Pinar Keskinocak has been named the Joseph C. Mello Professor, effective July 1, 2011. 

“I am honored to be named the Joseph C. Mello Professor,” said Professor Keskinocak.  “The opportunities to make a difference in world health and humanitarian response are vast.  Through this support, I, my colleagues, and our students, will be able to expand our reach and impact by pushing the boundaries of our research and education in this field.”

The Joseph C. Mello Professorship was created through an endowment established by Mello (B IE 1980) to support the work of an outstanding Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE) faculty member whose work focuses on health care delivery operations.

 "I couldn't be more pleased with the selection of Dr. Keskinocak as the Mello Professor,” said Mello.  “Her work in humanitarian logistics, applying industrial engineering know-how to global health care concerns, integrates perfectly with those issues that my wife, Ginny, and I are so committed to."

Pinar Keskinocak, along with Health and Humanitarian Logistic Center co-directors Özlem Ergun and Julie Swann, have a passion for applying industrial engineering and operations research tools, techniques, and  expertise with the goal of having a positive global impact. They have developed an astute awareness of the issues associated in health systems, humanitarian response, and education in these fields.

Professor Keskinocak’s research focuses on supply chain management, with an emphasis on resource allocation, and she is actively engaged in research and applications in health care and humanitarian logistics. She received B.S. and M.S. degrees in industrial engineering from Bilkent University in Ankara, Turkey, in 1991 and 1992, and a Ph.D. in operations research from Carnegie Mellon University in 1997. Before joining Georgia Tech, she was with IBM's T.J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, New York.

Joseph Mello (B IE 1980), who recently retired from his position as chief operating officer for DaVita, the largest independent provider of dialysis services in the United States, has been a leader in the health care industry throughout his career. While a student at Georgia Tech, Mello worked as a paramedic at nearby Grady Hospital to help cover the costs of his education. Since then, he has gone on to an illustrious career. In addition to DaVita, Mello has served in key management positions with MedPartners Inc. and Vivra Asthma & Allergy Inc. Understanding the need for increased research and intellectual scholarship concerning the systems-based approach to health care delivery, the Mello’s have generously supported initiatives at Georgia Tech, including the establishment of the Mello Professorship.

A member of the College of Engineering’s Academy of Distinguished Engineering Alumni, Mello also provides volunteer leadership and service to the Institute through his involvement with the ISyE advisory board.

Georgia Tech’s Hill Society, a prestigious association of alumni, corporations, foundations, and friends who are principal benefactors of Georgia Tech, awarded Mello and his wife, Virginia C. Mello the Hill Society Award for their leadership in the health care industry.