Born in 1965 in Ankara Turkey, Dr. Gunalay earned his BS in Electrical Engineering from Middle East Technical University, in 1987, and his MS in Industrial Engineering from Bilkent University, in 1991. He completed his Ph.D. in Management Science and Information Systems, at McMaster University, Ontario 1996. During 1995 and 2007 he has worked as a Lecturer, Research Associate and Assistant Professor, at institutes: McMaster, University of Minnesota, Eastern Mediterranean University and Bilkent University. Since 2007, he has continued his academic career at Bahcesehir University, Istanbul. At Bahcesehir University, besides teaching courses on Management Science, Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, and Humanitarian Logistics, Dr. Gunalay has been acting as the Chair of the Logistics Department. He also served one term as the Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences, between 2019 and 2022. He has also lectured on Information Systems, Logistics, and Procurement Systems to companies and NGO’s, including: Arcelik, LC Waikiki, T.C. Ministry of Health, Welthungerhilfe (WHH) Turkey Branch. 

Dr. Gunalay’s research interests include optimization, stochastic models of manufacturing and telecommunication systems, circular economy and humanitarian aid supply chains. He has published 30+ refereed articles in international journals, and worked as a PI and Researcher in TUBITAK (National Science Foundation) funded research projects. Currently, he is working on a User behavioral analysis on the Metaverse platform project. He served as the advisory board member of the International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Systems, between 2009 and 2014, and is still an active reviewer for several academic journals, including the European Journal of Operations Research, Computers and IE, International Journal of Production Research, Management Science, Journal of Transport Geography etc. Since 2022, he has been the editor of the Journal of Urban Mobility and the Journal of Lahor Business, and serving as a jury member for research applications to TUBITAK, and COST.