MIT Supply Chain Frontiers

Supply chains are inherently global, shaped by geopolitical dynamics, regional market complexities, and the interconnected movement of goods across continents. As such, preparing the next generation of supply chain leaders demands immersive, culturally-grounded education that reflects real-world challenges from multiple perspectives.

In this episode, we're joined by directors of the MIT Global SCALE Network's international centers: Jay Guo from the Ningbo China Institute for Supply Chain Innovation (NISCI), Chris Mejía Argueta from the Graduate Certificate in Logistics and Supply Chain Management (GCLOG) and the SCALE Network for Latin America, Daniel Prato from the Center for Latin American Logistics Innovation (CLI), Rafael de Miguel González from the Zaragoza Logistics Center (ZLC), Jan Godsell from the UK SCALE Center at Loughborough University, and Maria Jesús Saénz from the MIT Supply Chain Management (SCM) Master’s programs. Together, they explore why global education in supply chain management is essential, how regional centers drive innovation rooted in local industry needs, and how collaboration across universities worldwide transforms research into measurable impact on companies and communities.

Freight companies face increasing pressure to adopt AI, but which technology is actually working on the road? This episode examines critical findings from ground-level freight operations, revealing why Excel remains the dominant tool despite digital transformation efforts, and why data quality, not AI sophistication, remains the biggest bottleneck constraining freight efficiency. Joining tech journalist Jason Del Rey are Dr. Angi Acocella, Research Scientist in the FreightLab at the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics, and David Gal, Vice President of Product and Engineering for Connected Equipment at Samsara, on a panel held at Samsara Beyond 2026 in Las Vegas.

The conversation explores practical solutions shaping the freight industry today, including Bluetooth-enabled tracking labels for high-value shipments and how AI-powered geofencing is improving driver safety without replacing human oversight. From dynamic pricing mechanisms to how forward-thinking carriers are using AI agents to augment driver performance, this episode reveals what freight leaders should actually be investing in and where to be cautious.

Warehouse automation is often evaluated through an operational lens in terms of productivity gains, labor efficiency, and accuracy improvements. Yet the environmental impact of technologies like drone-based inventory systems remains poorly understood. In this episode, we explore how a capstone project conducted with Verity, a warehouse automation company, and graduate students in the MIT Supply Chain Management (SCM) program quantified the real sustainability benefits of replacing manual forklift-based inventory counting with drones.

Joining the discussion are Tommaso Portaluri, Sustainability Lead at Verity; Camilo Mora, Postdoctoral Associate at the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics (CTL); and Elisa Ruiz, an MIT SCM alum who worked on the project. Together, they reveal a surprising finding: inventory write-offs and waste reduction account for nearly 40% of post-implementation emissions savings, far outweighing energy savings alone. Through their analysis, they demonstrate how information quality and operational efficiency are intertwined levers for decarbonization, and why inventory management deserves a place at the center of warehouse sustainability strategies. You can read the full findings of the capstone project here and learn more about MIT SCM capstone projects here.

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.

As climate-related disruptions and regulatory pressures intensify, corporate sustainability is a core strategic necessity for all operations of global firms. In this episode, we discuss how companies are navigating the complex transition toward decarbonization while upholding efficiency and affordability.

Joining the discussion are Dr. Sreedevi Rajagopalan and Tori Arnold from the MIT Sustainable Supply Chain Lab, alongside Rachel Schwalbach, Vice President of ESG at C.H. Robinson, and Brittany Brama, Sustainability Director at C.H. Robinson. From the complexities of Scope 3 data collection to the practical implementation of alternative fuels and "book and claim" models, they examine how their collaboration between academia and industry is turning sustainability research into measurable impact.