Section: Overview
Overview
Key publications
Research funding
Supervising & teaching
Career

Key details

Areas of expertise

  • sustainable supply chain management
  • Social and economic impact of industries
  • Operations management
  • Diversity and inclusion
  • Decision-making

Available to supervise research students

Available for media queries

About Catherine Lou

Dr Catherine Lou is Associate Professor in supply chain and logistics in the Victoria University Business School, Specialisation advisor in Supply Chain and Logistics Undergraduate Course and Research Leader for Business Discipline /Research Fellow at the Institute for Sustainable Industries & Liveable Cities at Victoria University.

Catherine joined VU as a lecturer after she completed her PhD (Supply Chain Optimisation) in 2015. During her PhD she was awarded the International Student of the Year – Postgraduate by Victoria State in 2013 and has since been awarded the VU Outstanding Student Alumni Award 2015. In October 2018 Catherine was awarded the Young Professional of the Year award by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Australia (CILTA). She is the Australia Chairperson and Global Vice Chairperson (Australasia) for Women in Logistics and Transport.

She has conducted research in supply chain modelling since 2008 and has a strong applied mathematical modelling background. Catherine has received competitive research grants during her research career. She has research interests that cover the topics:

  • supply chain management (sustainability, operations management, optimisation modelling, social procurement, corporate governance and performance, risk management)
  • green tourism (sustainable supply chain framework) and visitor economy 
  • women in leadership and development, gender/cultural diversity and inclusion for sustainable development
  • international students wellbeing
  • business information systems through the application of optimisation modelling, statistics, and other quantitative analysis.

Qualifications

  • PhD, Victoria University, Australia, 2015
  • MSc, BUAA, China, 2010
  • GCTE, Victoria University, 2018

Key publications

Year Citation
2022 Lou, C. X., Islam, S. MN., & Billington, N. (220729). Supply chain management and corporate governance: Artificial intelligence, game theory and robust optimisation.

doi: 10.4324/9781003266457

2020 Li, Y., Wang, Y., Lou, X., & Zhang, Z. (Eds.). (201201). Report on the development of sports industry of China (2019). China: Social Sciences Academic Press (China).

Year Citation
2022 Lou, C. X., Bonti, A., Prokofieva, M., & Abdelrazek, M. (220101). Supply Chain and Decision Making: What is Next for Visualisation? (pp. 653-672).

doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-93119-3_26

Year Citation
2023 Lou, X., Natoli, R., & Shee, H. (230714). Warehousing - Addressing Changing Skills Needs.
2021 Corney, T., Lou, C., Woods, B., & Dewhurst, A. (210312). International Student Housing and Wellbeing. Melbourne, Australia: Victoria University.

Year Citation
2020 Wang, J., Shee, H., & Lou, X. (201231). A Review of Supply Chain Risk - Outsourcing Pollution Perspective IEEE Computer Society Press.

Year Citation
2023 Lou, C. X., Natoli, R., Goodwin, D., Bok, B., Zhao, F., & Zhang, P. (230901). A Systematic Literature Review of Research on Social Procurement in the Construction and Infrastructure Sector: Barriers, Enablers, and Strategies. Sustainability (Switzerland), 15(17),

doi: 10.3390/su151712964

2023 Xin, B., Zhang, W., Zhang, W., Lou, C. X., & Shee, H. K. (230901). Strategic Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Supply Chain Innovation from the Perspective of Collaborative Advantage. Sustainability (Switzerland), 15(17),

doi: 10.3390/su151712879

2023 Natoli, R., Lou, C. X., & Goodwin, D. (230701). Addressing Barriers to Social Procurement Implementation in the Construction and Transportation Industries: An Ecosystem Perspective. Sustainability (Switzerland), 15(14),

doi: 10.3390/su151411347

2023 Jin, H., Chan, M., Morda, R., Lou, C. X., & Vrcelj, Z. (230101). A scientometric review of sustainable infrastructure research: visualization and analysis. International Journal of Construction Management, 23(11), (1847-1855).

doi: 10.1080/15623599.2021.2017114

Research funding for the past 5 years

Please note:

  • Funding is ordered by the year the project commenced and may continue over several years.
  • Funding amounts for contact research are not disclosed to maintain commercial confidentiality.
  • The order of investigators is not indicative of the role they played in the research project.

