Ralitza Vozdolska
12290 Corte Sabio #3202phone: 858-395-5272
San Diego, CA 92128email:
EDUCATION:
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Isenberg School of Management [September 1999 – March 2005]
Ph.D. in Operations Management. Dissertation Title: Modeling Teams: a General Systems Theory Approach.
Advisor: prof. Sara A. McComb.
Technical University, Computer Science Department, Sofia, Bulgaria [September 1990 – June 1995]
M. Sc. Computer Science, Thesis Title: A program for computer-aided translation in an object defined area.
Advisor: prof. Boian Yankov.
TEACHING INTERESTS:
Operations Management, Project Management.
Network Optimization, Linear Programming, Deterministic Models.
Business Statistics.
Total Quality, Statistical Process Control.
Experimental Design, Quantitative Methods.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
Instructor: FOMGT 347 Introduction to Operations Management, Finance and Operations Management Department [Fall 2001- Spring 2002]. One class with 52 students Fall 2001 and two classes (36 and 42 students respectively) Spring 2002.
Developed and administered the course with an emphasis on quantitative methods for problem solving, managed a teaching assistant.
Teaching Assistant:FOMGT 347 Introduction to Operations Management, Finance and Operations Management Department [Fall 1999 - Spring 2001]
FOMGT 442 Quality Control, Finance and Operations Management Department [Fall 2000]
Graded homework and held office hours.
Co-Instructor: Discrete Systems Modeling, Automation Department, Technical University Sofia [Fall 1998 - Spring 1999]
Supervised the course project and administered course lab section.
RESEARCH INTERESTS:
- Workforce and multi-criteria scheduling.
- Project management in project oriented and networked environment.
- Knowledge management, information sharing and collaboration in new product development teams.
- Empirically based research in operations management with particular focus on processes in new product development teams.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES:
Linear, Non-linear and Network Optimization.
- Algorithm Development, Simulation.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE:
Doctoral Research, Finance and Operations Management Department [September 1999 – present], Advisor: Dr. Sara A. McComb:
- Empirically based research: longitudinal laboratory experiments, quasi-experiments and cross-sectional studies.
- Statistical analysis of the collected data.
- Computer simulation: modeling team communication and its effects on performance. Development of formal model of team information transfer and information processing and their relationship to team performance, coding in C and executing the code.
- Scheduling heuristic development and comparison with network optimization solutions for an aircraft scheduling problem.
- Development, coding and performance comparison of solution quality of heuristics and integer linear programs for scheduling problems.
RESEARCH PROJECTS:
Under grant to prof. S. McComb: National Science Foundation supported research, Team Mental Models.
Under grant to prof. S. McComb: Office of the Naval Research supported research, Shared Mental Models.
JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS:
Patrashkova, R. and McComb, S.A., 2004, “Exploring Why More Communication Is Not Better: Insights from a Computational Model of Cross-Functional Teams,” Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, 21(1-2): 81- 23.
Patrashkova, R., McComb, S.A., Green, S.G., and Compton, W.D., 2003, “Examining a Curvilinear Relationship Between Communication Frequency and Team Performance in Cross-Functional Project Teams,” IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 50(3):1-8. Honorable Mention for Best Paper award, 2003.
WORK IN PROGRESS:
Patrashkova, R. and McComb, S.A., “Modeling Teams: Towards a Methodology for Quantitative Model Building”, submitted to Journal of Operations Management.
McComb, S.A. and Patrashkova, R., “Team performance measurement: review of empirical measures and measurement approaches”, in preparation for submission to Journal of Management.
Patrashkova, R. and McComb, S.A., “Optimizing team communication: applying management science to behavioral problems”.
Patrashkova, R. “Knowledge networks: how knowledge transfer will facilitate project performance?”
INVITED PRESENTATIONS:
Patrashkova, R., McComb, S.A., Green, S.G., and Compton, W.D., “Examining a curvilinear relationship between communication frequency and team performance in cross-functional project teams,” at the 39th Annual Eastern Academy of Management Conference in New Haven, May 1-4th 2002.
Patrashkova, R. and McComb, S.A., “Dynamics of Team Communication: A General Systems Theory Approach,” presented at the INFORMS Annual Meeting, Atlanta, October 19 – 22nd 2003.
Patrashkova, R. and McComb, S.A., “Optimizing team communication: applying management science to behavioral problems” presented at the DSI Annual Meeting, Boston, November 20 – 23rd 2004.
Patrashkova, R. and McComb, S.A., “ A framework for social system modeling and simulation” accepted for presentation at the Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Honolulu, August 5 – 10th 2005.
POSTER PRESENTATIONS:
Team Communication and Performance (with prof. S. McComb), Inauguration poster session of Chancellor Lombardi, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, February 6th, 2003.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP:
- INFORMS [2002 – present]
- Academy of Management [2003 – present]
VISA STATUS:
- F1 Student Visa. Eligible for one year Optional Practicum Training.
REFERENCES:
Dr. Sara A. McComb, Associate Professor of Operations Management (Dissertation Chair)
Isenberg School of Management,
121 President’s Drive
University of Massachusetts,
Amherst, MA 01003
Telephone: (413) 545-5681
Fax: (413) 545-3858
E-mail:
Dr. Iqbal Agha, Professor of Operations Management
Isenberg School of Management,
121 President’s Drive
University of Massachusetts,
Amherst, MA 01003
Telephone: (413) 545-5622
Fax: (413) 545-3858
E-mail:
Dr. Stephen G. Green, Basil S. Turner Professor of Management
Krannert School of Management
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN 47907
Telephone: (765) 494-6852
Fax: (765) 496-1778
E-mail: D. Anthony Butterfield, Professor of Management
Isenberg School of Management,
121 President’s Drive
University of Massachusetts,
Ralitza Patrashkova Vozdolska Page 1of 4