Dr Virginia Spiegler

Dr. Virginia L. M. Spiegler is a Reader in Operations and Supply Chain Management. She holds a PhD in Supply Chain Dynamics from Cardiff Business School, along with a B.Eng. in Mechanical Engineering from the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Additionally, she has earned an MSc in Logistics and Operations Management and a Pg.Dip. in Social Science Research Methods from Cardiff University, as well as a Pg.Cert. in Professional Development of Academic Practice from Brunel University. 

Dr. Spiegler's research and professional experience span various industries, including automotive, aerospace, and food and beverage, where she has worked in material and production planning, as well as traceability. More recently, she has been involved in an industry symbiosis project, collaborating with manufacturing and energy companies to explore sustainable and resilient supply chain solutions. 

Dr. Virginia Spiegler's research explores the intersection of supply chain risk management, resilience, and sustainability, with a strong methodological focus on system dynamics and control theory. Her key research areas include: 

• Supply Chain Risk Management and Resilience – Investigating how supply chains can enhance their ability to prepare, respond, and recover from disruptions. 

• Supply Chain Transparency, Traceability, and Sustainability – Examining strategies to improve visibility and accountability across supply networks. 

• Supply Chain Digital Transformation – Assessing the impact of emerging technologies on operational efficiency and decision-making. 

• Control Theory and System Dynamics – Applying advanced modelling techniques to analyse feedback loops, stability, and performance in complex supply chain systems. 

• Production and Inventory Control – Exploring ordering rules to balance demand fulfilment while minimising inventory, reducing the bullwhip effect, and improving replenishment strategies. 

Virginia’s teaching interests include Operations and Supply Chain Management. 

Current Modules: 

• BUSB5032 
• BUSB5532 
• BUSB7067

Current Supervisees

Aaron Jackson: Developing a Framework for Blockchain-enabled Lean, SEDarc scholarship   

Mohammad Javad Ramezankhani: Assessing the Economic Efficiency of the Circular Economy, H2020: Marie Sklodowska -Curie scholarship  

Junru Ren: Demand forecasting and quality control models in sustainable supply chain management, SEDarc scholarhip 

Past Supervisees

Rukiye Kaya: Investigation into Contingency Logistics, Turkish National Education Ministry Scholarship  

Jiaqi Yin: Maintenance Policies for a System with Multiple Deterioration Processes  

Duy Tiep Nguyen (Joe): Evaluating the Effectiveness of Different Government Policies in improving EU’s Recycling capacity, in collaboration with the University of Greenwich  

Frank Donkor: Understanding the Supply Chain Integration - Supply Chain Sustainability Relationship: A Study Of The Pharmaceutical Industry in the UK and Ghana 

Titilayo Comfort Ogunyemi: Impact of Socially Responsible Purchasing on Supply Chain Performance  

Luay Jamil Mahmoud Jum’A: Analysis of Logistics Service Quality (LSQ) Factors for Third Party Logistics (3PL) Industry in Jordan and Development of Managerial Tools for their B2B Customers.

Recent funded projects

• KRI Innovate UK, £365K (consortium), £129K (University of Kent), Co-I January 2024 - February 2025 - Industrial decarbonisation: industry symbiosis case: Dr Spiegler lead the systems dynamics modelling part of the project to map the exchanges of energy, materials, and waste and their impact on resilience and sustainability.  https://www.kemsleycluster.co.uk/p/1
• SeNSS Research Project Scholarship, £103K, Co-I Sep. 2021- Sep. 2025 - Demand forecasting and quality control models in sustainable supply chain management.
• SeNSS Research Project Scholarship, £75K, PI Sep. 2019- Dec. 2023 - Exploring the Potential of Blockchain Technology to Minimise Waste in the UK Public Sector.
• European Commission H2020, e2.6M (consortium) e303K (University of Kent) initially Co-I, PI from May 2021 Nov. 2018-Apr. 2023 - Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Innovative Training Networks, ReTraCE: Realising the Transition to the Circular Economy: Models, Methods and Applications https://www.retrace-itn.eu/