Viral Patel was recently accepted for full membership in Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society. Ms. Patel is a Senior Logistics Analyst for East West Hauling Inc., a national (US) logistics and transportation company headquartered in Harrison, New Jersey. In accepting Ms. Patel, Sigma Xi's leadership noted that with her induction, she has "joined a cadre of distinguished and committed researchers around the world."
Founded in 1886 at Cornell University, Sigma Xi is one of the oldest, largest, and most prestigious nonprofit scientific organizations in the world and the publisher of American Scientist magazine. Its global membership includes multidisciplinary scientists, technology, engineering, and mathematical professionals dedicated to research excellence and promoting public engagement with science. Membership is by nomination, and prospective members must meet certain professional criteria for consideration, including having a record of research or scholarship.
Among her career accomplishments, Ms. Patel, an engineering specialist in supply chain management, has published technical articles on How Artificial Intelligence is Revolutionizing Supply Chain Management (IEEE—Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Computer Society, 07/28/23) and Just-in-Time Logistics: What It Means and Why It Matters (Analytics Magazine, 08/30/23). Additionally, her article on Breaking Through Barriers: Women in Logistics was featured in Industry Today magazine (07/28/23). She is also a designated Royal Fellow of the International Organization for Academic and Scientific Development (IOASD) and an admitted Life Member of the Scholars Academic & Scientific Society, an international society for academic and scientific integration; both professional associations are based in India.
Ms. Patel began her career as an accountant and financial analyst in her hometown of Mumbai, India. After earning her Bachelor's degree in Management Studies from the University of Mumbai, she was accepted into the Master's in Technology Management degree program at the University of Bridgeport (Connecticut, USA), where she specialized in Global Project and Program Management. Upon completing this program, she entered the logistics and transportation industry, recognizing the opportunity to apply her unique blend of financial, analytical, technological, and management expertise to improve transportation costs and efficiency continuously.
As a Senior Logistics Analyst, Ms. Patel brings more than 15 years of experience and a results-oriented, data-driven approach to logistics and supply chain operations management. While focusing on strategic planning, business analysis, project management, and process management across the supply chain pipeline—from inventory management and warehouse operations through international logistics, transportation management, shipping, and receiving—she has continually explored innovative solutions to increase reliability and improve productivity. She also regularly pursues professional development courses to keep her knowledge at the cutting edge of technological advancement. Ms. Patel recently completed a Supply Chain Analytics certification program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Now, with the advent of transformative technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), she is pioneering the use of AI's predictive analytics capabilities to optimize the flow of products and services and streamline business operations in supply chain management. She says, "By leveraging AI in the quality control of supplier management, companies can automate manual and time-consuming tasks, improve accuracy, efficiency, and sustainability, and achieve greener warehouse processes."
In addition to spearheading technology initiatives, Ms. Patel's leadership responsibilities and comprehensive skills encompass financial statements, data analysis and reporting, and regulatory compliance. Her multi-faceted expertise has enabled her to identify key areas for improvement and implement strategic changes that generated a 25% increase in annual revenue and a 75% increase in customer satisfaction, contributing to the company's ongoing profitability.
As Ms. Patel noted in her article about Women in Logistics, Gartner reported in 2022 that women represented only 39% of the total supply chain workforce. Being a woman in a senior leadership role, Ms. Patel feels a responsibility to mentor female talent and foster opportunities to raise more women in the logistics and supply chain fields. She participates in business networking events, serves as a judge in technology and business award programs, and trains women to advance in their transportation industry careers. Her goal, she says, is to help other women break barriers in a traditionally male-dominated field.
Ms. Patel adds, "A supply chain organization with women in top leadership roles means there are diverse perspectives when it comes to problem-solving. Organizations must promote gender diversity in leadership roles, foster more inclusive company cultures, and provide training that will put more women on the path to management positions."
