Author: Ann Hoang

RAID Labs’s Recent Activities and Upcoming Events

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The RFID and Auto ID (RAID) Labs is the Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering Department’s newest lab. It was established in 2011 by Dr. Erick Jones and quickly proved to be the favored lab where experiments could be run by both undergraduates and PhD students alike. The lab focuses on supply chain logistics, engineering management-productivity, and RFID in the mechanical contracting industry-asset tracking development with current projects focused on areas of healthcare, factory lines, and phone apps to help identify RFID tags. RAID Labs has been very active this semester.

Recently, three topics have been started as themes for research, “RFID and automatic inventory control in the oil and gas industry,” “RFID medical devices used in vivo (inside the body),” and “RFID uses that promote Homeland Security.”  The lab has also had three papers accepted for publication this Fall that include two undergraduate students who have made author-level contributions, Harrison Armstrong and Walter Mulflur. These papers will be made available by pdf after final publication. Finally, RAID Labs staff promotions and lab shirts were recently distributed. Those Lab students who reached the E3 status received t-shirts; those who reached M2 status received blue shirts, and top level MI3 (manager and innovator 3) received black shirts.

Also, there will be an upcoming RFID Certification training and exam in December. The certification is backed by the International Supply Chain Education Alliance (ISCEA), the leading RFID certification in the country. The ISCEA RFIDSCM will be hosted by RAID Labs on December 6th – 8th, 2013. For those interested, UT Arlington IMSE students can receive a discount. Please follow-up with Harrison Armstrong, RAID Labs Center Manager.

If this type of research and experimentation interests you, you’re in luck! RAID Labs will be taking applications for the two-week training/evaluation process for working in the Labs for Spring 2014. There are only ten E1 positions available. Please ask any RAID Lab person where you can apply. RAID Labs is located at 411 Woolf Hall.

Guest Post: Diana Martinez, IMSE Doctoral Student

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I am originally from Mexico; I earned my bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering at the Instituto Tecnologico de Saltillo and worked in a plastic injection company as a Manufacturing and Project Engineer for over two years. My initial desire was to come to the United States to improve the language; however, in 2007 I was awarded a 60-month scholarship from the Mexican National Council for Science and Technology to study at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA).

I finished my M.S. in Industrial Engineering in Summer 2008 and pursued a PhD program in Fall 2008, joining the COSMOS (Center on Stochastic Modeling, Optimization, & Statistics) family. My research focused on the study of an advanced statistical method called Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) and the development of variants and sequential algorithms that provide more flexibility to the modeling process and facilitate the optimization routines. The case studies included an inventory forecasting problem, an air pollution problem and an automotive crash safety design problem.

During my graduate studies I was selected as a Graduate Research Assistant at TMAC, where I had the opportunity of being involved in different consulting projects for small and medium companies located in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. Being part of the diverse community of UTA has been absolutely one of the most important experiences in my life not only because of the professional achievements I have earned but also because of the amazing people I have been fortunate to meet.

Written by Diana Martinez, IMSE Doctoral Student
Email: diana.martinezcepeda@mavs.uta.edu
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/diana-martinez/26/307/511

IMSE Grants and Awarded Contracts

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Several IMSE faculty members were recently awarded research grants and contracts. Dr. Li Zeng made news for the grant she received recently from the National Science Foundation for her research titled, ” Quality Profile Modeling and Control with Applications in Tissue-engineered Scaffolds Fabrication.” The collaborative research will be conducted with Penn State and with the purpose of developing a “generic and systematic methodology for the modeling and control of quality profiles through the integration of advanced statistical techniques and expert knowledge of manufacturing processes.” Dr. Zeng was awarded a $142,223 grant that will run through 2016. For more information on this research, read the abstract on the NSF website.

In addition, the IMSE Department received a Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need, (GAANN) Grant for $534,000 that will benefit five students over the next three years.

Dr. Jay Rosenberger, Dr. Susan Ferreira, and Dr. Victoria Chen were awarded a $33,000 contract with L-3 Communications for a “Flight Test Matching Tool” to develop a method to warm start a simulator calibration process.

Additional grants that were awarded:

Richard Billo, John Priest, and Erick Jones were awarded TxMED grant “A Novel Glass Microfluidic Neuro-Sensor For High-Throughput Drug Discovery.”

Erick Jones was awarded NSF I/UCRC grant “Rf-Code Computer Rack Cooling System RFID Project.”
Erick Jones was awarded a grant from Angelica Incoroporation Evaluating RFID in Healthcare Linen” joint with SAVANT.

IMSE Welcomes New Faculty Member

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Dr. Shouyi WangThe IMSE Department welcomes new Assistant Professor, Dr. Shouyi Wang. He comes to UTA from the University of Washington where he served as a Research Scientist.

