Chewy's Eric Huang

ISE is pleased to welcome Eric Huang as a new lecturer, bringing a wealth of industry experience to our graduate-level courses. With a background spanning academia and major tech companies, Huang offers students unique insights into the practical applications of ISE principles in today's fast-paced business world.

Huang currently serves as an Associate Director of Data Science at Chewy, the online pet retailer, where he leads a team focused on optimizing supply chain operations. Prior to joining Chewy, he spent six years at Amazon as a senior research scientist, tackling complex logistics challenges in middle-mile transportation and supply chain execution.

"My goal is to prepare students for the realities of working as a scientist in a corporate setting," Huang explains. "While solid technical skills are crucial, I want to emphasize the importance of asking the right questions and effectively communicating with non-technical stakeholders."

Drawing from his experiences at Amazon and Chewy, Huang highlights the need for ISE professionals to balance theoretical knowledge with practical constraints: "In industry, you're often dealing with massive datasets and tight timelines. It's not always about finding the most mathematically elegant solution, but rather the most effective one given real-world limitations."

Huang is particularly excited about exploring the intersection of traditional operations research techniques with emerging AI and machine learning approaches. At Chewy, his team is investigating how reinforcement learning can enhance supply chain decision-making processes traditionally handled by optimization models.

"The field is evolving rapidly," Huang notes. "While AI tools like large language models aren't yet capable of handling complex mathematical problems, they're increasingly valuable for tasks like translating business requirements into mathematical statements. It's crucial for our students to understand both the potential and limitations of these technologies."

Beyond technical skills, Huang emphasizes the critical importance of communication and project management abilities for success in industry roles. He encourages students to practice articulating complex ideas to non-technical audiences and to gain experience in scoping and planning multi-stage projects.

"In the corporate world, you need to be able to shape ambiguous business problems into solvable mathematical models, and then effectively convey your solutions back to stakeholders," Huang says. "These soft skills are just as important as your algorithmic knowledge."

ISE interim chair Cynthia Chen says, "We are thrilled to have Eric on board with us, bringing his industry perspective to enrich our curriculum. His courses promise to offer students valuable insights into the practical challenges and exciting opportunities awaiting them in their future careers."