Birds eye view of a ship carrying colourful red, blue, and teal shipping containers.

Airships to Arctic Conferences

  • Airship Corridors and Gateways to the Arctic

    Free Public Webinar

    Residents of remote communities in northern Canada often face monopoly services and high freight rates, which directly impacts the price and quality of everything from basic food to vital housing. Existing technology cannot alter the pattern of economic disparity between the highly developed southern Canada and the sparsely populated “thin” markets of the north. 

    A transformative change in the transportation service industry is required and low-cost cargo airship services are a conceivable answer. With widespread applications across national defense and industrial mining, a cargo airships market would lower expenses for all stakeholders, especially remote communities. 

    Over two-days, May 30 and 31st, the 2023 Airships to the Arctic webinar series presented speakers who elaborated on the demand for cargo airships in the North, leading airship developers and input suppliers.

Past events

27th Fields on Wheels Conference - Supply Chain Risks, Disruptions and Adaptation

More info


December 14, 2021 - Fields on Wheels

The 26th Fields on Wheels Conference was themed "Congestion and Logistical Challenges in the Late-pandemic".

More info


December 11, 2020 - Fields on Wheels

In December, the Transport Institute and the Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Fields on Wheels Conference themed "Celebrating Achievement and Building Resilience in Agricultural Food Systems".

More info

Past UMTI Speaker Series

Dr. Clifford Winston - Autonomous Vehicle: Paving the Way to Economic Growth with Less Resistance. 

Dr. Mark Levine - Driverless Vehicle Technology & Changing Land Settlement Patterns

Dr. Karen Smilowitz - On the Use of Operations Research Methods for the Design of School Districts

Journal publications

2020

Gong, L., Xiao, Y. B., Jiang, C., Zheng, S., & Fu, X. (2020). Seaport investments in capacity and natural disaster preventionTransportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 85, 102367.

Jiang, C., & Zheng, S. (2020). Airline baggage fees and airport congestionTransportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, 117, 102686.

Kumar, A., Appadoo, S. S., & Kaur, P. (2020). Mehar approach for solving dual-hesitant fuzzy transportation problem with restrictionsSādhanā, 45(1), 1-9.

Lau, Y. Y., Tang, Y. M., Chan, I., Ng, A. K., & Leung, A. (2020). The Deployment of Virtual Reality (VR) to Promote Green BurialAsia Pacific Journal of Health Management, 15(2), S53-60.

Roozbeh, P., Adolf, K. Y. N. G., & Jiayi, P. (2020). Climate change adaptation in the port industry: A complex of lingering research gaps and uncertaintiesTransport Policy, 95, 10-29.

Roy, V., Silvestre, B. S., & Singh, S. (2020). Reactive and proactive pathways to sustainable apparel supply chains: Manufacturer's perspective on stakeholder salience and organizational learning toward responsible managementInternational Journal of Production Economics, 227, 107672.

Silvestre, B. S., Silva, M. E., Cormack, A., & Thome, A. M. T. (2020). Supply chain sustainability trajectories: learning through sustainability initiativesInternational Journal of Operations & Production Management.

Silvestre, B. S., Viana, F. & Monterio, M. (2020). Supply chain corruption practices circumventing sustainability standards: Wolves in sheep’s clothing. International Journal of Operations & Production Management.

Surti, C., Celani, A., & Gajpal, Y. (2020). The Newsvendor Problem: The Role of Prospect Theory and FeedbackEuropean Journal of Operational Research, 287(1), 251-261.

Suthiwartnarueput, K., Lee, P. T. W., Lin, C. W., Visamitanan, K., Yang, Z., & Ng, A. K. (2020). A trial to generalise evaluation of key driving factors of port-city waterfront developmentInternational Journal of Shipping and Transport Logistics, 12(3), 174-196.

Taylor, K. M., Hajmohammad, S., & Vachon, S. (2020). Activist engagement and industry-level change: Adoption of new practices by observing firmsIndustrial Marketing Management.

Wang, K., Jiang, C., Ng, A. K., & Zhu, Z. (2020). Air and rail connectivity patterns of major city clusters in ChinaTransportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 139, 35-53.

Zhang, W., Gajpal, Y., Appadoo, S., & Wei, Q. (2020). Multi-Depot Green Vehicle Routing Problem to Minimize Carbon EmissionsSustainability, 12(8), 3500.

