The MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics (MIT CTL) is part of the Engineering Systems Division in the School of Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.   For more than five decades, MIT CTL has been a world leader in supply chain management education and research. MIT CTL has made significant contributions to supply chain and logistics and has helped numerous companies gain competitive advantage from its cutting-edge research.  Visit our website to learn more about our educational offerings, research initiatives, and outreach opportunities! https://ctl.mit.edu/  

MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics

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Issued by “Ministerio de Educacion”
2003

Extraordinary National Doctoral Award | Top National Spanish Doctoral Recognition

Issued by Massachusetts Institute of Technology
May 2018

Irwin Sizer Award for the Most Significant Improvement to MIT Education

MIT Omnichannel Supply Chain Lab: Founder

MITx MicroMasters® Program in Supply Chain Management : Director

Managing technology-related disruptions and vulnerabilities in highly automated warehouse systems: an integrative review and research agenda

Design Principles and Impact of a Learning Analytics Dashboard: Evidence from a Randomized MOOC Experiment

Taking action to reduce dropout in MOOCs: Tested interventions

Key metrics to measure the performance and impact of reusable packaging in circular supply chains

AI is “not optional anymore” in large-scale warehouses and omnichannel operations, as it’s becoming foundational to how they function at scale. In this episode, we explore key findings from the State of AI in Warehousing Report and the 2026 State of Omnichannel Supply Chain Report, examining how companies are moving beyond pilots to real-world deployment. From inventory optimization and automated picking to real-time decision-making, AI is transforming operations as pressure grows for faster, more precise, and more flexible fulfillment. Joining the discussion are Dr. Matthias Winkenbach, Director of the MIT Intelligent Logistics Systems Lab, Dr. Eva Ponce, Director of the MIT Omnichannel Supply Chain Lab, and Alejandro Gonzalez, Software Business Unit Director at Mecalux. They break down what’s driving widespread AI adoption, where companies are seeing the fastest return on investment, and how omnichannel growth is increasing complexity across supply chains. The conversation also explores the rise of autonomous mobile robots, shifting workforce roles, and what’s next, from generative AI to agentic systems capable of real-time decision-making.

The State of AI in Warehousing and Omnichannel

Supply Chain Strategy & Network Architecture

Intelligent & Autonomous Supply Chains

Sustainable & Circular Supply Chains

MITx Supply Chain Technology and Systems

SCM.290x Sustainable Supply Chain Management

SCM.289 Omnichannel Fulfillment Strategies

Dr. Eva Ponce is a Research Scientist and Founder and Director of the MIT Omnichannel Supply Chain Lab at the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics. She is also Director of Online Education at MIT CTL, where she leads the MITx MicroMasters® Program in Supply Chain Management and MIT’s online corporate education initiatives.

Her research focuses on how AI, automation, and emerging technologies are transforming supply chains, logistics, and the future of work. She studies e-commerce and omnichannel fulfillment, warehouse, and logistics automation, and how new technologies are changing supply chain operations, jobs, and the skills organizations need. Her work also addresses sustainable supply chains, including circular supply chains, reverse logistics, and closed-loop supply chains.

Dr. Ponce works closely with global companies to translate research into practical strategies for supply chain transformation, including the redesign of e-commerce fulfillment networks, the adoption of automation and AI, and the development of new capabilities for the future of supply chain management. She also leads MIT executive and online education initiatives that help organizations and professionals develop the knowledge and skills needed to navigate these transformations. 

She is a frequent speaker at international conferences and industry events, and her research has been published in leading scientific journals in supply chain management and logistics. With more than 25 years of experience in supply chain management research and education, Dr. Ponce teaches at the graduate and executive education levels on e-commerce and omnichannel fulfillment, digital and sustainable supply chains, and supply chain management. Her contributions to education were recognized with MIT’s 2018 Irwin Sizer Award for the Most Significant Improvement to MIT Education.

Future of Supply Chains

Supply Chain Automation

Omnichannel Fulfillment

Supply Chain Management

AI in Supply Chains

Circular Supply Chains

Workforce Transformation

Future of Work

English

Spanish

MIT CTL Profile

MIT SCM Profile

MIT Omnichannel Supply Chain Lab

Google Scholar

ResearchGate

From Classroom To Retirement: Why Education Is A Lifelong Investment

"It turns out that not all orders need to be delivered in half an hour."

Amazon bets savings from automation can help fuel AI spending boom

The Pandemic Generation Is Taking Its Supply-Chain Lessons to School

How AI will revolutionize supply chains

Thought leadership from MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics.

