Elevating the CSCR Brand

Elevating the CSCR Brand with Donna Palumbo

By the Numbers

Academic Year 2024/2025

  • 40 Community of practice members
  • 342 Supply chain professionals acquiring knowledge through 24 Supply Chain Leadership Academy Sprints
  • 70 Students participating in 21 research projects, engaging with 10 companies
  • 22 New faculty and student research works, expanding the 400+ publications on CSCR Research Portal

Building Bridges: CSCR's Industry Leadership and Global Visibility

As the supply chain field continues to expand and transform, so too does the vision of the Penn State Smeal Center for Supply Chain Research (CSCR). Central to that vision is the commitment to staying deeply connected with the business community, an essential driver for both the dissemination of knowledge and the continued relevance of the center’s work to today’s supply chain professionals. Over the past year, CSCR has taken significant steps to enhance brand visibility and strengthen its position as a thought leader in the global supply chain arena.

A hallmark of this progress has been CSCR’s active involvement with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP). As a proud academic member, the center is well represented on the global stage through the leadership of Executive Director Donna Palumbo, who served as the 2025 Chair of CSCMP’s Board of Directors. In this role, Palumbo has championed the center’s mission at premier industry gatherings, including the 2024 CSCMP EDGE Conference in the United States and the 2025 CSCMP European Conference in Verona, Italy.

The center’s influence has also extended to other international platforms, with speaking appearances at prestigious events in Mexico such as the IFPSM World Summit and the C12 Logistics & Mobility Conference. These engagements have provided invaluable opportunities to share CSCR’s research, perspectives, and best practices with a worldwide audience of supply chain leaders and innovators.

CSCR’s visibility in the industry media has also grown, thanks in part to a new partnership with corporate supporter AGiLE Business Media & Events (ABME). This collaboration led to a feature in Supply Chain Xchange, where Palumbo underscored the critical role of cross-functional collaboration in advancing supply chain innovation.

This message of innovation and collaboration was further echoed in the center’s newest signature event, the Supply Chain Modernization & Talent Insights Symposium. From exploring emerging technologies to addressing the evolving needs of the workforce, the symposium offered a dynamic platform for industry leaders to exchange ideas and shape the future of the profession.

Through these strategic initiatives, including spanning high-profile conference participation, global speaking engagements, media partnerships, and new event programming, CSCR has not only elevated its brand awareness but also reinforced its role as a bridge between academia and industry. As the center continues to grow its impact, one constant remains: a steadfast commitment to engaging with the business community to drive knowledge, innovation, and progress in supply chain management.