Zheng, S., Fu, X., Jiang, C., & Ge, Y. E. (2020). Airline investments in exclusive airport facilities: Timing decisions under demand ambiguityTransportation Research Part B: Methodological, 139, 343-363.

2018

Abdulkader, M. M. S.; Gajpal, Y.; ElMekkawy, T. Y. (2018). Vehicle routing problem in omni-channel retailing distribution systems. International Journal of Production Economics, 196, 43-55.

Chen, C., D'Alfonso, T., Guo, H., & Jiang, C. (2018). Graph theoretical analysis of the Chinese high-speed rail network over timeResearch in Transportation Economics, 72, 3-14.

Dyck, B.; Silvestre, B.S (2018). Enhancing socio-ecological value creation through Sustainable Innovation 2.0: Moving away from maximizing financial value captureJournal of Cleaner Production, 171, 1593-1604.

Guo, H., Jiang, C., & Wan, Y. (2018). Can airfares tell? An alternative empirical strategy for airport congestion internalization.

Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 118, 648-661.
Gupta, P., Cambini, R., & Appadoo, S. S. (2018). Recent advances in optimization theory and applications (RAOTA-2016)Annals of Operations Research, 269, 1-2.

Hu, R., Xiao, Y. B., & Jiang, C. (2018). Jet fuel hedging, operational fuel efficiency improvement and carbon tax .Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, 116, 103-123.

Jha, R. K.; Sahay, B.S.; Chattopadhyay, M.; Gajpal, Y. (2018). A visual approach to enhance coordination among diagnostic units using self-organizing mapDecision, 45(1), 27-41.

Jiang, Y., Ng, A. K., Wang, Y., Wang, L., & Yu, B. (2018). Locational characteristics of firms in the business service industry in airport economic zones: case of Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. Journal of Urban Planning and Development, 144(1), 04018001.

Larson, P. D., & Foropon, C. (2018). Process improvement in humanitarian operations: an organisational theory perspectiveInternational Journal of Production Research, 56(21), 6828-6841.

Lau, Y. Y., Ng, A. K., Tam, K. C., & Chan, E. K. K. (2018). An investigation on the professionalization of education in Maritime logistics and supply chainsMaritime Business Review, 3(4), 394-413.

Lau, Y. Y., Tam, K. C., Ng, A. K., Fu, X., Jing, Z., & Feng, J. (2018). Effects of the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative on the wine import logistics of ChinaMaritime Policy & Management, 45(3), 403-417.

Li, H., Gajpal, Y., & Bector, C. R. (2018). Effects of the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative on the wine import logistics of ChinaMaritime Policy & Management, 45(3), 403-417.

Li, H., Gajpal, Y., & Bector, C. R. (2018). Single machine scheduling with two-agent for total weighted completion time objectivesApplied Soft Computing, 70, 147-156.

Li, K. X., Jin, M., Qi, G., Shi, W., & Ng, A. K. (2018). Logistics as a driving force for development under the belt and road initiative–the Chinese model for developing countries. Transport Reviews, 38(4), 457-478.

Li, X., Jiang, C., Wang, K., & Ma, J. (2018). Determinants of partnership levels in air-rail cooperationJournal of Air Transport Management, 71, 88-96.

Matos, S., Hall, J., Bachor, V., & Silvestre, B. S. (2018). Low Vs. High Income Entrepreneurial Households: Heterogeneous Response to Common Institution Environment in Developing CountriesIn Geopolitics and Strategic Management in the Global Economy (pp. 242-260). IGI Global.

McCarthy, I.P.; Silvestre, B.S.; von Nordenflycht, A.; Breznitz, S.M. (2018). Typology of university research park strategies: What parks do and why it matters. Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, 47, 110-122.

Morais, D.O.C.; Silvestre, B.S. (2018). Advancing Social Sustainability in Supply Chain Management: Lessons from Multiple Case Studies in an Emerging EconomyJournal of Cleaner Production, 199, 222-235.

Ng, A. K., Andrews, J., Babb, D., Lin, Y., & Becker, A. (2018). Implications of climate change for shipping: Opening the Arctic seasWiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 9(2), e507.

Ng, A. K., Jiang, C., Li, X., O'Connor, K., & Lee, P. T. W. (2018). A conceptual overview on government initiatives and the transformation of transport and regional systemsJournal of Transport Geography, 71, 01684063.

