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Rene Villalobos

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School of Computing, Informatics, and Decision Systems Engineering
Assoc Professor
Faculty, TEMPE Campus, Mailcode 8809
Biography: 

J. Rene Villalobos is an associate professor in the Industrial Engineering Department of Arizona State University.  He holds an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Tecnologico de Chihuahua, a M.S. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Texas at El Paso and a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M University. 

He is currently the director of ASU site of the Industrial Assessment Center (https://iac.engineering.asu.edu/), sponsored by the Department of Energy of the United States, whose aim is to increase energy efficiency in low to mid-size US manufacturers. His research interests include the areas of food logistics, energy efficiency, applied operations research, automated quality and manufacturing systems.

He is also the director of the International Logistics and Productivity Improvement Laboratory (ILPIL, http://ilpil.asu.edu). At ILPIL he has successfully applied tools such as discrete event simulation, statistical inference, data mining, mathematical optimization, and supply chain/logistics methods to a wide variety of projects in industry, including labor productivity improvement, capacity planning and logistics. Furthermore, he has translated industrial engineering knowledge into new applications related to agricultural planning, logistics and policymaking, bringing a fresh point of view and novel solutions to commonly observed problems in agriculture. Through his work, he has gained an increased understanding of the challenges posed by agricultural supply chains and identified several engineering tools that are used to solve important and widespread problems. For instance, he is active in the areas of agricultural and food logistics; areas in which he has worked directly with farmers and decision makers to find practical solutions to complex logistics and distribution problems. He has worked with fresh produce growers of Arizona to develop innovative approaches to the farm-labor scarcity problem. He has also worked with fresh produce growers from Mexico to find better marketing alternatives for their products. Currently he is working in the development of a planning platform for rapid-response supply chains for fresh fruits and vegetables.

Sponsors of Dr. Villalobos’ research include the Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research, National Science Foundation, the US Department of Energy, Texas Advanced Technology Program, the Arizona Dept. of Transportation, US Army, the US Department of Homeland Security, Howard G. Buffett Foundation.  He was the recipient of the 1993 IIE Doctoral Dissertation Award and a 1995 NSF Career Grant.  In 2016 he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to conduct educational and research activities in Chile.

He has published in journals such as the European Journal of Operational Research, the Journal of Agricultural Systems, IIE Transactions, the International Journal of Production Research, IEEE Transactions, and the International Journal of Production Economics.  He is a registered professional engineer in the State of Texas (inactive).

Education: 
  • Ph.D. Industrial Engineering, Texas A&M University 1991
  • M.S. Industrial Engineering, University of Texas-El Paso 1987
  • B.S. Mechanical-Industrial Engineering, Instituto Tecnolgico de Chihuahua, Mexico 1982
Research Interests: 

Logistics, automated quality systems, manufacturing systems and applied operations research