Dr. Wang has interests in data mining, machine learning, pattern recognition, multivariate process monitoring and prediction, multivariate statistics, applied operation research, and human-centered computing. He has developed mathematical theories and algorithms to frame, model and optimize complex systems, and solve large-scale data mining and knowledge discovery problems in engineering and science. He has conducted research projects on intelligent learning control systems for humanoid walking robots, personalized healthcare online monitoring and decision-making systems using multivariate physiological signals, functional and diagnostic brain imaging analysis and network modeling (fMRI), clinical recommendation system for respiratory-gated PET/CT Imaging using patient classification and statistical association, real-time prediction/detection of mental states and cognitive activities using brain-computer interfaces, and personalized healthcare information systems with wearable body sensor networks. He is also the author of several articles that have appeared in publications such as the International Journal of Data Mining and Bioinformatics, Wiley Encyclopedia of Operations Research and Management Science, and  conference proceedings.

Dr. Wang received a Ph.D in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Rutgers in 2012. He is also a member of professional engineering organizations such as the Institute for Industrial Engineers (IIE), Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS), and Institute of Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

A Congratulations to Spring 2013 Graduates

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On May 12, 2013, the College of Engineering celebrated the graduating class of Spring 2013 with a commencement ceremony at College Park Center. The Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Department graduated many students, including four doctoral, twenty-one master’s, and twenty-seven undergraduates. Listed below are the names of the IMSE students who graduated in the Spring 2013. These names were published in the UT Arlington Shorthorn newspaper:

Ph.D in  Industrial Engineering:

  • Maurice Dwayne Cavitt, Dissertation Title: An Optimal Decision Model for Multi-System Process Capability Improvements Through a Personnel Environment and Integration (PEI) Framework Utilizing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Technologies
  • Shernette R. Kydd, Dissertation Title: The Characterization of Texas Healthcare Facilities Impacted by the 2012 Medicare Penalties: A Framework for Self Evaluation and Systemic Preemptive Action to Reduce Hospital Readmission Rates
  • Ida Lumintu, Dissertation Title: RFID and RTLS Enhancement for Retained Surgical Instruments in the Body
  • Restu Purwaningtyas Sunarto Bussey, Dissertation Title: Evaluation of Quality and Sustainability Incentives to Optimize the Indonesian to the United States Crude Oil Supply Chain

Master of Science in Engineering Management:

  • Sanjay Bhansali
  • Jonathan Burch
  • Prabhu Muthanna Gummatira
  • Yi-Pin Lee
  • Angela Chidinma Nnadili
  • Daniel Snigier
  • Manasa Tekumalla
  • Rishitha Yarabolu

Master of Science in Industrial Engineering:

  • Majid Ahmadi
  • Rohan Harshil Annamraju
  • Soham Sudhir Bothare
  • Hamid Ghoraishi
  • Chendur Murugananthan Anand
  • Japhet Ong
  • Ajinkya Rao
  • Archit Harshadkumar Sanghvi
  • Jainil Surti
  • Md Nafeez Tanim
  • Efrain Vega

Master of Science in Logistics:

  • Charles Kilgore
  • Chenhao Mao

Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering:

  • Ahmad “Adam” I. Achkantana
  • Christian Eduardo Alvarez
  • Daniel Appiah
  • Narongrit Boonthunyaluk
  • Luke Brigmon
  • Erin Michelle Celone
  • Ernesto Delgado
  • Mildred Guadalupe Godinez-Pecina
  • Carlos Miguel Guajardo
  • Christopher J. James
  • Holly Elizabeth Lane
  • Paul V. Lexington
  • David Michael Miller
  • Victor Munoz
  • Rhea J. Pak
  • Mannaneel Harim Pankaj
  • Kelsey A. Robinson
  • Juan C. Robles
  • Jairo Romero
  • Nader Sayadi
  • Mohammed A. Siddiqui
  • Ronald Bryant Slovacek
  • Adrian J. Sobalvarro
  • Carolina Soto
  • Conner H. Tynes
  • Chidebe S. Ugoji
  • Emanuel L. William.

Congratulations to all our Spring 2013 graduates!

A recap of the graduation ceremony can be found on the College of Engineering website.

Video of there graduation ceremony can be found on the UT Arlington website.

IMSE Department Celebrates First Annual Awards Banquet

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On May 2, 2013, the IMSE Department celebrated the inaugural Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering Banquet by honoring graduating seniors, award winners, and scholarship recipients. Attendees included our Advisory Board members, former and current faculty members, as well as our current and former students and their families. The gala began with a reception and delicious catered dinner inside the San Saba Room at the University Center. Jim Crites, Executive Vice President for the Operations Division of the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, presented the keynote address to graduating seniors. His speech urged the soon-to-be graduates to use their IE degrees to help find solutions to real-world problems. As he stated, only IEs have the gift that can be utilized to find efficiency while optimizing profit margins, citing numerous problems that industrial engineers have resolved in the airport industry. Crites explained how skills gained from an IE degree can solve real-world problems because IE are trained to think on a multi-dimensional level.

Following the keynote address, Interim Chair Dr. Tory Chen presented the endowed scholarship winners. The first scholarship awarded was the G.T. Stevens, Jr. Endowed Alumni Scholarship, which was established in 1998 to honor our Chair Emeritus. The award is given to outstanding Industrial Engineering students. This year’s recipients were Senior Luke Brigmon and Junior Anna Mai.

