Note from Dr. Reginald Leseane, Interim Dean of College of Business Administration and Director of COBA online Program

The College of Business Administration (COBA) at Savannah State University (SSU) is excited and proud to partner and support the Global Logistics and International Business and Educational Research (G-LIBER ) Center of Excellence, the Interdisciplinary Data Analytics (IDA) , and the Interdisciplinary Transportation Studies (TIP-ITS) programs. We are always seeking opportunities for our students to understand and use the classroom knowledge they have gained. These programs have provided invaluable opportunities for our students to interact with professionals in high demand fields and visit some of their work sites. The TIP-ITS and IDA programs have helped COBA students travel to competitions and conferences that aid in providing crucial public speaking and presentation opportunities that translate into increased confidence and critical thinking skills. In some cases these experiences have led to obtaining that first career placement.

We are hopeful that students will continue to take advantage of the guest lecturers, research, and conference and workshop opportunities made available through the G-LIBER Center and associated programs and activities.

Thanks very much for your continued support.

In This Issue Greetings from the Directors

Dr. Jonathan Lambright and Dr. Suman Niranjan

As a Director of Global Logistics and International Business and Education Research (G-LIBER) Center of Excellence, College of Business Administration (COBA), Savannah State University (SSU)

I welcome you to the first edition of G- LIBER newsletter. I am extremely happy to share wonderful accomplishments from our students and faculty members. I am glad that you are able to spend a few minutes of your valuable time to read this newsletter. As a center we are in our beginning of fifth year, it has been a wonderful journey for the center and personally for me as being promoted to the Director’s role in summer of 2017 from a Co-Director’s position.

As part of the center’s activities we have been very actively pursuing external funding, which happens to be one of strategic objectives of G-LIBER, some of the important accomplishments over the last couple of years have been: received funding from NSF and DoD federal agencies (close to $1M), two approved fully institutionalized online interdisciplinary

certificate programs (Transportation and Data Analytics), and two pending federal grants (approximately totaling to $1.2M) to improve STEM education, Logistics and International Business. As part of the center we conduct various activities annually, such as: (I) guest speaker series focused on transportation, data analytics, and international business, (ii) professional development of faculty involved with the center as well as certificate programs - this includes workshops,

GLOBAL LOGISTICS AND INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS EDUCATION AND RESEARCH (G-LIBER) CENTER OF EXCELLENCE

INTERDISCIPLINARY TRANSPORTATION STUDIES (ITS)

INTERDISCIPLINARY DATA ANALYTICS (IDA)

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES

Greetings from the Directors Summer Bridge Program Guest Lectures Research:

o Case Competition o COBA Research Day o Georgia Logistics Summit o NASBITE Conference o ERN Conference o TRB Annual Conference o South East Decision

Sciences Conference Faculty Enrichment Workshops Field Trips Student Research Projects

Fall 2017/Spring 2018

funds to purchase software, and conference travel, (iii) undergraduate student research and funding student conference travel, (iv) field trips annually to companies local and regional to savannah, (v) case-competition both internal and external to Savannah State University, (vi) COBA research day-poster presentation showcase, (vii) high school and middle school bridge programs in transportation, data analytics, and STEM, (viii) study abroad programs, (ix) student internships, and (x) student participation in SSU research day.

This newsletter provides information on three aspects: (I) activities conducted as part of the G-LIBER center of excellence, (ii) activities conducted as part of NSF funded Targeted Infusion Project- Interdisciplinary Transportation, and (iii) activities conducted as part of NSF funded Targeted Infusion Project - Interdisciplinary Data Analytics. This newsletter provides information on three aspects: (I) activities conducted as part of the G-LIBER center of excellence, (ii) activities conducted as part of NSF funded Targeted Infusion Project- Interdisciplinary Transportation, and (iii) activities conducted as part of NSF funded Targeted Infusion Project - Interdisciplinary Data Analytics.

