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Dr. Josué C. Velázquez Martínez

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Dr. Josué C. Velázquez Martínez along with a group of students in Monterrey (LIFT Lab Research Fest)
Portrait of Dr. Josué C. Velázquez Martínez

Dr. Josué C. Velázquez Martínez

Director, AI for Manufacturing & Supply Chain Institute (AIMS), Tecnológico de Monterrey

Research Affiliate, MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics

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Email: josuevm@tec.mx

About Josué

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Research, education and deployment at the intersection of artificial intelligence, manufacturing systems and supply chain operations

Dr. Josué C. Velázquez Martínez is Director of the AI for Manufacturing & Supply Chain Institute (AIMS) at Tecnológico de Monterrey, where he leads interdisciplinary research and industry collaboration at the intersection of artificial intelligence, manufacturing systems, and supply chain operations. He also holds an honorary appointment as Research Affiliate at the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics, maintaining active collaboration with MIT's research and education initiatives.

Prior to his current role, Dr. Velázquez Martínez served for over a decade as a Research Scientist and Lecturer at the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics, where he held multiple leadership positions across research, education, and global engagement. His roles included Director of the Graduate Certificate in Logistics (GCLOG) (2016–2018), Director of the SCALE Network for Latin America (2016–2018), inaugural Executive Director of the Supply Chain Management blended master's program (2018–2019), and Executive Director of the Master's Program in Supply Chain Management (2019–2021), consistently ranked among the top programs worldwide. He also led the MIT Sustainable Supply Chain Lab, working with global organizations to translate climate commitments into actionable strategies through improved supply chain and logistics operations.

He is the founder of the MIT Low Income Firms Transformation (LIFT) Lab and currently serves as its Director at Tecnológico de Monterrey, in collaboration with the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics. The LIFT Lab focuses on advancing supply chain solutions for micro and small enterprises in emerging markets through data-driven and AI-enabled tools, bridging rigorous research with real-world implementation and emphasizing sustainability, inclusion, and operational transformation.

Dr. Velázquez Martínez taught the graduate course SCM.290 Sustainable Supply Chain Management at MIT for eight years and led the development of its online counterpart, SCM.290x Sustainable Supply Chain Management, which continues to be offered through MITx on edX and has reached more than 14,000 learners worldwide. He brings over a decade of experience teaching in executive education at the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics and has delivered graduate-level courses and lectures at universities across the United States, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. He remains an active speaker at international conferences and executive forums. 

Dr. Velázquez Martínez has published extensively in both academic and practitioner outlets and is frequently featured in international media, including HuffPost, CNN, The Washington Post, Bloomberg, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and ELLE. He holds an MSc in Manufacturing Systems with a focus on optimization and a PhD in Industrial Engineering with a focus on sustainability in supply chains from Tecnológico de Monterrey, where he graduated with highest distinction. He was awarded the 2014 Doctoral Dissertation Award by the Mexican Logistics and Supply Chain Association for the best doctoral thesis in the country. Earlier in his career, he served as Dean of the Engineering School at Tecnológico de Monterrey, Santa Fe campus (2014–2015).

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Ongoing Projects

Nanostore owner at her counter using a voice assistant on a smartphone

AI assistants for nanostore decision-making

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A voice-first conversational agent for nanostore owners (tenderos), many of whom have little or no digital literacy. Connected to the store's transactional data, or to estimates of it, the agent recommends what to reorder and when, tracks inventory and near-expiry stock, and coaches the owner on the business practices that most improve micro-business survival.

The goal of this project is to test and validate a first prototype of a tool that can help strengthen the micro-businesses that form the backbone of traditional retail.

Professional following a training session with a conversational AI avatar on a tablet

AI-conversational avatars at scale

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An initiative to understand how conversational AI avatars support education and training for undergraduate students and professionals alike. Using randomized controlled trials, we identify the mechanisms that best drive learning outcomes compared with traditional in-class tutors.

Publications (Business-oriented)