Ng, A. K., Wang, T., Yang, Z., Li, K. X., & Jiang, C. (2018). How is business adapting to climate change impacts appropriately? Insight from the commercial port sectorJournal of Business Ethics, 150(4), 1029-1047.

Ng, A. K., Zhang, H., Afenyo, M., Becker, A., Cahoon, S., Chen, S. L., ... & Monios, J. (2018). Port decision maker perceptions on the effectiveness of climate adaptation actions. Coastal Management, 46(3), 148-175.

Sahu, S. N., Gajpal, Y., & Debbarma, S. (2018). Two-agent-based single-machine scheduling with switchover time to minimize total weighted completion time and makespan objectivesAnnals of Operations Research, 269(1-2), 623-640.

Silvestre, B.S; Monteiro, M.; Viana, F.; Souza, M. (2018). Challenges for Sustainable Supply Chain Management: When Stakeholder Collaboration Becomes Conducive to CorruptionJournal of Cleaner Production, 194, 766-776.

Singh, A., Kumar, A., & Appadoo, S. S. (2018). Mehar ranking method for comparing connection numbers and its application in decision makingJournal of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems, 35(5), 5523-5528.

Wang, Y., Yeo, G. T., & Ng, A. K. (2018). The Use of the Hybrid Fuzzy-Delphi-TOPSIS Approach in Identifying Optimal Bunkering Ports for Shipping LinesIn Multi-Criteria Decision Making in Maritime Studies and Logistics (pp. 249-270). Springer, Cham.

Yang, D., Jiang, L., & Ng, A. K. (2018). One Belt one Road, but several routes: A case study of new emerging trade corridors connecting the Far East to EuropeTransportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 117, 190-204.

Yang, Z., Ng, A. K., Lee, P. T. W., Wang, T., Qu, Z., Rodrigues, V. S., ... & Lau, Y. Y. (2018). Risk and cost evaluation of port adaptation measures to climate change impactsTransportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 61, 444-458.

Zhang, S., Gajpal, Y., & Appadoo, S. S. (2018). A meta-heuristic for capacitated green vehicle routing problem. Annals of Operations Research, 269(1-2), 753-771.

Zhang, S., Gajpal, Y., Appadoo, S. S., & Abdulkader, M. M. S. (2018). Electric vehicle routing problem with recharging stations for minimizing energy consumptionInternational Journal of Production Economics, 203, 404-413.

Zhu, S., Fu, X., Ng, A. K., Luo, M., & Ge, Y. E. (2018). The environmental costs and economic implications of container shipping on the Northern Sea RouteMaritime Policy & Management, 45(4), 456-477.

2016

Hajmohammad, S.; Vachon, S. (2016). Mitigation, avoidance, or acceptance? Managing supplier sustainability risk. Journal of Supply Chain Management, 52(2), 48-65.

Jiang, C.; Li, X. (2016). Low Cost Carrier and High-Speed Rail: A Macroeconomic Comparison between Japan and Europe. Research in Transportation Business & Management, 21, 3-10.

Jiang, C.; Zhang, A. (2016). Airline network choice and market coverage under high-speed rail competitionTransportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 92, 248-260.

Prentice, B.E.; Lau, Y.Y. (2016). Market Potential for Transport Airships in Service to Hong KongInternational Journal of Aviation Management, 3(1): 68-83.

Silvestre, B.S.(2016). Sustainable supply chain management: Past debate and future directionsGestão & Produção, 23(2), 235-249.

Bhardwaj, A.K.; Gajpal Y.; Singh, M. (2016). Fuzzy reliability analysis of integrated network traffic visualization system for LAN Resources. International Journal of Fuzzy Systems, 31(3), 1941-1953.

D’Alfonso, T.; Jiang, C.; Bracaglia, V. (2016). Air transport and high-speed rail competition: Environmental implications and mitigation Policies. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 92, 261-27.

Homosombat, W.; Ng, A.K.Y.; Fu, X. (2016). Regional transformation and port cluster competition: the case of the Pearl River Delta in South ChinaGrowth and Change 47(3): 349-362.

Sanchez-Bajo, C.; Silvestre, B.S. (2016). Las cooperativas en las cadenas de valor del café en Guatemala: su contribución al logro de objetivos sociales, laborales y ambientales (in Spanish). Revista del Centro de Estudios de Sociología del Trabajo, 8, 35-74.

