacy" (Springer).
- (2020): “Evolutionary Computation in Scheduling” (Wiley Publisher)
- (2018): "Big Data for Greater Good" (Springer).
- (2017): "Fuzzy Analytics Hierarchy Process" (CRC Taylor & Francis).
- (2016): "Big Data Optimization): Recent Developments and Challenges" (Springer).
- (2015): "Handbook of Research on Strategic Performance Management and Measurement" (IGI Global).
- (2014): "Managing Service Productivity" (Springer).
- (2014): "Performance Measurement with Fuzzy Data Envelopment Analysis" (Springer).
- (2012): "Applied Operational Research with SAS" (CRC Taylor & Francis).