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  • Velázquez-Martínez, J. C., Rajagopalan, S., Arnold, V. & Mora-Quinones, C. A., (2025, October). State of supply chain sustainability 2025. MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics and Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals.
  • Velázquez-Martínez, J.C. & Caplice, C.,(2025). Navigating the Road to Zero-Emission Trucking. Supply Chain Management Review.
  • Velázquez-Martínez, J.C. & Arnold, V. (2024). State of Supply Chain Sustainability 2024. MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics and Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. 
  • Velázquez-Martínez, J.C., & Cottrill, K. (2023). How Digital Technologies Could Boost Tiny Retailers in Developing Countries. Harvard Business Review
  • Velázquez-Martínez, J.C. (2023). LIFTing the Life of the Bottom Billion. Supply Chain Management Review. 
  • Velázquez-Martínez, J.C. (2023). Removing Needless Barriers to Micro-Retailer Growth. Supply Chain Management Review.
  • Velázquez-Martínez, J.C. & Cottrill, K. (2022). How to Get Consumers to Accept Slower Deliveries on Online Orders. The Wall Street Journal.
  • Velázquez-Martínez, J.C. & Cottrill, K. (2020). Online Retailers Undervalue the Brand Equity of Green Delivery Options. MITSupplyChain
  • Velázquez-Martínez, J.C. & Cottrill, K. (2020). E-commerce Retailers Should Put More Value on Green Delivery Options. GreenBiz (now Trellis).
  • Velázquez-Martínez, J.C., Gámez-Pérez, K.M. & Cottrill, K (2019). Mexican Retailer Coppel Travels Alternative Route to a Fuel-Efficient Last Mile. GreenBiz (now Trellis).
  • Velázquez-Martínez, J.C., Gámez-Pérez, K.M. & Cottrill, K. (2019). An Alternative Route to a Fuel-Efficient Last Mile. Supply Chain Management Review. 

Academic Publications

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  • Velázquez-Martínez, J. C., Palacios-Argüello, L., Barkah, A., Fransoo, J. C., Gamez-Perez, K. M (2026) Leveraging Geospatial Analysis and Machine Learning for Optimal Green Vehicle Assignment. INFORMS Journal on Applied Analytics 56(4):326-341.
  • Drent, M., Escamilla, R., Villa, S., Velázquez-Martínez, J.C., & Fransoo, J.C. (2026). Leveraging Trade Credit to Expand Informal Consumer Credit in Base-of-the-Pyramid Retail. SSRN preprint
  • Mora-Quiñones, C. A.,Fransoo, J. C., Velázquez-Martínez, J. C. Cárdenas-Barrón, L.E. & Escamilla, R. (2024) Assessing the Impact of Loading-Unloading Zones in Emerging Markets: Evidence from Mexico. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, vol. 137, 2024, article 104486. Elsevier.
  • Moradi, P., Arts, J., & Velázquez-Martínez, J. C. (2025) Load Asymptotics and Dynamic Speed Optimization for the Greenest Path Problem: A Comprehensive Analysis. OR Spectrum, vol. 47, 2025, pp. 477–524. Springer.
  • Velazquez-Martinez, J.C., Rajagopalan, S., Fransoo, J. C. & Valenzuela-Ocana, K. (2025) The Effect of Framing the Environmental Impact of Fast Shipping on Nudging Consumers to Opt for Slow Home Deliveries: Evidence from the Field. MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics Research Paper no. 2024/008. SSRN.
  • Velázquez-Martínez, J. C., & Fransoo, J. C. (2024). Green network design and facility location. In Y. Bouchery, C. J. Corbett, J. C. Fransoo, & T. Tan (Eds.), Sustainable supply chains (Vol. 23). Springer Series in Supply Chain Management. Springer.
  • Muñoz-Villamizar, A., Velázquez-Martínez, J. C., & Caballero-Caballero, S. (2024). A large-scale last-mile consolidation model for e-commerce home delivery. Expert Systems with Applications, Volume 235, 121200.
  • Muñoz-Villamizar, A., Velázquez-Martínez, J. C., Mejía-Argueta, C., & Gámez-Pérez, K. (2022). The impact of shipment consolidation strategies for green home delivery: a case study in a Mexican retail company. International Journal of Production Research, 60(8), 2443-2460.
  • Arroyo-López, P., Velázquez-Martínez, J.C., & Gámez-Pérez, K. M. (2021). Past behavior as a predictor of eco-driving practices: The case of a sustained intervention in a Mexican transportation company. International Journal of Sustainable Transportation, 1-14
  • Mora-Quiñones, C.A., Cárdenas-Barrón, L.E., Velázquez-Martínez, J.C., & Gámez-Pérez, K.M. (2021). The Coexistence of Nanostores within the Retail Landscape: A Spatial Statistical Study for Mexico City. Sustainability, 13(19), 10615.
  • Jackson, I., & Velázquez-Martínez, J.C. (2021). AutoML Approach to Classification of Candidate Solutions for Simulation Models of Logistic Systems. Proceedings of the 2021 Winter Simulation Conference (WSC), IEEE.
  • Muñoz-Villamizar, A., Velázquez-Martínez, J.C., Haro, P., Ferrer, A., & Mariño, R. (2021). The environmental impact of fast shipping ecommerce in inbound logistics operations: A case study in Mexico. Journal of Cleaner Production, 283, 125400
  • Velázquez-Martínez, J.C., Tayaksi, C. (2021). Supply Chain Management for Micro and Small Firms in Latin America. In H.T.Y. Yoshizaki, C. Mejía-Argueta, & M.G. Mattos (Eds.), Supply Chain Management and Logistics in Emerging Markets. Emerald Publishing.
  • Silupu, B., Agurto, M., Merino, G., Uchofen, J., & Velázquez-Martínez, J.C. (2021). Adoption of best business and supply chain practices and Micro/small firm's performance: Evidence from Northern Peru. In H.T.Y. Yoshizaki, C. Mejía-Argueta, & M.G. Mattos (Eds.), Supply Chain Management and Logistics in Emerging Markets. Emerald Publishing.
  • Gamez-Perez, K.M., Sarmiento, A. M., Garcia-Reyes, H., & Velázquez-Martínez, J.C. (2020). An international university-industry collaboration model to develop supply chain competences. Supply Chain Management: An International Journal.
  • Muñoz-Villamizar, A., Santos, J., Montoya-Torres, J. R., Velázquez-Martínez, J.C. (2019). Measuring environmental performance of urban freight transport systems: A case study. Sustainable Cities and Society, 52, 101844
  • Tanco, M., Escuder, M., Heckmann, G., Jurburg, D., Velázquez-Martínez, J.C. (2018). Supply chain management in Latin America: current research and future directions. Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 23(5), 412-430.
  • Yoshizaki, H.T.Y., Velázquez-Martínez, J.C., Mejia-Argueta, C. (2018). Supply Chain Management and Logistics in Latin America: A Multi-Country Perspective. Emerald Publishing.
  • Leenders, B. P., Velázquez-Martínez, J.C., & Fransoo, J. C. (2017). Emissions allocation in transportation routes. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 57, 39-51
  • Velázquez-Martínez, J.C., Fransoo, J.C. (2016). Green facility location. In Sustainable Supply Chains. Edited by Y. Bouchery, T. Tan, J. Fransoo, & C. Corbett. Springer.
  • Velázquez-Martínez, J.C., Fransoo, J.C., Blanco, E.E., Valenzuela-Ocaña, K. (2016). A New Statistical Method of Assigning Vehicles to Delivery Areas for CO2 Emissions Reduction. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 43, 133-144.
  • Velázquez-Martínez, J.C., Blanco, E.E., Fransoo, J. C., Mora-Vargas, J. (2015). Transportation cost and CO2 emissions in location decision models. Beta Research School for Operations Management and Logistics / TU/e. Working Paper series 451.
  • Velázquez-Martínez, J.C., Fransoo, J.C., Blanco, E.E., Mora-Vargas, J. (2014). The impact of carbon footprinting aggregation on realizing emission reduction targets. Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal, 1-25.