MIT Supply Chain Frontiers

Hosted by Dr. Eva Ponce, Director of Online Education at the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics, hear from Laura Ritchey, President & CEO of GEODIS Americas on how e-commerce is reshaping supply chains and creating new challenges in omnichannel fulfillment and network design. Watch the full webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxH9cexfz6Q

AI, Omnichannel, and the Future of Supply Chain

Hosted by Dr. Eva Ponce, Director of Online Education at the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics, during this session, Vandana Ramani, VP of Global Strategy at UPS takes you through how UPS uses analytics, technology, and AI to manage complexity, improve on-time delivery, and enhance customer satisfaction. Watch the full webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAMBTReUkUA

Supply Chain Analytics in Action | Lessons from UPS on Digital Transformation, Technology, and AI

In this webinar hosted by Dr. Eva Ponce, the Director of the MITx MicroMasters Program in SCM, expert panelists Dr. Matthias Winkenbach of MIT CTL and Chris Huber of Mecalux, share how they are leveraging AI tools and algorithms—particularly in positioning inventory in complex omnichannel networks as well as the use of Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs)—to bring flexibility and optimize operations. Explore the tangible benefits, common challenges and barriers to adoption they’ve encountered and look ahead to the future of SCM and the skills needed for the next-generation workforce. Watch the full webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTQqkTD8l8Q

The Role of AI in e-Commerce and e-Fulfillment

Director, Online Education, MIT CTL | Director, MITx MicroMasters in Supply Chain Management | Director, Omnichannel Supply Chain Lab

In this interview, Eva Ponce, Director of MIT’s Omnichannel Supply Chain Lab, highlights how artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing omnichannel retail. This technology enables more accurate demand forecasting by integrating real-time data, improving inventory management, and delivering personalized marketing campaigns. AI is also being applied to critical areas such as transportation and warehouse automation, helping companies respond more efficiently to customer expectations. According to Ponce, these tools are essential for managing logistics challenges in a highly competitive environment.

Chapters:


Omnichannel and its transformation through AI - Interview with Eva Ponce (MIT)

At MIT, we investigate the hidden risks of interconnected systems—from software breakdowns to cyberattacks and power outages—and co-design strategies for prevention, detection, and recovery of logistics systems. Our mission is to help build supply chains that not only perform but endure.

https://omnichannel.mit.edu/warehouse-of-the-future/

The Warehouse of the Future Initiative: MIT’s Warehouse of the Future Initiative is a research-driven effort to understand and shape the next generation of highly automated, interconnected, and intelligent logistics systems. We explore why some warehouse technologies succeed while others fail, how decisions can be optimized in complex environments, and how to build operations that recover when complex systems break down. Through data analytics, behavioral insights, and risk analysis, we develop frameworks to help design smarter, more resilient warehouses—critical to the future of supply chains.

MIT Horizon 2025 | Automated Warehouses and Technology Risks | Eva Ponce and Miguel Rodríguez García

As eCommerce continues to grow, fulfillment centers and warehouses are undergoing major transformations.

In this webinar hosted by Dr. Eva Ponce, the Director of the MITx MicroMasters Program in SCM, expert panelists Dr. Matthias Winkenbach of MIT CTL and Chris Huber of Mecalux, share how they are leveraging AI tools and algorithms—particularly in positioning inventory in complex omnichannel networks as well as the use of Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs)—to bring flexibility and optimize operations. Explore the tangible benefits, common challenges and barriers to adoption they’ve encountered and look ahead to the future of SCM and the skills needed for the next-generation workforce.

Visit The MITx MicroMasters® Program in Supply Chain Management Website: https://ctl.mit.edu/micromasters-scm

Enroll in our courses (Audit for free): https://ctl.mit.edu/micromasters-scm

Connect with us on social: 
https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/micromasters-credential-in-supply-chain-management/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mitxmicromasterscm

Modern supply chains are facing growing complexity and constant change. To stay competitive, companies need to rethink their networks and the technologies they adopt.

Hosted by Dr. Eva Ponce, Director of Online Education at the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics, hear from Laura Ritchey, President & CEO of GEODIS Americas on how e-commerce is reshaping supply chains and creating new challenges in omnichannel fulfillment and network design.

Visit The MITx MicroMasters® Program in Supply Chain Management Website: https://ctl.mit.edu/micromasters-scm

Enroll in our courses (Audit for free): https://ctl.mit.edu/micromasters-scm

Connect with us on social: 
https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/micromasters-credential-in-supply-chain-management/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mitxmicromasterscm

Global supply chains are complex, and when operating at a global scale even minor miscalculations can cause major disruptions for companies and customers alike.

Hosted by Dr. Eva Ponce, Director of Online Education at the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics, during this session, Vandana Ramani, VP of Global Strategy at UPS takes you through how UPS uses analytics, technology, and AI to manage complexity, improve on-time delivery, and enhance customer satisfaction.

Visit The MITx MicroMasters® Program in Supply Chain Management Website: https://ctl.mit.edu/micromasters-scm

Enroll in our courses (Audit for free): https://ctl.mit.edu/micromasters-scm

Connect with us on social: 
https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/micromasters-credential-in-supply-chain-management/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mitxmicromasterscm

Eva Ponce
Executive Director, MITx MicroMasters in Supply Chain Management
Director, Omnichannel Distribution Strategies

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