Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering

Dr. Robert Schafrik from IMSE and the National Academy of Engineering will remotely present at the Seminar Wednesday February 7 at 1:15pm in Room 101 of College Hall (CH). Dr. Schafrik’s presentation title, abstract, biographical sketch, and a link to CH on the campus map are below.

Title: Materials for a Non-Steady State World 
Author: Robert Schafrik 
Location: College Hall (CH) Room 101
Date: Wednesday, February 7
Time: 1:15pm – 2:15pm

Abstract: Since antiquity, human society has greatly benefited from advancements in materials and processes, and anticipation for continued improvements are a cornerstone of societal progress in the modern world. Expectations for successful introduction of new products continue to rise non-linearly–implementation of the appropriate material solution is the key to success. This presents great challenges to the materials and manufacturing communities; the top challenges include:  increasing the speed of development; high reliability of the end product; exceeding expectation in product performance; and attractive value proposition for the supplier base and the end users. These challenges are being addressed by many technologists, including those in the aero engine community. The successful algorithm has three key elements: forward-looking strategy, development guided by senior design engineers, and partnership with the supply chain. A critical constituent of each element is nurturing the materials and manufacturing team to incorporate vision and creativity with expert knowledge. This presentation will discuss these elements with examples of how it was successfully employed. It will conclude with go-forward challenges.

Biographical Sketch: Robert E. Schafrik, Ph.D., NAE was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2013 for more than 40 years of innovation in materials for gas turbine engines. He retired as general manager of the Materials and Process Engineering Department at GE Aviation in 2014 after more than 16 years in the position. During his tenure he and his team reduced the development time for several new materials, including low rhenium turbine blade alloy, R65 (a high-temperature cast-and-wrought disk alloy), and titanium aluminide turbine blade alloy, and greatly expanded the use of composite applications in engines. He was hired in 1997 as a senior staff department engineer. From 1991-97, he staffed the National Research Council’s National Materials Advisory Board (NMAB) and Board on Manufacturing and Engineering Design (BMAED), following three years as vice president of research and development at Technology Assessment and Transfer, Inc. Schafrik spent 20 years on active duty in the U.S. Air Force before retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 1988. He served as chief of the Long-Term Planning Division with the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO) at the Pentagon and, before that, as chief of the Air Superiority Division for the Headquarters Air Force Systems Command (AFSC) at Andrews Air Force Base. He chaired the NRC National Materials and Manufacturing Board and the External Advisory Committee for the Materials Science and Engineering Department at Ohio State University, and was a member of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board. Schafrik earned his B.S. degree in metallurgy from Case Western Reserve University, an M.S. in aerospace engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology, a second M.S. in information systems from George Mason University, and a Ph.D. in metallurgical engineering from Ohio State University.

-Posted by Jay Rosenberger

Dr. Sıla Çetinkaya from Southern Methodist University will present at the Seminar Monday November 27 at 1:15pm in Room 114 of the W. A. Baker Chemistry Research Building (CRB).  Dr. Çetinkaya’s presentation title, abstract, and biographical sketch are below.

Title:  On the Integration of Inbound Replenishment and Outbound Transportation Decisions: Premises, Models, and Dynamic Optimization

Author: Sıla Çetinkaya

Location: W. A. Baker Chemistry Research Building (CRB) Room 114

Date: Monday, November 27

Time: 1:15pm – 2:15pm

Abstract:   We consider a joint stock replenishment and shipment scheduling problem applicable under a vendor-managed inventory (VMI) contract where the vendor has flexibility over the timing and quantity of resupply at a group of retailers located in a given geographical region. The retailers face stochastic demands. Under the VMI contract of interest, employing a temporal shipment consolidation strategy allows the vendor to hold smaller orders from the retailers and to release them in a combined shipment to realize transportation scale economies. Although the general class of problems of interest has been investigated using renewal theory in the previous literature, computation of exact optimal policies has remained an open problem for over fifteen years. We formulate the problem via a stochastic dynamic programming approach. We examine the optimal joint policy specifying the vendor’s inbound replenishment and outbound dispatch quantities in successive periods so that transportation economies of scale due to shipment consolidation are realized without excessive inventory holding and/or order delay. We characterize the structure of the optimal policy as a zoned, state-dependent threshold policy that falls in a new class of policies in stochastic inventory control theory. The results extend the existing theory and concepts of generalized convexity while also generalizing Scarf’s seminal work on the notion of K-convexity and optimality of (s,S) policies.

