Doutora em Engenharia Industrial com ênfase em Estatística (2020) e Mestre em Pesquisa Operacional (2017) - Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta - EUA). Possui graduação em Engenharia de Produção pela Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (2013), pós graduação em Métodos Estatísticos Computacionais (2014), além de um MBA em Finanças (2015) pela mesma instituição. Atuou como Especialista Ferroviária na empresa MRS Logística S.A. trabalhando com planejamento de manutenções de locomotivas e desenvolvendo grande interesse pela área, com suas teses de graduação e especialização abordando o tema. Seus principais interesses em pesquisa são: métodos quantitativos e processos estocásticos, simulação, pesquisa operacional e manutenção estratégica.
Mariana de Almeida Costa received her Ph.D. degree in Industrial Engineering (Statistics concentration) from the Georgia Institute of Technology in December 2020. During 2015-2017 she also earned an M.Sc. in Operations Research from the same institution. Her doctorate research focused on the development of data-driven statistical models for the analysis and optimization of the maintenance decision-making process in railway track and wheelset maintenance, combining the study of trade-offs between minimum cost solutions and ease of implementation of the recommended policy. During her studies, she had the opportunity to join the European research project SMaRTE (Smart Maintenance and the Rail Traveller Experience) at IDMEC - Instituto Superior Técnico (Portugal) for a 9-month period. This work resulted in an extensive report on the improvement of maintenance strategies for passenger train operating companies in Europe. Mariana received her B.Sc. in Industrial Engineering in 2013 from the Federal University of Juiz de Fora in Brazil. She also completed an MBA in Finance in the same institution in 2014. From 2013-2015 she worked for one of the top railway companies in Brazil, MRS Logística S.A., where she held different positions, first as a trainee, then supply chain analyst, responsible for the procurement and expedition of maintenance parts and, later, railway specialist, engaging in several activities related to the maintenance decision-making process.