Publications: 
  • Ahumada, O. and J.R. Villalobos. Application of Planning Models in the Agri-Food Supply Chain: A review. The European Journal of Operational Research (2009).
  • Alghandoor, A., P.E. Phelan, R. Villalobos, B.E. Phelan. Modeling and Forecasting the U.S. Manufacturing Aggregate Energy Intensity. International Journal of Energy Research (2008).
  • A Montano, Jesus Villalobos, M Gutierrez, L Mar. Performance of Serial Assembly Line Designs under unequal Operator Speeds and Learning. International Journal of Production Research (2007).
  • In-Jae Jeong, J Leon, V Jorge, Jesus Villalobos. Integrated decision support system for diagnosis, maintenance planning and scheduling of manufacturing systems. Intermational Journal of Production Research (2007).
  • Jesus Villalobos. The Stock Portfolio Game. NFORMS Tranasctions on Education (2007).
  • Villalobos, Jesus, Ahumada, Omar, Sanchez, Octavio. Diseño de una Plataforma Logística para la Comercialización de Hortalizas en EEUU. (2007).
  • H Garcia, Jesus Villalobos, G Runger. Automated Feature Selection for Visual Inspection Systems. IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering (2006).
  • Villalobos, Jesus, Maltz, Arnold, Ahumada, Omar, Sanchez, Otcavio, Trevino, Gerardo. Logistics Capacity Study of the. (2006).
  • Villalobos, Jesus, Garcia, H. Outliers Elimination for the Refinement of AVI Systems. (2006).
  • Villalobos, Jesus, Martinez, H. Development of a Virtual Inspection System for Solder Paste. (2006).
  • Jesus Villalobos, L Munoz, M Gutierrez. An Application of Fixed and Adaptive Multivariate SPC Charts for On-line Monitoring of SMD Assembly. International Journal of Production Economics (2005).
  • M Van den Briel, Jesus Villalobos, G Hogg, T Lindeman, A Mule. Development of Efficient Boarding Strategies at America West Airlines. Interfaces (2005).
  • Larios-Rosillo, V, Ruiz-Sanchez, F, Villalobos, Jesus, Leon, J. Virtual reality distributed laboratories to support micro and nano manufacturing design and research. (2005).
  • Ruiz-Sanchez, J, Larios-Rosillo, V, Villalobos, Jesus, Leon, J. Construction of a Virtual and Distributed Laboratory as an operative tool for the Mx- US Manufacturing Network, MANET. (2005).
  • Villalobos, Jesus. Virtual Concept Session on Shape Digitalization and Tracking In Design. (2005).
  • Villalobos, Jesus, Ahumada, Omar. Operational Rules for Modified Worksharing and Bucket Brigades Systems with Operator Learning. (2005).
  • Villalobos, Jesus, Garcia, Hugo. Automated Feature Selection for SMD Inspection. (2005).
Research Activity: 
Spring 2021
Course NumberCourse Title
IEE 580Practicum
IEE 584Internship
IEE 599Thesis
EGR 792Research
IEE 792Research
IEE 795Continuing Registration
IEE 799Dissertation
EGR 799Dissertation
Fall 2020
Course NumberCourse Title
IEE 300Economic Analys for Engineers
IEE 535Intro Intnl Logistics Systems
IEE 580Practicum
IEE 584Internship
IEE 784Internship
EGR 792Research
IEE 792Research
IEE 795Continuing Registration
IEE 799Dissertation
EGR 799Dissertation
Summer 2020
Course NumberCourse Title
IEE 584Internship
EGR 792Research
IEE 795Continuing Registration
Spring 2020
Course NumberCourse Title
IEE 300Economic Analys for Engineers
IEE 580Practicum
IEE 584Internship
IEE 599Thesis
EGR 792Research
IEE 792Research
IEE 795Continuing Registration
IEE 799Dissertation
EGR 799Dissertation
Fall 2019
Course NumberCourse Title
IEE 580Practicum
IEE 584Internship
IEE 595Continuing Registration
IEE 784Internship
EGR 792Research
IEE 792Research
IEE 795Continuing Registration
IEE 799Dissertation
EGR 799Dissertation
Summer 2019
Course NumberCourse Title
IEE 584Internship
EGR 792Research
Spring 2019
Course NumberCourse Title
IEE 300Economic Analys for Engineers
IEE 512Intro to Financial Engineering
IEE 580Practicum
IEE 584Internship
IEE 599Thesis
EGR 792Research
IEE 792Research
IEE 795Continuing Registration
IEE 799Dissertation
EGR 799Dissertation
Fall 2018
Course NumberCourse Title
IEE 535Intro Intnl Logistics Systems
IEE 580Practicum
IEE 584Internship
IEE 595Continuing Registration
IEE 784Internship
EGR 792Research
IEE 792Research
IEE 795Continuing Registration
IEE 799Dissertation
EGR 799Dissertation
Summer 2018
Course NumberCourse Title
IEE 580Practicum
IEE 584Internship
EGR 590Reading and Conference
EGR 792Research
IEE 795Continuing Registration
Spring 2018
Course NumberCourse Title
