Episode Description
In this holiday-season episode, co-hosts Ted Stank and Tom Goldsby sit down with incoming department head Yemisi Bolumole to explore how the University of Tennessee’s supply chain management program balances academic rigor with real-world relevance.
Yem and the hosts discuss the program’s evolution from its transportation roots to a comprehensive end-to-end supply chain focus, the opportunities and responsibilities that come with rapid growth, and what success looks like for students, employers, and the broader Tennessee economy. With roughly 1,800 undergraduates, about 450 graduates each year, and several hundred master’s and PhD students, UT’s SCM talent engine serves a wide range of stakeholders and career paths in logistics, planning, procurement, and operations.
The conversation also highlights the Transportation and Logistics Collaborative (TLC) within the Global Supply Chain Institute—connecting industry, government, and academia to anticipate policy shifts, guide mobility initiatives, and translate research into practice. Yem shares examples of partnerships in warehousing automation, mobility policy, and cross-campus collaborations, and emphasizes that AI is best understood as an “accelerant”—a force that speeds up insight and execution while still relying on human judgment, ethics, and domain expertise.
This episode offers a grounded look at how universities can protect their heritage, expand their scope, and move faster from insight to impact.
Related links:
- Download free white papers from UT experts for improving returns management processes, reshoring manufacturing, procurement capabilities, and more.
- Save the date for the Spring Supply Chain Forum, April 21–23
- Learn about our SCM Academy programs, including upcoming virtual courses on Leadership (Jan. 30–May 10), Finance (March 2–May 3), and Planning (March 11–May 10).
- Join the Advanced Supply Chain Collaborative to explore advanced concepts in SCM with top industry experts and scholars
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- Read the latest news and insights from GSCI