Her research and focus as an educator, is operations and supply chain management in the context of international public service. Operations Management, as Privett’s discipline is called, is an interdisciplinary field encompassing engineering, business, applied mathematics, economics, and statistics. It focuses on improved decision making and efficient processes for complex problems and systems. As an educator, Privett’s goal is to both equip and inspire students to use analytical and quantitative tools for transformation and change. She believes that quantitative and decision-based courses provide critical tools for the managers, policymakers and researchers of tomorrow.