Where It Started
My interest in operations and logistics began while helping in my father's business. I later started a small supply chain venture, which gave me firsthand experience with some of the challenges involved in running a business. Although the venture is no longer operating, the experience further developed my interest in transportation, logistics, and operational efficiency.
Airline Industry Experience
After earning my B.Eng. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, I began my professional career at Air Peace Limited, where I gained experience across different areas of airline engineering and maintenance operations.
My work involved aircraft reliability engineering, maintenance planning, and material planning, among other responsibilities. Some of my contributions included establishing a Reliability Management System, developing fleet reliability analytics, and conducting technical assessments to support aircraft maintenance decisions and regulatory requirements, including the airline's ETOPS authorization.
My experience in the airline industry influenced my interest in operations research. Working on different operational problems helped me understand how decisions involving aircraft maintenance, workforce, spare parts, and facility capacity are often interconnected. This motivated my interest in developing mathematical optimization approaches to address complex planning and operational problems at a larger scale.
Research Today
I am currently a Ph.D. candidate in Industrial Engineering at the FAMU–FSU College of Engineering, working with Professor Yanshuo Sun. My research focuses on developing and applying mathematical optimization, operations research, and machine learning methods to solve complex problems in transportation systems.
In collaboration with the operations research team of a major U.S. airline, I have worked on several large-scale planning and optimization problems, including aircraft maintenance scheduling and station assignment for a fleet of over 800 aircraft, strategic maintenance facility capacity planning, and flight-dispatcher workforce planning. My research experience also covers other areas of airline operations, including forecasting and operational performance analysis.
I have also worked on transportation research in collaboration with the Florida Department of Transportation, applying machine learning and causal discovery methods to investigate factors influencing transportation system performance.
My research on aircraft maintenance scheduling and station assignment received the 2026 Bronze Anna Valicek Medal from AGIFORS in recognition of its innovation, scientific significance, and direct relevance to the airline industry.
I am particularly interested in opportunities to apply operations research, mathematical optimization, and decision science to solve complex planning, scheduling, and resource allocation problems across industries.
Beyond Work
I founded GUHTAC, a free mentorship initiative that has supported more than 1,000 participants with graduate school applications and data science skills. Outside my professional interests, I enjoy reading, writing, traveling, playing the keyboard, composing music, and officiating football matches.
Professional experience → · Leadership & service →