Vachon, S.; Hajmohammad, S. (2016). Supply chain uncertainty and environmental management. Asian Journal of Sustainability and Social Responsibility, 5, 1-13.

Zeng, Q.; Qu, C.; Ng, A.K.Y.; Zhao, X. (2016). A new approach for Baltic Dry Index forecasting based on empirical mode decomposition and neural networksMaritime Economics & Logistics, 18(2): 192-210.

2019

Afenyo, M., Jiang, C., & Ng, A. K. (2019). Climate change and Arctic shipping: A method for assessing the impacts of oil spills in the Arctic. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 77, 01707994.

Afenyo, M., Khan, F., Veitch, B., Ng, A. K., Sajid, Z., & Fahd, F. (2019). An explorative object-oriented Bayesian network model for oil spill response in the Arctic OceanSafety in Extreme Environments, 2, 3-14.

Desmond, D. S., Neusitzer, T. D., Firoozy, N., Isleifson, D., Lemes, M., Barber, D. G., & Stern, G. A. (2019). Examining the physical processes of corn oil (medium crude oil surrogate) in sea ice and its resultant effect on complex permittivity and normalized radar cross-sectionMarine pollution bulletin, 142, 484-493.

Desmond, D. S., Saltymakova, D., Neusitzer, T. D., Firoozy, N., Isleifson, D., Barber, D. G., & Stern, G. A. (2019). Oil behavior in sea ice: Changes in chemical composition and resultant effect on sea ice dielectricsMarine pollution bulletin, 142, 216-233.

Dong, G., Zhu, J., Li, J., Wang, H., & Gajpal, Y. (2019). Evaluating the Environmental Performance and Operational Efficiency of Container Ports: An Application to the Maritime Silk RoadInternational journal of environmental research and public health, 16(12), 2226.

Ducruet, C., Panahi, R., Ng, A. K., Jiang, C., & Afenyo, M. (2019). Between geography and transport: A scientometric analysis of port studies in Journal of Transport Geography. Journal of Transport Geography, 81, 102527.

Dyck, B., & Silvestre, B. S. (2019). A novel NGO approach to facilitate the adoption of sustainable innovations in low-income countries: lessons from small-scale farms in NicaraguaOrganization Studies, 40(3), 443-461.

Gajpal, Y., Roy, V., & Sahay, B. S. (2019). Vehicle routing for a mid-day meal delivery distribution systemHeliyon, 5(1), e01158.

He, Y., & Ng, A. K. (2019). Climate change adaptation by ports: the attitude and perception of Chinese port organizationsGreen Ports, 2019, 155-171

Kaur, A., Kumar, A., & Appadoo, S. S. (2019). Commentary on “A reply to a Note on the paper “A simplified novel technique for solving fully fuzzy linear programming problems””Journal of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems, 36(6), 5685-5691.

Larson, P. D., & Larson, N. M. (2019). The Hunger of Nations: An Empirical Study of Inter-relationships among the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)Journal of Sustainable Development, 12(6), 39-47.

Li, H., Gajpal, Y., & Bector, C. R. (2019). A survey of due-date related single-machine with two-agent scheduling problemJournal of Industrial & Management Optimization, 13(5), 1.

Li, Z., Fei, W., Zhou, E., Gajpal, Y., & Chen, X. (2019). The Impact of Lead Time Uncertainty on Supply Chain Performance Considering Carbon CostSustainability, 11(22), 6457.

Monios, J., Wilmsmeier, G., & Ng, A. K. (2019). Port system evolution–the emergence of second-tier hubsMaritime Policy & Management, 46(1), 61-73.

Ng, A. K., Monios, J., & Zhang, H. (2019). Climate adaptation management and institutional erosion: insights from a major Canadian portJournal of Environmental Planning and Management, 62(4), 586-610.

Ng, A. K., Wong, K., Shou, E. C., & Jiang, C. (2019). Geography and institutional change: insights from a container terminal operatorMaritime Economics & Logistics, 21(3), 334-352.

Peng, B., Zhang, Y., Gajpal, Y., & Chen, X. (2019). A Memetic Algorithm for the Green Vehicle Routing ProblemSustainability, 11(21), 6055.

Silvestre, B. S., & Ţîrcă, D. M. (2019). Innovations for sustainable development: Moving toward a sustainable futureJournal of Cleaner Production, 208, 325-332.

Singh, A., Kumar, A., & Appadoo, S. S. (2019). A novel method for solving the fully neutrosophic linear programming problems: Suggested modificationsJournal of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems, 37(1), 885-895.

