Dr. Sunderesh Heragu, head of the School of Industrial Engineering and Management at Oklahoma State University, received the Reed-Apple Award from the Material Handling Institute in recognition of his lifelong contributions to material handling research and education.

Reed-Apple award given to Dr. Sunderesh Heragu

Thursday, October 1, 2020

Dr. Sunderesh Heragu, Head of the School of Industrial Engineering and Management at Oklahoma State University, was awarded the Reed-Apple award for his contributions to material handling research and education.

The Reed-Apple award is a lifetime achievement award given to those who have made extraordinary contributions to material handling research and education. The Reed-Apple has only been awarded 20 times over the past 40 years. The award was established by the Material Handling Institute (MHI) in 1981 to honor the memory of Dr. Ruddell Reed Jr and Dr. James M. Apple.

Heragu excels not only in material handling research but also in education. He has written a college-level textbook titled Facilities Design which is currently in its 4th edition. He has also produced software called 10 Principles of Material Handling. “I have had multiple projects in material handling funded by the National Science Foundation,” Heragu said. “Many of these projects had industrial collaborators.”

Heragu has worked on research projects with several companies such as Vanderlande Industries and Savoye Logistics, which are based in the Netherlands and France, respectively. “Receiving the Reed-Apple award was very exciting, but also humbling,” Heragu said. “To be counted amongst titans in the field is a huge honor.”

MHI also provides scholarships to students at Oklahoma State University, giving them an opportunity to pursue careers in material handling. Heragu has been involved with MHI for a long time, speaking at many research colloquia and teachers’ institutes.

Heragu has received many other awards including the David Baker Distinguished Research Award from the Institute of Industrial & Systems Engineers (IISE). The David Baker award recognizes outstanding research in the field. “I am a Fellow of IISE,” Heragu said. “At Oklahoma State, I am a Regents Professor and a Humphreys Chair. These are things I carry with a lot of pride.”

In the field of material handling and material handling education, Heragu hopes to leave a lasting impact through his research, books, and software.

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