Dr Jelena Milisavljevic Syed

Areas of expertise

• Manufacturing Systems
• Product and Service Design
• Systems Engineering

Background

Dr Jelena Milisavljevic-Syed is a thought leader in designing evolving Cyber-Physical-Social Systems (eCPSS) and AI-supported decision-making for sustainable manufacturing and services. Her work bridges mechanical, control, and industrial engineering to advance Industry 4.0/5.0 through adaptable, concurrent, and human-centric design.

She leads research on Multi-Intelligence Agents (MIAs)—computational agents that enable co-evolution of human, artificial, and organisational intelligence for smart services and sustainable production. Her frameworks on digital retrofitting, digital servitisation, and adaptive manufacturing have been adopted by industrial partners to support the twin transition of digitalisation and sustainability.

Prior to joining Cranfield University, she was a Lecturer in Industrial Design and Director of the Systems Realization Laboratory at the University of Liverpool in the UK. She received her PhD in Mechanical Engineering in 2018 and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering in 2015 from the University of Oklahoma, Norman, the USA, and MEng degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2008 from the Mechanical Engineering Faculty, University of Nis, Serbia. She has worked as a Graduate Research Assistant at Systems Realization Laboratory (SRL, http://srl.ou.edu/) at the University of Oklahoma in the USA and the Machines Development and Construction Center (CERP, http://cerp.masfak.ni.ac.rs/home.html) at the University of Nis, Serbia, both of which are interdisciplinary research centres. She is a member of ASME, ASEE, BFWG, MIET, IEEE and Design Society.

Research opportunities

Current research intrest spans:

- Design of Cyber-Physical-Social Systems (eCPS)

- Multi-Intelligence Agents (MIAs) for adaptive decision-making

- Sustainable and responsive manufacturing systems

- Digital retrofitting and Industry 4.0/5.0 transformation

- AI-human collaboration and service innovation

Current PhD openings:

- Driving Sustainability: Myopic Mean Field Games and MARL for Incentive Mechanisms in Manufacturing Supply Chains PhD

- Developing Multi-intelligence agents (MIAs) for co-evolution of human and machine systems PhD

Current activities

In her research, Dr Milisavljevic-Syed is designing for the evolvability of cyber-physical-social systems by integrating human, artificial, and organisational intelligence. Her work advances adaptive, sustainable, and human-aligned service systems that are capable of continuous learning and transformation.

At Cranfield’s Sustainable Manufacturing Systems Centre (SMSC), she directs research connecting AI-supported decision-making, digital retrofitting, and sustainability transition in manufacturing. Her group develops computational and organisational frameworks for Multi-Intelligence Agents (MIAs), agents designed to support complex decision-making across the physical–digital–social continuum, contributing directly to the UK’s Industry 5.0 and Net Zero ambitions.

Her current academic and leadership activities focus on:

- Developing adaptive decision frameworks for smart manufacturing and healthcare services.

- Extending Design for Dynamic Management (DFDM) into a formal Decision Engineering Framework (DEF) for responsive and sustainable production.

- Leading Cranfield–Ireland collaboration on dynamic modular contract design for adaptive healthcare governance.

- Supervising doctoral and MSc research on designing MIAs, digital servitisation, and sustainability analytics.

- Embedding research outcomes into teaching and programme leadership within the Engineering Competence (MSc / L7 Apprenticeship) to prepare engineers for digital-sustainability leadership.

Complementing her academic portfolio, Dr Milisavljevic-Syed actively translates research into consultancy and commercial impact, helping organisations navigate the twin transition of digitalisation and sustainability. She provides strategic guidance in Industry 5.0 strategy, AI-enabled decision systems, and digital retrofitting, working with partners such as Tata Consultancy Services (India), Romilly Life Sciences (UK), and Bunbury Hospital (Western Australia).

She describes her mission as “designing the next frontier of Industry 5.0 by weaving together AI, manufacturing systems, and sustainable service innovation.” Bringing an international perspective that bridges academia and industry, she is shaping how organisations transform for the era of evolving cyber-physical-social systems. Her work connects research with practice across healthcare, defence, and advanced manufacturing, turning complex challenges into opportunities for smarter, more resilient systems. She thrives on co-creating solutions that align digital transformation with sustainability and human needs, collaborating with those who want to design services and operations that are adaptive, equitable, and innovation-driven.

Publications

• Articles in journals
• Conference papers
• Books