Witte, P., Wiegmans, B., & Ng, A. K. (2019). A critical review on the evolution and development of inland port research. Journal of Transport Geography, 74, 53-61.

Xia, W., Jiang, C., Wang, K., & Zhang, A. (2019). Air-rail revenue sharing in a multi-airport system: Effects on traffic and social welfareTransportation Research Part B: Methodological, 121, 304-319.

Zhang, S., Zhang, W., Gajpal, Y., & Appadoo, S. S. (2019). Ant colony algorithm for routing alternate fuel vehicles in multi-depot vehicle routing problem. In Decision Science in Action (pp. 251-260). Springer, Singapore.

Zheng, S., Ge, Y. E., Fu, X., & Jiang, C. (2019). Voluntary carbon offset and airline allianceTransportation Research Part B: Methodological, 123, 110-126.

Zhu, S., Zheng, S., Ge, Y. E., Fu, X., Sampaio, B., & Jiang, C. (2019). Vertical integration and its implications to port expansionMaritime Policy & Management, 46(8), 920-938.

2017

Prentice, B. E.; Adaman, M. (2017). Economics of cargo airships for food transport to remote northern communities. Research in Transportation Business & Management, 25, 87-98.

Jiang, C.; Wan Y.; Zhang, A. (2017). Internalization of Port Congestion: Strategic Effect behind Shipping Line Delays and Implications for Terminal Charges and InvestmentMaritime Policy and Management, 44, 112-130.

Silvestre, B.S.; Gimenes, F.; Silva Neto, R. (2017). A sustainability paradox? Sustainable operations in the offshore oil and gas industry: the case of Petrobras. Journal of Cleaner Production, 142, 360–370.

Carvalho, S. W.; Silvestre, B.S; Cunningham, P. (2017). Hitting the nail on the head: Insight into Consumer Assessment of Sustainability-Related Innovations. Long Range Planning, 50(6), 741-755.

Ha, M.H.; Yang, Z.; Notteboom, T.; Ng, A.K.Y.; Heo, M.W. (2017). Revisiting port performance measurement: a hybrid multi-stakeholder framework for the modelling of port performance indicators. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review 103: 1-16.

Klassen, R. D.; Hajmohammad, S. (2017). Multiple temporal perspectives extend sustainable competitiveness. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 37(11), 1-26.

Lau, Y.Y.; Ducruet, C.; Ng, A.K.Y.; Fu, X. (2017). Across the waves: a bibliometric analysis of container shipping research since the 1960s. Maritime Policy & Management 44(6): 667-684.

Wang, L.; Notteboom, T.E.; Lau, Y.Y.; Ng, A.K.Y. (2017). Functional differentiation and sustainability: a new stage of development in the Chinese container port system. Sustainability 9(3): 328.

Wong, K. H.; Shou, E. C.; Zhang, H.; Ng, A.K.Y. (2017). Strategy formulation of new generation ports: A case study of Hong Kong International Terminals Ltd.(HIT). Research in Transportation Business & Management, (22), 239-254.

2015

Appadoo S. S.;Gajpal Y.; Bhatti, R. S. (2015). A Gaussian fuzzy inventory EOQ model subject to inaccuracies in model parameters: A supply chain management application. International Academic Research Journal of Business and Management, 3(10), 1-11.

Gajpal Y.; Mustapha, N. (2015). Two efficient heuristics to solve the integrated load distribution and production planning problem. Reliability Engineering and System Safety, 144, 204-214.

Gajpal Y.; Elazouni, A. (2015). Enhanced heuristic for finance-based scheduling of construction projects. Construction Management and Economics, 33(7), 531-553.

Jiang, C.; Wan, Y.; D’Alfonso, T. (2015). Strategic choice of alliance membership under local competition and global networksJournal of Transport Economics and Policy, 49 2), 316-337.

Ng, A.K.Y.; Valesco-Acosta, A.; Wang, T. (2015). Institutions and the governance of transport infrastructure projects: Some insight from the planning and construction of the CentrePort Canada Way. Research in Transportation Business and Management, 14, 25-33.

Prentice, B.E.(2015). Canadian airport security: The Privatization of a public good. Journal of Air Transport Management, 48, 52-59.