As you scroll through the newsletter you will find more information on G- LIBER center and G-LIB program, Transportation Certificate, and Data Analytics Certificate. Followed by the leadership involved in each of the programs, and curriculum associated with each of the program. I hope you will enjoy reading this detailed annual newsletter. This is the first annual newsletter just for transportation. Moving forward we will have only one newsletter for G-LIBER which will include all the actives across all federally funded grants that fall under the center directly or indirectly. Regards

Suman Niranjan, Ph.D. Interim Associate Dean COBA Associate Professor for Logistics and Supply Chain Management College of Business Administration Savannah State University Director of Transportation Studies & Data Analytics Director of Global Logistics and International Business Education and Research (G-LIBER) About G-LIBER Center of Excellence

The mission of the Global Logistics and International Business Research (G-LIBER) center of Excellence is to promote economic development, trade, growth and job creation by engaging SSU students and the local Savannah business community with institutions of higher education and businesses worldwide. Savannah State University launched in Fall 2013, a new Bachelor of Business Administration degree program in Global Logistics and International Business (G-LIB). The four-year, interdisciplinary G-LIB degree program is the first of its kind in the state of Georgia to focus on both global logistics and international business. Particular emphasis will be placed on increasing awareness and understanding of globalization, international business, global logistics and supply- chain management as they apply to the Savannah region-home of the Port of Savannah, recognized as one the most strategic ports on the East Coast. Global Logistics & International Business (G-LIB) is a course of study for business and non-business majors at the College of Business Administration, Savannah State University. The courses taught under Global Logistics & International Business (G-LIB) curriculum are: Global Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Global Procurement and Supply Management, Supply Chain Analytics, Six-Sigma International Marketing and Export Management, Business Strategies for Emerging Markets, International Business Management, Global Electronic Business, International Transportation Management, Study Abroad, and Internship. About NSF-TIP-ITS

Transportation Studies certificate is an interdisciplinary program funded by National Science Foundation. Upon completion of this program, students will be able to understand and respond to both local and global needs of the 21st century transportation industry and associated topics such as sustainability, intelligent systems, and smart transportation infrastructure. Savannah State University started with the certificate program in Fall 2016. Students of the certificate program will have access to newly developed state of the art laboratory facilities and equipment, which will contribute to increased concept

and content understanding, and will work closely with faculty researchers to conduct meaningful interdisciplinary research in transportation. The courses taught under transportation certification curriculum are: Introduction to Transportation Planning, Traffic Engineering and Analysis, Intelligent Transportation Systems, Civil Engineering Materials, Global Business Logistics and Introduction to Geographic Information Systems. About NSF-TIP-IDA

Data Analytics certificate is an interdisciplinary program funded by National Science Foundation. This certificate focuses on improving the methodological, technical, mathematical, statistical, software and discipline based research in the area of Data Analytics. The role of TIP-IDA is to prepare students in data analytics methodologies and tools in their respective disciplines, conduct meaningful research, formulate managerial insights, and make decisions to help meet the changing landscape of 21stcentury big data. The certificate program started in Fall 2018. The students need to select 4 electives out of 7 courses which are: Business Intelligence, Mathematical Data Analytics, Introduction to Bio Statistics, Data Analytics in Transportation and Logistics, Big Data Analysis in the Science, Data Visualization and Introduction to Geographic Information Systems. About DoD-AEOP-eCybermission Savannah State University (SSU) was awarded a Pilot Project grant from U.S. Army Education Outreach Program (AEOP) in May 2018 for eCybermission Projects. As part of the eCybermission project approximately 250 students from Savannah Chatham County Public Schools System (SCCPSS), primarily 6th to 9th grade will pursue a group project from August 2018 to March 2018. Student groups of size four will identify a community related problem with STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) focus. The students will receive guidance from the designated faculty members and School Teachers from SCCPSS.

SUMMER BRIDGE PROGRAM As planned in the year 2016, a bridge program was conducted for high school students in both 2017 and 2018. This included civil engineering, urban planning and supply chain and logistics. The students engaged in both hands on and hands off activities that will improve students’ technical knowledge as well as support development of problem solving skills which is required to pursue a career in transportation and STEM disciplines.

Summer Bridge Program at SSU: High School Students with Professor Rukmana The theory classes of the program were conducted in Groves High School and the hands-on experience was located at Savannah State University. The Students had a tour of the campus and had the opportunity to use the high-end transportation equipment which will eventually help them in their career.

GUEST LECTURES We had 7 guest speakers come to the university to speak to our students and Faculty. We had a blend of people from industry and from academia which helped students to get two different perspectives of transportation.

