The J.B. Hunt Innovation Center of Excellence, which seeks to develop innovative solutions to address emerging challenges and opportunities facing the transportation and logistics industry, is under new leadership.

Justin Chimka, associate professor of industrial engineering, was recently named director, while Claudia Rosales, an assistant professor of supply chain management, became co-director.

Established in 2017, the center is a collaboration among J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc., the College of Engineering and Sam M. Walton College of Business. Its major activities this academic year are supporting three graduate students in engineering and computer science finishing their assistantships and master's projects at J.B. Hunt.

Chimka, who joined the engineering faculty in 2002, recently completed a nine-month off-campus duty assignment working with the engineering and technology team supporting intermodal services at J.B. Hunt during the 2022-23 academic year.

"Working with the E&T team at J.B. Hunt was the professional experience of a lifetime, so I am very thankful to deans Kim Needy and Brent Williams for this opportunity to continue working with the company," Chimka said. "I am excited to foster the special relationship our campus has with J.B. Hunt by ensuring the center it supports returns great value to the company while providing exceptional research experiences for our students and faculty."

Needy said Chimka has built longstanding relationships with leaders at J.B. Hunt through his research collaborations.

"Justin's many years of experience in operations and logistics research and his history of working closely with J.B. Hunt made him the perfect choice to lead the center. I look forward to seeing how he will improve and expand its reach," she said.

Likewise, Brent Williams, dean for the Sam M. Walton College of Business, said Rosales' background in engineering, quantitative analysis, operations and logistics made his decision a natural one.

"She will be a huge asset in creating innovative solutions for the supply chain industry. I am excited that she agreed to take on this role," he said.

Overseeing center activities on behalf of J.B. Hunt is Doug Mettenburg, vice president of engineering and technology. In addition to his important role at J.B. Hunt managing many of its technology-driven efforts, including data science and operations research, Mettenburg has strong ties to Arkansas. He has a master's degree in industrial engineering from the U of A and is a member of the Arkansas Academy of Industrial Engineering.

"It is always a pleasure to collaborate with the faculty and students at the U of A. Their efforts through the Innovation Center of Excellence are helping shape the future of supply chain," Mettenburg said.

Chimka completed his bachelor's and master's degrees in industrial engineering and his Ph.D. at the University of Pittsburgh.

Rosales completed a master's degree in quantitative analysis and her Ph.D. at the University of Cincinnati. Prior to joining the U of A, she was an assistant professor at Michigan State University.

The center is located in the Department of Industrial Engineering in Bell Engineering Center, 800 W. Dickson St.