Silvestre, B.S.(2015). Sustainable Supply Chain Management in Emerging Economies: Environmental Turbulence, Institutional Voids and Sustainability Trajectories. International Journal of Production Economics, 167, 156-169.

Silvestre, B.S. (2015). A Hard Nut to Crack! Implementing Supply Chain Sustainability Strategies in an Emerging Economy. Journal of Cleaner Production, 96, 171–181.

AbdulKader, M. M. S.; Gajpal Y., ElMekkawy T. Y. (2015). Hybridized ant colony algorithm for the multi compartment vehicle routing problem. Applied Soft Computing, 37, 196-203.

Blank, S.; Prentice, B.E. (2015). NAFTA at 20: Time to open the internal borders of North American transport cabotage. Research in Transportation Business & Management, 16, 4–14.

Crainic T. G.; Gajpal Y.; Gendreau M. (2015). The multi-zone, multi-trip vehicle routing problem with Time-Windows. Information System and Operational Research (INFOR), 53(2), 49-67.

D’Alfonso, T.; Jiang, C.; Bracaglia, V. (2015). Would high-speed rail competition benefit environment and social welfare? Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, 74, 118-137.

Gillen, D.; Hasheminia, H.; Jiang, C. (2015). Strategic considerations behind the network-regional airline tie ups – a theoretical and empirical studyTransportation Research Part B: Methodological, 72, 93-111.

Lau, Y.Y.; Ng, A.K.Y. (2015). The motivations and expectations of students pursuing maritime education. WMU Journal of Maritime Affairs, 14(2), 313-331.

Rodrigues, V.S.; Pettit, S.; Harris, I.; Beresford, A.; Piecyk, M.; Yang, Z.; Ng, A.K.Y. (2015). UK supply chain carbon mitigation strategies using alternative ports and multimodal freight transport operations. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 78, 40-56.

Tongzon, J.L.; Ng, A.K.Y.; Shou, E.C. (2015). Institutions, transport infrastructure governance and planning: lessons from the corporatization of port authorities in East Asia. Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, 33(6), 1467-1483.

Xiao, Y.; Fu, X.; Ng, A.K.Y.; Zhang, A. (2015). Port investments on coastal and marine disasters prevention: economic modeling and implications. Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, 78, 202-221.

Wan, C.; Zhang, D.; Shi, J.; Fu, S.; Yan, X.; Ng, A.K.Y. (2015). Emerging LNG fueled ships in the Chinese shipping industry: A hybrid analysis on its prospects. WMU Journal of Maritime Affairs, 14(1), 43-59.

Wan, Y.; Jiang, C.; Zhang, A. (2015). Airport congestion pricing and terminal investment: Effects of terminal congestion, passenger types, and concessions. Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, 82, 91-113.

Vision and strategic goals

Vision

  1. Be recognized as a leading institute that undertakes high quality scholarly research in transportation and logistics.
  2. Be recognized as a leading institute that plays a significant role in defining the future direction in transportation and logistics research.
  3. Be recognized as a leading institute of collaborative scholarly research of faculty members, researchers, and students in transportation and logistics.
  4. Be recognized as a leading institute that actively involves professional stakeholders into high quality scholarly research.
  5. Facilitate the transfer of knowledge and findings generated from such high quality research to the professional communities so as to solve real problems in policymaking and industries in transportation and logistics.
  6. Train graduate students to become competent scholarly researchers in transportation and logistics in Manitoba, Canada, and the world.
  7. Train policymakers and industrial practitioners in transportation and logistics.

Strategic goals

  1. Undertake high quality research and publish high quality scholarly works.
  2. Edit internationally well-recognized scholarly journals and scholarly book series.
  3. Actively work and collaborative between faculty members, researchers, and students in high quality research.
  4. Organize scholarly conferences on transportation and logistics.
  5. Actively involve in the supervision and training of graduate students.
  6. Organize the Certificate in Logistics (C-Log) Program, a well-recognized professional program that has been offered by UMTI since 1997.

Faculty and staff

Associates
 

Paul Earl
Ron McLachlin
Al Phillips
Ed Tyrchniewicz
Luming Wang
John Wilms

Past UMTI directors

  • Acting Asper School of Business Dean, Bruno Silvestre, wearing a black suit leaning on a railing and smiling.

    Dr. Bruno Silvestre (2011 - 2021)

  • Dr. Bruno Silvestre is the Dean of the Asper School of Business and CPA Manitoba Chair in Business Leadership. He served as the Director of the University of Manitoba Transport Institute from 2011 to 2021.

