Ahmed Deif

Ahmed Deif is a professor of operations and supply chain management with extensive international academic, industrial, and consulting experience. Before joining Cal Poly, he served as an assistant professor and program director at Nile University in Egypt and held faculty appointments at the University of Regina and the University of Windsor in Canada. His research focuses on innovation and sustainability in supply chain management, lean and green manufacturing and service systems, optimal dynamic system analysis, and the educational impact of gamification in STEM. He has published around 100 books, journal articles, and refereed conference papers, several of which received best paper awards. Stanford University and Elsevier ranked him among the world’s top 2% of scientists for multiple years since 2021. 

Deif’s industry background spans the automotive, steel, electronics, and assembly sectors, including work at Chrysler Canada’s R&D center. As a Lean and Six Sigma certified expert, he has helped organizations improve performance and delivered training across the United States, Canada, and the Middle East. He has also consulted for governments and international development organizations.

At Cal Poly, he serves as a fellow faculty member at the Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, is a professor in the MBA program and teaches in international programs worldwide, including Semester at Sea and USAC.