Embrace
From: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian Government (DFAT)
Other investigators: Aspr Camilla Brockett, Dr Riccardo Natoli, Dr Joanne Pyke, Aspr Timothy Corney
For period: 2023-2025
$100,000
Indonesia Tourism Skills and Research Project
From: Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions
Other investigators: Dr Joanne Pyke, Dr Ancy Gamage, Dr Madelene Blaer
For period: 2023-2023
Not disclosed
Social Procurement Capacity Building for SMEs in Melbourne’s West
From: ARC BLUE CONSULTING (AUS) PTY LTD
Other investigators: Aspr David Goodwin, Dr Riccardo Natoli
For period: 2023-2023
Not disclosed

Warehousing - Addressing Changing Skills Needs
From: Victorian Skills Authority
Other investigators: Dr Riccardo Natoli, Dr Himanshu Shee
For period: 2022-2023
$39,500
Australia-ASEAN: 'New Normal for the Visitor Economy Supply Chain'
From: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian Government (DFAT)
Other investigators: Dr Joanne Pyke, Prof Terry De lacy, Dr Thu-huong Nguyen
For period: 2022-2023
$38,500

Social Value Creation for Transport and Infrastructure
From: Victorian Higher Education Strategic Investment Fund
Other investigators: Dr Malindu Sandanayake, Aspr Elmira Jamei, Dr Hing-wah Chau, Aspr David Goodwin, Prof Zora Vrcelj, Dr Riccardo Natoli, Dr Melissa Chan, Dr Jonny Bouras
For period: 2021-2022
$593,000

China's Development: Finance, Growth Models and Sustainable Development in Recipient Countries
From: Ford Foundation Beijing
Other investigators: Prof Peter Sheehan, Prof Bhajan Grewal, Prof Bruce Rasmussen
For period: 2020-2024
Not disclosed

International Student Housing and Mental Wellbeing
From: Department of Jobs, Precincts & Regions
Other investigators: Aspr Timothy Corney
For period: 2019-2020
Not disclosed
Project Jigsaw
From: NEM Australasia
Other investigators: Dr Joanne Pyke, Prof Terry De lacy, Prof Hua Wang, Dr Khandakar Ahmed
For period: 2019-2019
$6,132

Developing a Sustainable Value Chain Framework for International Students Studying in Australia
From: Infotecture Development
Other investigators: Dr Riccardo Natoli
For period: 2017-2018
$30,000

Supervision of research students at VU

Available to supervise research students

Available for media queries

Currently supervised research students at VU

No. of students Study level Role
1 Principal supervisor
2 Associate supervisor

Currently supervised research students at VU

Students & level Role
(1) Principal supervisor
(2) Associate supervisor

Teaching activities & experience

Catherine is the specialisation advisor Unit Coordinator of the following VU units:

Key academic roles

Dates Role Department / Organisation
Sep 2019 - Present
Specialisation advisor for Supply Chain undergraduate course program
Victoria University
Sep 2021 - Present
Research Leader for Business, Institute for Sustainable Industries & Liveable Cities
Victoria University
May 2023 - Present
Program research leader for Business, College of Arts, Business, Law, Education and IT
Victoria University
Sep 2023 - Dec 2023
Acting Associate Director, Institute for Sustainable Industries & Liveable Cities
Victoria University
Show more academic roles
Dates Role & Department/Organisation
Sep 2019 -
Present
Specialisation advisor for Supply Chain undergraduate course program
Victoria University
Sep 2021 -
Present
Research Leader for Business, Institute for Sustainable Industries & Liveable Cities
Victoria University
May 2023 -
Present
Program research leader for Business, College of Arts, Business, Law, Education and IT
Victoria University
Sep 2023 -
Dec 2023
Acting Associate Director, Institute for Sustainable Industries & Liveable Cities
Victoria University
Show more academic roles

Key industry, community & government roles

Dates Role Department/Organisation
Oct 2020 - Oct 2023
Australia Chairperson
Women in Logistics & Transport (WiLAT) in Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Australia
Sep 2021 - Dec 2024
Global Vice Chairperson of Australasia
Women in Logistics & Transport (WiLAT)
Jul 2023 - Sep 2025
Global Head, Women in Logistics and Transport Capacity Building Centre (WCBC)
Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport International
Dates Role & Department/Organisation
Oct 2020 - Oct 2023
Australia Chairperson
Women in Logistics & Transport (WiLAT) in Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Australia
Sep 2021 - Dec 2024
Global Vice Chairperson of Australasia
Women in Logistics & Transport (WiLAT)
Jul 2023 - Sep 2025
Global Head, Women in Logistics and Transport Capacity Building Centre (WCBC)
Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport International

Awards

Year Award
2018

Young Professional of the Year - Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Australia

2019

International Young Achiever Award Finalist - Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (International)

2021

VUBS Award for Excellence in Research (Individual - Early Career) - Victoria University Business School

2022

Finalist of 'Professional Women in Transport' - Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Australia

Show more awards

Professional memberships

  • Chartered Fellow, Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Australia

Media appearances

01st September 2018

WINNING RESEARCHER

"Meet Catherine Xiaocui Lou, the State of Victoria’s international postgraduate student of the year 2013." After Catherine graduated and she joined VU as academic, and was awarded the Young Professional of the Year award by Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Australia (CILTA). The award recognises outstanding individual, for their achievements in the industry in 2018. Her experience was captured as success stories under VU community.