Erasmus School of Economics is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Wilco van den Heuvel as Professor of Operations Analytics within the Econometric Institute. His appointment to this newly established chair takes effect 1 December 2025.
A Leading scholar in Operations Research
Wilco Van den Heuvel has been part of the Econometric Institute since 2006, serving as Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Academic Director of the master specialisation Analytics and Operations Research in Logistics. He is internationally recognised for his work in production planning, lot-sizing, sustainability-oriented optimisation, and the application of Operations Research methodologies in statistics. He has authored over 40 peer-reviewed publications, many in top journals such as Operations Research, INFORMS Journal on Computing, Omega and European Journal of Operational Research.. His work has been widely cited and includes several influential, highly cited articles in the field of production planning and sustainability.
He has also demonstrated scholarly leadership as Associate Editor of Omega and IISE Transactions, Coordinator of the EURO Working Group on Lot-Sizing, and organiser of multiple international workshops and conferences. His recent success in attracting major research funding, such as the €5.3 million NWA-ORC grant for circular hospitals and multiple interdisciplinary sustainability projects, demonstrates his research entrepreneurship and societal impact.
A Strong commitment to education innovation
Wilco Van den Heuvel is deeply engaged in education at all levels. He contributed to curriculum redesign efforts, introduced new thesis formats tailored to the rise of generative AI, and developed innovative practices such as the replication-and-extension bachelor thesis model now adopted across the Econometrics programme. He is also involved in teaching at EQI and MEL postgraduate programmes.
Shaping the Future of Operations Analytics
The establishment of the Operations Analytics chair reflects the school’s strategic ambition to strengthen research and education at the interface of Operations Research, Statistics, and Econometrics, and to enhance its contribution to major societal challenges such as sustainability, healthcare, and the energy transition. According to the dean’s recommendation, Van den Heuvel’s expertise and contributions to the field make him an ideal candidate for this role.
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For more information, please contact Ronald de Groot, Media & Public Relations Officer at Erasmus School of Economics: rdegroot@ese.eur.nl, mobile +31 6 53 641 846.
