Kezban Yagci Sokat, PhD
Affiliation: San Jose State University
Dr. Kezban Yagci Sokat is an Assistant Professor of Business Analytics at San Jose State University and a Research Associate at the Mineta Transportation Institute. Her research focuses on using decision analytics and management science to alleviate human suffering in the areas of human trafficking, humanitarian/non-profit logistics and public health.
In collaboration with local, national, and international efforts, Dr. Yagci Sokat leads on various multi-disciplinary projects to combat human trafficking. Her efforts to combat human trafficking has been supported and recognized by government and organizations such as the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT), Valley Transportation Authority, and IBM. Dr. Yagci Sokat has served on various multi-disciplinary committees to aid local and national collaborative efforts as a recognized researcher. She is the chair of the Forced Labor Working Group and a member of the Analytics Working Group for the National Outreach Survey for Transportation. She has served on the Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force Labor Trafficking Subcommittee, Los Angeles Labor Trafficking Subcommittee, and South Bay Coalition to End Human Trafficking. Dr. Yagci Sokat received her PhD in Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences from Northwestern University. She completed master’s degrees in Industrial Engineering (MSIE) and Health Systems Engineering (MSHS) from Georgia Institute of Technology with a Fulbright scholarship.
Research Interests:
Economical and mathematical models of human trafficking
The nexus of public health and human trafficking
The nexus of disasters and human trafficking
Mixed methodology research and evaluation (Qualitative and Quantitative analyses)
Supply chains and corporate social responsibility