FAU Grad Students Win Global Supply Chain Case Competition
A team of three graduate students from Florida Atlantic University’s College of Business won the second annual Supply Chain Case Competition for their theoretical applications to a current business problem
A team of three graduate students from Florida Atlantic University’s College of Business won the second annual Supply Chain Case Competition for their theoretical applications to a current business problem.
The team, comprised of Ratnesh Mehta, Akanksha Chawhan and Gaurish Patil, took first place out of five teams in the Florida Atlantic & International Materials Supply Chain Analytics Case Competition, hosted by the College of Business and the Delray Beach-based company International Materials (IMI), for their solution to a real-world business problem for the company.
“In the Masters of Science in Supply Chain Management at FAU, the core strength is the integration of business and education,” said Steven Carnovale, Ph.D., associate professor of supply chain management in the College of Business. “Working with our excellent sponsor, International Materials, allows students to enhance their learning with hands-on, practical and relevant projects. These experiences ensure our students hit the ground running day one when they get hired.”
Second place went to Ioannis Ioannous and Vishal Choday, while Roberto Esobar, Joe Ingles and Claude Guillaume took third place.
The competition started in January with all five teams made up of 16 students briefed on the case from IMI to solve. This year, participants were tasked with solving a commodity forecasting problem at IMI Houston location by forecasting three to four commodities and optimizing inventory.
Judges consisted of executives from IMI who evaluated presentations for their proposed solutions and applicability to the IMI. Winners and runners-up were celebrated at an in-person award ceremony following the presentations.
IMI, a global privately owned built raw material trading company, serves customers in the cement, wallboard and steel making industries through delivering cementitious and solid fuels products.
Supply chain management studies the flow of goods and services to and from a company and includes all the process involved in transforming raw materials and components into final products. To address growing interest in the field, FAU launched the Master of Science in Supply Chain Management in Fall 2021. The degree consists of 10 courses that can be finished in 18 months.
-FAU-
Latest News Desk
- FAU Publishes Initial Annual Report: Florida Office of Ocean EconomyHoused at FAU, the Florida Office of Ocean Economy was created to position the state as a global leader in ocean-linked industries and to build the foundation for a thriving ocean economy.
- FAU Professor Highlighted for Park Designed for Coastal ResiliencyJeffrey E. Huber, professor in the School of Architecture within the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters at Florida Atlantic, was recently featured in Architectural Record magazine for a park.
- FAU Foundation Raises $72M in 2025 Fiscal YearThe Florida Atlantic University Foundation (FAUF) raised more than $72.5 million from nearly 11,000 donors at the end of the 2025 fiscal year - the second largest amount raised in the university's history.
- FAU Report: Business, Job Growth Jumps in South FloridaSouth Florida's economy continues to outpace national growth, driven by strong employment gains and a surge in business creation, according to a new economic outlook report from Florida Atlantic University.
- FAU Earns 2025 Eduventures Innovation AwardFlorida Atlantic University is one of just four higher education institutions in the nation to be recognized with the 2025 Eduventures Innovation Award, presented annually by Eduventures Research.
- Study Refutes Blood Thinner Brain Bleed Risk After Falls in SeniorsFAU researchers found that warfarin use - even at high blood-thinning levels - did not significantly raise brain bleeding risk among 2,700 older adults admitted to the ER with fall-related head injuries.