Speaker Name Designation Industry Date

Fall 2017

Ms. Kerrie Davis Transportation Planner

Planning, Development and Code Enforcement October 17, 2017

Mr. John Szoke Lean Deployment Executive Lean Cor November 9, 2017

Ms. Sue Upchurch District Trade Compliance Manager Expeditor International November 9, 2017

Guest Lecture by Ms. Kerrie Davis

Speaker Name Designation Industry Date

Spring 2018

Mr. Patrick D Norris

Senior Traffic Engineering Technician Jacobs Engineering Group

February 8, 2018

Mr. William Curran Retired Leverage Company February 16, 2018

Dr. John R McIntyre Founder and Director

Georgia Tech Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER)

March 9, 2018

Dr. Rhonda Syler

Associate Director of Enterprise Systems and Clinical Assistant Professor in Information Systems

Sam M. Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas

March 22, 2018

Anh Nguyen(Luke) Data Dissemination Specialist

U.S. Census Bureau March 30, 2018

Speaker Name Designation Industry Date

Spring 2018

Dr. Tom Sanchez Chair and Professor of Urban Studies and Planning Virginia Tech March 30, 2018

Mr. Frank Hasbani President and Co-Founder Anova Analytics April 5, 2018

Lecture by Dr. McIntyre

CASE COMPETITION

Global Business Case Competition (GBCC) is an annual case competition that brings together undergraduate COBA students to compete in a fast-paced and challenging business case study. Starting in 2012, the GBCC program provides students a chance to build relationships, and participate in a real-world case study to analyze and develop a business recommendation within 72 hours.

This was conducted in October 2017 and the selected members participated in the final round and were judged by industry and academic experts including CEO’s, top management executives and consultants. The winner and first runner group competed in South Eastern Global Case Competition held at SSU which was held in April 2018.

6th ANNUAL COBA RESEARCH DAY

Students pursuing research in Transportation Certificate participated in the annual research poster presentation conducted on February 3rd 2017. SSU’s COBA research day is conducted annually to showcase both graduate and undergraduate student research from College of Business Administration students. The research day is conducted by office of Business Administration at SSU. We had three students participate in the poster presentation: Corliss J Best, Niegel Middleton, and Phuong Mata. These students were advised by Dr. Suman Niranjan. Mr. Niegel Middleton won the best presentation award.

GEORGIA LOGISTICS SUMMIT

Students with professor Niranjan at the Georgia Logistics Summit

The Georgia Logistics Summit highlights all aspects of the logistics industry in Georgia. Now in its 10th year, the Summit brings together nearly 2,000 logistics and supply chain professionals from Georgia and beyond to network, share best practices, and learn about the latest trends in the industry.

15 students from the University namely Kelsey Washington, Jaya Washington, Corliss Best, Alicia Montgomery, Malik Bradley, Dwayne Harry, Sarah Dillard, Marshall Showalter, Christoph Sieberer-Kefer, Kevin Burrows, LaShannon Lawson, Jeremiah Hill, Traynearius Dillard, Zared Jackson and Sade Shofidiya presented in the summit and gave great presentations.

NASBITE CONFERENCE NASBITE International 31st Annual Conference was held between March 21 and 23rd at Baltimore, Maryland. This Conference offers a variety of education and networking opportunities and seeks to recognize outstanding and innovative developments in the area of international trade education, counseling, training, and research. Three of our students: Mr. Austin Baily, Mr. Christoph Sieberer-Kefer and Mr. Quincy Parham presented their papers in this conference.

ERN Conference

The Emerging Researchers National (ERN) Conference in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) is hosted by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Education and Human Resources Programs (EHR) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Human Resource Development (HRD), within the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR). The conference is aimed at college and university undergraduate and graduate students who participate in programs funded by the NSF HRD Unit, including underrepresented minorities and persons with disabilities. Graduate and undergraduate students participate in oral as well as poster presentations over the course of 2.5 days. We had two students Mr. Corliss Best and Mr. Christoph Sieberer-Kefer who are part of the TIP-ITS participate and present their research at this event

TRB ANNUAL CONFERENCE

The Transportation Research Board (TRB) provides innovative, research-based solutions to improve transportation. Part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. TRB is a non-profit organization that provides independent, objective and interdisciplinary solutions.