    Prior to his role as Dean, he served as the Associate Dean of Strategic Partnerships & Administration and the Acting Associate Dean of Professional Graduate Programs at the Asper School of Business. While at Asper, Dr. Silvestre also spearheaded the Master of Supply Chain Management and Logistics program that launched with its first cohort of students in fall 2021.

    Before his University of Manitoba appointment, Dr. Silvestre worked as an Associate Professor and the Chancellor’s Research Chair in Sustainable Supply Chain & Innovation Management in the Faculty of Business and Economics at the University of Winnipeg. Dr. Silvestre also worked at the Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University and at the Science and Policy Research Unit at the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom.

  • Dr. Silvestre’s research has been widely cited and has become internationally recognized for its practical relevance related to how supply chains can incorporate innovations and sustainability into their business processes to enhance operational, financial, environmental and social performance. Dr. Silvestre has taught extensively in the areas of operations management, supply chain management and sustainability at all levels at top schools in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Israel.


 

  • Paul D Larson

    Paul D Larson (2005 - 2011)

  • Paul D. Larson, Ph.D. served as the Director of the University of Manitoba Transport Institute (UMTI) from 2005 to 2011, while also serving as Head of the Supply Chain Management (SCM) Department.  As Director of UMTI, Larson was principal investigator on a five-year (2005-2010) $1 million research contract with Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation (MIT).  Paul was also the principal investigator and co-author of a 2008 report titled “Food Supply in Manitoba during a Pandemic,” supported by a $198,500 research contract with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI).  The MAFRI project was led by the late Dr. Allister Hickson.  

  • In addition, Larson organized and hosted (with Jairo Viáfara) the Future of Trucking Symposium, held February 17-19, 2010; and organized and hosted five annual “Supply Chain Connections” conferences (2006-2010), as well as three “Manitoba Outlook on Transportation” events (2008-2010). While serving as UMTI Director and SCM Department Head, Larson also managed and contributed content for the Department’s $300,000 curriculum creation contract with the Purchasing Management Association of Canada (PMAC), which was recently renamed as Supply Chain Canada.  Pandemic planning and response, sustainable transportation and green trucking remain among Dr. Larson’s research interests. 


 

  • Picture of Professor Barry Prentice wearing a grey suit with yellow tie. He looks dapper and happy as always

    Barry E. Prentice (1996 - 2005)

  • Dr. Barry E. Prentice was the third Director of the Transport Institute, from 1996 to 2005. During this period the activities of the Transport Institute expanded to include the Certificate in Logistics (C.Log.) program, an extensive research and an active outreach program. The Annual Fields on Wheels conference was founded that is now in its 26th year. Dr. Prentice had a goal of beginning an undergraduate teaching program in Transportation and Logistics. This was achieved in 2005 when the Transport Institute was shifted from an independent body reporting through the Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, to become part of the I.H. Asper School of Business.

  • A new Department of Supply Chain Management was created, which included four new academic positions provided by the Province of Manitoba, and a Chair in Sustainable Transportation gifted by CN Rail.


 

  • Ed Tyrchniewicz

    Ed Tyrchniewicz (1984 - 1988)

  • Trained as an Agricultural Economist (PhD – Purdue University), Dr Ed Tyrchniewicz has worked in Universities for more than 50 years with 25 of those years being in various academic administrative positions. While at the University of Manitoba ((1967-88), he was a Professor of Agricultural Economics, Head of the Department of Agricultural Economics, and Founding Director of the Transport Institute. He then served as Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry at the University of Alberta (1988-96).

    Since taking early retirement from the University of Alberta in 1997, he has held a variety of appointments, including Senior Fellow at the International Institute for Sustainable Development (1996-99) and founding Executive Director of the Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council (1997).

  • He joined the Asper School of Business in 2003, and served as the first Head of the Department of Supply Chain Management. He served as Associate Dean of the Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba until June 2008. Ed was appointed a Senior Scholar in the Department of Agribusiness at the University of Manitoba in July 2008.

    Ed has been involved in consulting and public service advising in the areas of agricultural and transportation policy, natural resource management, and organizational management and capacity building.   

Contact us

University of Manitoba Transport Institute
Room 631 Drake Centre
181 Freedman Cres.
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry Campus)
Winnipeg, MB R3T 5V4
Canada

204-474-8377
431-373-9976