The next award, the Elinor Pape Endowed Scholarship, was established in 2006 to honor Dr. Pape’s service and dedication at UT Arlington as a member of the IE faculty. The Professor Emeritus was on-hand to present the scholarship to award winners Holly Lane, a senior, and Angel Decena-Guzman, a junior.

The final two scholarships that were presented were established by alumnus Keith Weiss. This year’s awardee for the Keith and Carolyn Weiss Industrial Engineering Scholarship was Harrison Armstrong. The Weiss Family Endowed Scholarship in Industrial Engineering was awarded to Ashvin Thomas.

After the scholarships were presented, Dr. Jamie Rogers presented the Industrial Engineers Outstanding Student Awards to Outstanding Senior, Adam Achkantana, and Outstanding Junior, Walter Joseph Multhur.

The last IE award presented was The Texas Industrial Engineering Lifetime Achievement Award which was created in alliance between Industrial Engineering departments at public universities that include UT Arlington, UT El Paso, Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, the University of Houston, and Lamar University. These universities select awardees based on the impact of their career on society. This year’s winner was alumnus, Mr. George Pickett, for his long career as an IE and his innovations in the founding of Atlantic Southeast Airlines which was acquired by Delta Airlines in 1999 and survives today as ExpressJet,  the world’s largest regional airline carrier.

Finally, the evening was capped with a big surprise as Dr. Jamie Rogers honored Dr. Don Liles with a plaque for excellence in service for more than three decades as a faculty in the IMSE department. All the attendees gave him a well-deserved standing ovation as he received his award.  Dr. Liles served as Chair of the department from 1998 to 2012 and remains at the university as Professor and Academic Advisor for the Engineering Management and Systems Engineering programs.

The event was a wonderful success as the IMSE Department got to honor their graduating seniors and award winners for the first of what will hopefully become an annual event.

Check our 2013 IMSE Banquet Photo Album on Facebook!

Dr. Jamie Rogers Elected President of ABET

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Dr. Jamie RogersThe Board of Directors at the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET) has elected Dr. Jamie Rogers for president. ABET is a “nonprofit, non-governmental organization that accredits college and university programs in the disciplines of applied science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology.” ABET accreditation assures that the university’s program meets the standards of quality established by the profession in the various fields of study. The IMSE Department is ABET accredited.

Dr. Rogers has been active in ABET, serving on he Board of Directors, International Activities Council, and Engineering Accreditation Commission. In addition to her election, she has been nominated for IIE Fellow and the prestigious Piper Professor Award. In 2011, she was inducted into the UTA Academy of Distinguished Teachers. She also received the UT System Regents’ Outstanding Teacher Award in recognition of her teaching excellence in 2012.

Dr. Jamie Rogers is a professor and the Associate Chair of the IMSE Department at UT Arlington.  She  also serves as the faculty advisor for the industrial engineering professional student organization, IIE.

Read the official announcement of Dr. Rogers’s election on the ABET website.

Professor President Elect

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This year is off to a great start for Dr. Jamie Rogers – in addition to becoming  Full Professor, she has just been elected ABET President-Elect (www.abet.org). In addition, she has been nominated for IIE Fellow and the prestigious Piper Professor Award. Very exciting – stay tuned!

 

 

 

IIE Elections

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Here are the newly elected 2013-2013 IIE Officers:

From left to right,
Dr. Jamie Rogers, Kristopher Leonhardt (Historian), Ting Xiao (Secretary), Dylan Slick (Treasurer), Rachel Machbitz (Webmaster), Walter Mulflur (President), Caitlin Webb (Vice President), Vanessa Duran (Senior Chapter Liaison), and Marco Torres (Outreach).

Congratulations to these newly elected officers. We hope to have another great year for IIE!

Industrial Engineers in Healthcare

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A recent article in The Shorthorn cited a study from Georgetown University which claimed that degrees in healthcare were among the top college degrees to have due to the low unemployment rates in that field. It’s no wonder that healthcare is a growing field. With our aging society and the Affordable Care Act in place, more Americans will be seeking medical care in the near future.

So, what does a job in healthcare have to do with a blog about industrial engineering? As an industrial engineer, you can seek employment in a variety of industries, businesses, or institutions, including areas such as manufacturing, retail, banking, government, and healthcare. As the healthcare field grows, hospitals and other healthcare-related businesses will be seeking ways to optimize the efficiency of their workplaces. As an industrial engineer, your skills can be utilized to design systems that will merge people, information, materials, and equipment to provide the most efficient, productive, and safest methods. Industrial engineering has been called the people-oriented engineering profession. What better way is there than to apply your skills to the healthcare industry to better the lives of the doctors, nurses, staff, and patients?

In fact, the IMSE department’s Center on Stochastic Modeling, Optimization, and Statistics (COSMOS) is currently working on several projects in the healthcare field such as nurse planning, nurse triage services, adaptive pain management, and biomaterial fabrication. The healthcare industry is just one of the many areas that utilize the versatile skills of industrial engineers.