Supervised Theses & Capstone Projects

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Small Stores, Big Obstacles: Understanding Constraints and Opportunities for Micro-retail Firms
May 2025
 
Sustainable Network Design of Perishable Foods
May 2023
 
Impact Analysis of Packaging Box Composition on Supply Chain Emissions (a case study with Dell Technologies)
May 2023
 
A Direct Route to Sustainability: A Network Optimization Model to Reduce UNICEF Zimbabwe's Carbon Footprint
May 2022
 
The Impact of Logistics Provider Data Maturity in Defining Scope 3 Transportation Emissions
May 2022
 
E-commerce and the Environment: Finding the Optimal Location for In-store Pick-up
May 2019
 
Gender Impact on Small Firms in Latin America
May 2019
 
Behavioral Management Patterns: Small Firms' Recipe for Growth
May 2019
 
Impact of Freight Consolidation on Logistics Cost and Emissions
May 2019
 
Joint Replenishment and Base Stock Model for the U.S. Beer Industry
May 2019
 
Optimal Green Fleet Composition Using Machine Learning
May 2019
 
"Would You Be Willing to Wait?": Consumer Preference for Green Last Mile Home Delivery
May 2018
 
Improving the Survival Rate of Small Firms in Latin America
May 2018
 
Network Design Model for Fuel Retail
May 2018
 
Risk Mitigation at Call Centers
May 2018
 
Route Clustering in Transportation with Geospatial Analysis and Machine Learning to Reduce CO2 Emissions
May 2018
 
Supply Chain Network Optimization for Global Distribution of Cementitious Materials
May 2018
 
The $100 Question: Supply Chain Priorities for Small Firms
May 2018
 
The Hidden Impact of Micro Retailers’ Survival Rate on the Logistics Cost of Consumer Packaged Goods Companies
May 2018
 
From Haute Couture to Fast-Fashion: Evaluating Social Transparency in Global Apparel Supply Chains
May 2017, co-advised with Alexis H. Bateman
 
How to Integrate your Production and Logistics Strategy: A New CLSP Formulation for a CPG Supply Chain
May 2017
 
Multi-Echelon Inventory Modeling and Supply Redesign
May 2017
Josue in seminar
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