IEE 376Oper Rsrch Det Tech/Apps
IEE 572Design Engineering Experiments
IEE 580Practicum
IEE 584Internship
IEE 599Thesis
EGR 792Research
IEE 792Research
IEE 795Continuing Registration
IEE 799Dissertation
Fall 2017
Course NumberCourse Title
IEE 512Intro to Financial Engineering
IEE 535Intro Intnl Logistics Systems
IEE 580Practicum
IEE 584Internship
IEE 595Continuing Registration
IEE 784Internship
IEE 792Research
IEE 795Continuing Registration
IEE 799Dissertation
Summer 2017
Course NumberCourse Title
IEE 580Practicum
IEE 584Internship
EGR 590Reading and Conference
IEE 795Continuing Registration
Spring 2017
Course NumberCourse Title
IEE 580Practicum
IEE 584Internship
IEE 595Continuing Registration
IEE 599Thesis
IEE 792Research
IEE 795Continuing Registration
IEE 799Dissertation
Fall 2016
Course NumberCourse Title
IEE 580Practicum
IEE 584Internship
IEE 595Continuing Registration
IEE 784Internship
IEE 792Research
IEE 795Continuing Registration
IEE 799Dissertation
Summer 2016
Course NumberCourse Title
IEE 580Practicum
IEE 584Internship
IEE 795Continuing Registration
Presentations: 
  • Villalobos, Jesus, Ahumada, Omar. Final Results of project on Distribution Strategies of Fresh Produce in the USA. CAADES Membership Meeting (Dec 2007).
  • Villalobos, Jesus, Garcia, Hugo. A Novel Feature Selection Method for the Quadratic Discriminant Function. Informs Annual Meeting (Nov 2007).
  • Villalobos, Jesus, Sanchez, Ocatvio. Design of a Logistics Platform for the Distribution of Fresh Produce. Informs Annual Meeting (Nov 2007).
  • Villalobos, Jesus. Productivity Based Incentives for Dynamic Work Allocation Systems. INFORMS Annual Meeting (Nov 2007).
  • Villalobos, Jesus. The Stock Portfolio Classroom Game. INFORMS Annual Meeting (Nov 2007).
  • Villalobos, Jesus, Ahumada, Omar. Design of a Logistics Platform for the Distribution of Fresh Produce. INFORMS Annual Meeting (Nov 2007).
  • Villalobos, Jesus, Sanchez, Octavio, Ahumada, Omar. Development of Logistics Platforms for International Fresh Produce Commerce. INFORMS International Meeting 2007 (Jul 2007).
  • Villalobos, Jesus, Garcia, Hugo. A Reconfigurable Framework for Automated Visual Inspection Systems. INFORMS International Meeting 2007 (Jul 2007).
  • Garcia, Hugo, Villalobos, Jesus. Feature Selection via the Minimization of Misclassification Probabilities of Discriminant Functions. INFORMS 2006 Annual Meeting - Pittsburgh, PA (Dec 2006).
  • Van den Briel, menkes, Villalobos, Jesus. How to board a 150 seat airplane in less than 15 minutes?. 21st European Conference on Operational Research (Jul 2006).
  • Polanco, J., Villalobos, Jesus, Runger, George, Kempf, K. The Pricing of Capacity Options Contracts. IIE Annual Conference
Service: 
  • Informs Transactions on Education, reviewer (2006 - Present)
  • Canamex Task Force, Informal Advisor (2005 - Present)
  • IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering, Reviewer (2005 - Present)
  • IEEE Transactions on Electronics Packaging, reviewer (2005 - Present)
  • IIE Transactions, Reviewer (2005 - Present)
  • International Journal of Production Economics, Reviwer (2005 - Present)
  • International Journal of Production Research, reviewer (2005 - Present)
  • Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists, faculty Advisor (2004 - Present)
  • Arizona Dept. of Commerce, Informal Adivsor (2006 - 2007)
  • City of Phoenix, Presenter (2006 - 2007)
  • FSE Graduate Recruitment, Recruiter (2006 - 2007)
  • Engineers without Borders, Faculty Advisor (2005 - 2007)
  • FSE, Leading recruting and engagement activities with Mexico and Latinamerica (2004 - 2007)
  • International Activities Committe, Member (2004 - 2007)
  • Workshop for supplier development of the aerospace industry, organizer (2006 - 2006)
  • City of Phoenix, Informal Advisor and grantee (2004 - 2006)
  • Arizona Department of Commerce, Informal Advisor (2006 - 2006)
  • Arizona-Mexico plennary Meeting, Presenter and PI for study of Guaymas-Arizona Multimodal project (2006 - 2006)
  • Arizona-mexico Plennary, Organization of roundtable discussion (2006 - 2006)
  • Virtual Conference Committee, Member (2005 - 2006)
  • 2005 NSF/DMII Grantees Conference, Co-chair of the conference (2004 - 2005)
  • National Science Foundation/DMII, Panel Reviewer (2005 - 2005)
  • Graduate Council, Representative of the FSE (2002 - 2005)