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Birger Raa is an associate professor at Ghent University, where he specializes in Operations Supply Chain Management. He holds a master's degree in Computer Science Engineering from Ghent University (2001) and a Ph.D. in Applied Operational Research (2006). Professor Raa teaches courses such as Algorithmic Programming, Manufacturing Planning & Control, and Supply Chain Engineering to engineering students at Ghent University. He is also the chair of the program committee for the MSc in Industrial Engineering Operations Research. His research focuses on optimizing performance in distribution and production logistics systems, applying various operations research techniques, including exact methods and computationally efficient (meta)heuristic algorithms. Among his main research lines is the Inventory Routing Problem, which addresses the integration of inventory planning with distribution planning for retailers, specifically in the context of vehicle routing and supplier replenishment.