Heng Chen

Assistant Professor
Department of Management

Contact Information

Office: 3017 Business Building
Mailing Address:
3091 Business Building
1301 Lovers Lane
Manhattan, KS 66506
Email: hengchen@ksu.edu

Research Goals

Dr. Chen uses data analytics and stochastic methods to build more efficient, sustainable, and equitable systems in two critical sectors: agriculture and transportation. His work delves into specific applications within airline logistics, drone delivery operations, and agricultural systems. In these areas, he analyzes how disruptive technologies and new business models impact traditional operations.

His research employs a multi-stakeholder approach to ensure all perspectives, including those of underrepresented groups, are considered. A central theme is exploring the crucial trade-offs and potential synergies between operational efficiency and social equity. His research goal is to develop robust solutions that benefit a wide range of stakeholders while also understanding the effects of public policy and government intervention.

His work has been published in several journals, including Production and Operations Management, Transportation Science, European Journal of Operational Research, and Transportation Research series. He has won several awards, including a best dissertation award and an outstanding paper award.

Current Research

Agricultural Sector

Outcome-Based Pricing for Precision Agriculture Services
How do Agricultural Producers Fare with Fair Trade?
Exploring the Interaction of Digital Decision Support and Financial Risk Sharing in Agricultural Innovation Adoption

Transportation Sector

- Stochastic Network Design for Blockchain-Based Electric Vehicle Charging Payment Systems
- On-demand Air Corridor Design for Urban Air Mobility with Equity Considerations

Awards/Honors

Selected Publications

F. Song, Y. Xu, H. Chen, K. Zhang, "Better to Deliver Tomorrow Morning than Late Today? The Time-of-Day Effect in Customer Perception of Online Sellers' Logistics Service Quality," Transportation Journal, 63(4), 263-278 (2024).
Z. Hu, H. Chen, E. Lyons, S. Solak, M. Zink, "Towards Sustainable UAV (Drone) Operations: Balancing Economic Optimization with Environmental and Social Considerations in Path Planning," Transportation Research Part E, 181, p.103314 (2024).
H. Chen, J. Ryan, "Optimal Specialty Crop Planning Policies with Yield Learning and Forward Contract," Production and Operations Management, 32(2), pp.359-378 (2023).
H. Chen, Z. Hu, S. Solak, "Improved Delivery Policies for Future Drone-based Delivery Systems," European Journal of Operational Research, 294 (3), pp. 1181-1201 (2021).
H. Chen, S. Solak, "Lower Cost Departures for Airlines: Optimal Policies under Departure Metering," Transportation Research Part C, 111, pp. 531-546 (2020).
S. Solak, H. Chen, "Optimal Metering Point Configurations for Optimized Profile Descent Based Arrival Operations at Airports," Transportation Science, 52 (1), pp. 150-170 (2018).
H. Chen, S. Solak, "Lower Cost Arrivals for Airlines: Optimal Policies for Managing Runway Operations under Optimized Profile Descent," Production and Operations Management, 24 (3), pp. 402-420 (2015).

Professional Service

Chair, INFORMS Transportation Science and Logistics (TSL) Society Air Transportation Special Interest Group, 2025-2026
Member, INFORMS Student Affairs Subcommittee, 2020-2021
Chair, Aviation Applications Best Student Presentation Competition Award Committee, 2019
Cluster Chair, Aviation Applications Cluster, INFORMS Annual Meeting 2018, 2018
Judge, Council of University Transportation Centers (CUTC) Student Awards, 2017

Areas of Teaching

Supply Chain Management, Transportation and Logistics, Data Analytics

Education

Ph.D. in Operations Management, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2016

M.S. in Mathematics, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2011

B.S. in Applied Mathematics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 2008