Sade Shofidiya, Alicia Montgomery, Jaya Washington, Sansriti Ranjan and Marcus Givens participated in the TRB Annual Conference this year.

SOUTH EAST DECISION SCIENCES CONFERENCE 2018 SEDSI is the southern member of The Decision Sciences Institute which is a multi-disciplinary international association dedicated to advancing knowledge and improving instruction in all business and related disciplines. One of our students Mr. Corliss J best participated in this conference.

FACULTY ENRINCHMENT WORKSHOPS Through the data analytics grant, two faculty enrichment workshops were conducted.

List of workshops conducted

Name of the workshop Dates

Workshop to Demonstrate R’s Capabilities in Data Science April 5 - 7, 2018

Workshop on SAS March 22 -23, 2018

RStudio Workshop

FIELD TRIPS Through the grants, field trips were organized for interested students. These trips intention was to improve student academic motivation, empowerment, success and situational and individual interest. During the year, two filed trips were arranged: one to the Georgia Ports and one to the home depot distribution center.

Trip to Georgia Ports

Field trip to GA Ports

University toured the Garden City Terminal, Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) in Savannah. The students learned how the containers move from the ship to the yard and back from yard to the ship using the large cranes operated by longshoreman. They were excited to see how sustainability was one of the top priorities of GPA where, the rubber wheel gantry crane traditionally operated through a diesel engine is now replaced using electric gantry crane. Overall it was an exciting learning experience outside the textbooks and classroom, the students thoroughly enjoyed and loved it

Trip to Home Depot Distribution Center The students went on a field trip to Home Depot distribution center. They had a lecture from the employees of home depot and got an opportunity to visit all the work stations of the distribution center.

Field trip to Home Depot Distribution center

STUDENT RESEARCH PROJECTS

Sl. # Project Name Student Name Advisor Name

1 Optimizing flow at a distribution center: A Case Study Corliss Best, Niegel Middleton Dr. Suman Niranjan

2 Antecedents of Distracted Driving: Role of Cognitive Failures Corliss Best Dr. Suman Niranjan

3 Multi-echelon Network Optimization of Pharmaceutical Cold Chains Niegel Middleton Dr. Suman Niranjan

4 Optimal Queue Length Based Server Sharing Decisions in Field Services Christopher Sieberer Dr. Suman Niranjan and Dr.

Saligrama Agnihotri

5 The role of General Deterrence Theory on Distracted Driving Corliss Best Dr. Suman Niranjan, Dr.Katrina Savitskie

6 Transportation and Social Equity as way to Alleviate Poverty Vishanya Forbes Dr. Deden Rukmana

7 Strategies Towards Improving Urban Mobility and Transport: A Case Study of Savannah State University Campus Traffic Simulation

Marcus Givens Dr. Roxana Javid and Dr. Lambright

8 Vital role of friction on roadways in Savannah-Georgia Dakia Denegal and Tyrone King Dr. Knackiewiz and Dr. Javid

9 Parking Violations Among Savannah State University Students: Fiscal Year 2016/2017 Antwon Smoak Dr. Deden Rukmana

10 Unemployment and Public Transportation Commuting in South Carolina’s Low country Region LaQuin Andrus Dr. Deden Rukmana

Sl. # Project Name Student Name Advisor Name

11 MARTA Transit Use between Low and High-Income Households Sarah Dillard Dr.Deden Rukmana

12 The Relationship between Mental Workload, Stress, and Anxiety with Transportation Safety Sade Shofidiya Dr. Suman Niranjan and Dr.

Rebecca Setliff

13 Artificial Intelligence Transforming Safety in Transportation Sansriti Ranjan Dr. Roxana Javid and Dr. Lambright

14 Friction properties of Solar Roadways â„¢ glass panels Mikis Mays Dr. Knackiewicz

15 Sustainable Infrastructure Mixtures with Alternative Cementitious Binder Enhancing Interphase Transition Zone (ITZ) Properties

Jaya Washington Dr. Sujin Kim

16 Quantifying the Environmental Impacts of Plugin Electric Vehicles in the U.S Sarah Dillard Dr. Roxana Javid and Dr.

Lambright

17 Otto: Market Selection and Entry Strategies to Expand Exports in the Americas

Christopher Sieberer, Quincy Parham, and Austin Bailey

Dr. Suman Niranjan

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Thank you! ****************************************