The Bachelor of Business (Logistics and Supply Chain Management) student still remembered how happy she was when her lecturer and Senior Program Manager Dr Reza Akbari invited her to join his research project.
“I was on top of the world for being offered such opportunity,” she recalled.
The chance came up when she proactively asked for additional reading materials during the first social distancing period in early 2020 due to COVID-19.
“Dr. Reza kindly replied to me with a few suggestions of book titles, and at the end of the email, surprisingly, he invited me to join his research project if I was interested.”
Despite the unusualness of collaborating remotely and being overwhelmed by the number of research papers she needed to go though, Thu enjoyed learning the insights into effort and commitment required to complete a research project.
“The whole process of writing a research paper needs painstaking attention to not only the research itself but to the academic writing also,” Thu said.
“As this was the first time I’ve contributed to an academic paper, I struggled a lot with scholarly writing.
“By self-learning and getting supportive feedback from Dr Reza, I could speed up my writing and was able to finish my part on time.”
Dr Reza praised Thu for her persistence and agility.
“We started our project at unpreceded time,” he said.
“We can only collaborate virtually and remotely but Thu’s performance exceeded my expectation.”
After a year of collaboration, the duo had their paper, which demonstrates a review of the existing state-of-the-art literature on machine learning in logistics and supply chain management, entitled ‘A systematic review of machine learning in logistics and supply chain management: current trends and future directions’, published on the Emerald Insight, a leading digital publisher.
“By analysing the current literature, contemporary concepts, data, and gaps and subsequently suggesting potential topics for future research, the paper can provide local businesses with useful insights to help them make more precise decisions about the implementation of machine learning in their logistics and supply chain operations,” Thu said.
“For example, in terms of forecasting, the involvement of machine learning indicates the development of sensors that allow real-time data input for efficient management of resources.
“In terms of delivery, machine learning, with the help of GPS, can be the backbone of a system that determines more accurate delivery time with less occurrence of disruptions, which can result in the reduction of fuel consumption and the increase in business efficiency for businesses.”
Although perceiving the date of her first published research paper as a very important milestone in her life, Thu said that she is still looking forward to opportunities to have hands-on experience at real-word companies in the industry before deciding which path she should take for her future career.
Thu was so grateful for the tremendous support and patience from her lecturer and research lead Dr Reza, and encouraged her fellow friends to take part in a research project if they have a chance.
“It could give you a close-up view on academia and precious lessons given the exposure to a completely new area with new insights,” she said.
“With the passion for winning and gratitude for your support system, you can definitely achieve the desired goals and get the paper published.”
Story: Ha Hoang
