Jarrod Goentzel, PhD
Director, MIT Humanitarian Supply Chain Lab | Principal Research Scientist MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics
- Cambridge MA
Dr. Goentzel leads practical research to improve supply chain resilience and mobilize humanitarian response during emergencies.
MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics
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Biography
Previously, Dr. Goentzel was Executive Director of the MIT Supply Chain Management professional master’s degree program. He joined MIT in 2003 to establish the Zaragoza Logistics Center in Spain, which was the first node in the MIT Global SCALE Network. He received his doctorate from the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Research Focus
Human-Centered Systems & Quality of Life
Designing systems, services, and policies that enhance human well-being across work, home, and society.
Supply Chain Strategy & Network Architecture
Designing the structural configuration and competitive positioning of supply networks.
Critical Systems & Supply Network Resilience
Ensuring continuity, preparedness, and mission assurance under disruption and geopolitical volatility.
Areas of Expertise
Education
Georgia Institute of Technology
PhD
, Industrial & Systems Engineering
1998
Colorado State University
MS
Applied Mathematics
1993
Tabor College
BA
Mathematics
1990
Affiliations
- MIT Humanitarian Supply Chain Lab : Director
Languages
- English
Media Appearances
Jarrod Goentzel receives 2024 Humanitarian Logistics Award
MIT News online
2024-10-28
"The increasing intensity of natural disasters, as seen with recent hurricanes, continue to challenge supply chains in different ways,” says Goentzel. “Our lab works on anticipating disruptions and ensuring that response efforts can adapt to the dynamic nature of these events.”
Supply chain resilience in a state of steady disruption
MIT Sloan School of Management online
2022-04-28
Managing uncertainty can be tricky, especially when the “steady state” is no longer as steady as it once was, said Jarrod Goentzel, founder and director of the MIT Humanitarian Supply Chain Lab. The right response, though, can help organizations prepare for the future.
An interdisciplinary approach to sustainable PPE
MIT News online
2020-10-29
“Crisis moments can be the best time for collective trust building,” says Jarrod Goentzel, principal research scientist and lecturer for the Center for Transportation and Logistics (CTL) and director of the MIT Humanitarian Supply Chain Lab. “People’s minds are open in unique ways during crisis, so it’s a good time to shape our mindset for moving forward.”
Uninfected patients key to improving Ebola response
MIT News online
2019-09-16
"Efforts to improve Ebola forecasting typically focus on predicting the infected population," says Jarrod Goentzel, director of the MIT Humanitarian Supply Chain Lab and Rains' graduate advisor. "But our research found the primary driver of operational capacity and service requirements is individuals who test negatively for the disease — not patients who are infected."
What happens when corporations rush in to help in a disaster?
Marketplace online
2017-10-09
Local knowledge is too often thrown aside in rebuilding, said Jarrod Goentzel at MIT’s Humanitarian Response Lab. He said Puerto Rican leaders need to vet who’s offering innovation — versus experimentation.
Research Papers
Southern California Catastrophic Earthquake Scenario: Workshop Summary
MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics Research PaperAndrew Ryan, Timothy Russell, John Holdsworth, Jarrod Goentzel
2026-01-30
Southern California faces a daunting reality: over the next 30 years, there is a 37% chance of a magnitude 7.5 or greater earthquake causing a catastrophic breakdown of the systems, infrastructure, and supply chains across the region. Disaster response is often framed as a government responsibility, but the supply chain itself is privately owned and operated.
How US Foreign Aid Policies Affect Global Business Operations
MIT Sloan Management Review (Online)Jarrod Goentzel, Prashant Yadav
2025-11-01
[...] small and medium-sized companies that are integrated into the global supply chains of mature companies-such as local bottlers of Coca-Cola and country distributors of Pfizer pharmaceuticals-greatly benefit from advanced concepts and technologies in areas such as logistics, manufacturing, and working capital management. USAID was an important source of this type of market intelligence that companies can ill afford to lose.[...] the agency's economic incentives and assistance programs provided a model that local governing authorities could emulate in extending market intelligence and amplifying market potential.[...] the potential for US businesses to understand markets and identify business partners for new ventures is diminished by the absence of direct USAID efforts and the multiplier effect of local authorities
Measuring causal effects of disasters and consequent relief activity on truckload markets
Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation ReviewShraddha Rana, Jarrod Goentzel, Chris Caplice
2025-09-01
During disasters the demand for transportation increases to distribute relief supplies, but the capacity decrease due to damaged infrastructure and competition for limited assets, leading to higher procurement prices. With the increase in frequency of natural disasters and resulting economic losses, we are motivated to study the historical impact to prepare for the future. We contribute to the disaster modeling, management, and transportation planning literature by measuring the causal effects of disasters on a critical system’s performance, i.e., truckload transportation procurement prices.
Making the case for supply chain resilience investment
Supply Chain ManageMent ReviewJarrod Goentzel
2025-09-01
I have long taught a course on supply chain financial analysis. Our consistent focus on using the language of finance to communicate supply chain value broadened during the COVID-19 pandemic to focus more explicitly on resilience initiatives. Our students have learned that resilience can be justified as a strategic investment with clear benefits in maintaining operations and margins during times of disruption. Supply chain professionals can and should prepare the financial case for resilience investments in their organizations.
Fuel Supply Chain Workshop Summary: Discussing 2024 Disasters and Developing a Response Playbook
MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics Research PaperJarrod Goentzel, Timothy Russell, Lauren Finegan
2025-04-18
On December 11-12, 2024, the MIT Humanitarian Supply Chain Lab held a workshop in Cambridge, MA with industry, academic, non-profit and government stakeholders to discuss fuel supply chains in the 2024 hurricane season and establish a foundation for developing a fuel response playbook for future disasters. This report summarizes the key discussions and takeaways, operational challenges faced in recent hurricanes, best practices, and important concepts to form the foundation of a fuel response playbook in future disasters.
Awards
Service Award
University of Massachusetts Medical School
Decision Analysis Practice Award
Issued at INFORMS Annual Meeting
November 2018
Best Paper Award
Issued by Decision Sciences Journal at DSI Annual Conference
November 2020
Best Paper Award
Issued by POMS College of Humanitarian Operations and Crisis Management
May 2023
Humanitarian Logistics Award
Issued by the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN)
October 2024
