Business PhD Spotlight: Arash Asgari

PhD candidate Arash Asgari specializes in operations management and uses a broad set of applications to address challenges that are present in environments such as call centers and healthcare facilities. He completed both his bachelor and master degrees in industrial engineering at Sharif University of Technology in Iran. These studies helped him develop a deep interest in operations research and applied probability. It cultivated a passion for solving real-world problems through mathematical models and analytical methods.

“I enjoy learning methods in applied probability - particularly queueing theory. Using these methods, I’m able to analyze and optimize queueing systems so that I can offer valuable solutions for improving system efficiencies in ways managers hadn’t envisioned before,” says Asgari. 

As depicted in the following diagram, Arash’s thesis centers on the development and analysis of valid queueing models for systems where a customer may abandon the queue before receiving service, and where agents may become unavailable after serving a customer due to post-service activities such as breaks, after-call work, and meetings. His research zooms in on these specific post-service activities that affect overall system performance, particularly in terms of a client’s wait times and the likelihood of abandonment. These common activities are present in many organizations and Arash’s insights offer new and unique strategies for improving service delivery.

Under the guidance of experienced scholars like Saied Samiedaluie and Armann Ingolfsson at the Alberta School of Business, Arash has been able to gain deeper insights into modelling complex systems and developing solutions with practical recommendations. His ultimate goal is to become a productive and impactful researcher, contributing innovative solutions to complex operational problems.