Biographical Sketch: Sila Çetinkaya is Chair and Professor of EMIS in the SMU Lyle School of Engineering. She holds courtesy appointments with ITOM in the SMU Cox School of Business and with Internal Medicine in the UT Southwestern Medical Center. She also serves as Senior Fellow in the SMU Hunt Institute for Engineering and Humanity. She joined SMU in 2014 from TAMU—after 17 years of service—where she was Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering. She obtained her Ph.D. in Management Science and Systems in 1996 from McMaster University in Canada. She received an MS in Industrial Engineering in 1991 from Bilkent University and a B.S. in Industrial Engineering in 1989 from Istanbul Technical University in Turkey. Dr. Çetinkaya’s research interests include supply chain and healthcare operations, stochastic optimal control theory, and applied probability. Her publications appeared in reputable outlets of industrial engineering and management science including Operations Research, Management Science, Interfaces, Production and Operations Management, IISE Transactions, and Naval Research Logistics, among others. Her research and teaching activities have been funded by multiple government and industry grants. Her early career accomplishments were recognized by NSF CAREER Award in 2001 and IISE Outstanding Young Industrial Engineer Award in 2003. Çetinkaya was named IISE Fellow in 2012 for professional leadership and outstanding contributions to industrial engineering. She is a department editor of IISE Transactions and an associate editor of Naval Research Logistics.

-Posted by Jay Rosenberger

Gloria Bender will present at the Seminar Monday November 13 at 1:15pm in Room 114 of the W. A. Baker Chemistry Research Building (CRB). Ms. Bender’s presentation title, abstract, and biographical sketch are below.

Title: Decision Support in the Real World:  QED Never Is! 
Author: Gloria Bender
Location: W. A. Baker Chemistry Research Building (CRB) Room 114
Date: Monday, November 13
Time: 1:15pm – 2:15pm

Abstract:  Advanced analytics, stochastic modeling, operations research tools are all very powerful and can provide elegant solutions to complex problems.  However, many of the problems working IEs face involve getting good data for use in our models to  produce elegant solutions. And, once we have our elegant solution, how do we promote the value to skeptical decision makers. Ms. Bender will discuss some of these challenges and how her consulting company addresses them.  She will look forward to an open discussion of potential ways IE’s can leverage new technologies to address these practical problems.

Biographical Sketch: Ms. Bender is an industrial engineer with over 30 years of experience in operations and facility capacity analyses, conceptual design, and expansion planning. She is co-founder and co-owner of TransSolutions, a 25-person transportation and aviation consulting firm based in Fort Worth, with offices in Washington DC and Atlanta. She is responsible for establishment of TransSolutions’ landside planning consulting practice, including development of processes, protocols and systems to serve passengers, their ground transportation vehicles, and their luggage in their journey through airports.  She championed development of the Operational Excellence Consulting practice in 2009, using TransSolutions’ strong advanced analytics and modeling capabilities coupled with the principals of Lean to improve the effectiveness of various enterprises worldwide. Ms. Bender currently serves most projects as the Principal-in-charge (PIC), responsible for overall project quality and client satisfaction, and she occasionally serves projects as the working project manager. In addition to her work at hundreds of airports worldwide, her projects also include supporting the redevelopment of the New York World Trade Center, estimating viewership for CNN Airport Network, and recommending enhancements to the computerized maintenance management system used by the US Navy. Ms. Bender actively supports the Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP), a program funded through the FAA and administered by the Transportation Research Board.  She has served as a research panel chair, a research contributor on four projects, and was the Principal Investigator for Report 55: Passenger Level of Service and Spatial Planning for Airport Terminals.  In January 2016, Ms. Bender was appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Transportation to serve on the ACRP Oversight Committee. Ms. Bender holds both an M.S. and B.S. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington. She is a Fellow in the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, a Member of the Council of Industrial and Systems Engineers, former Chair of the Airports Council International – North American World Business Partners Board and lectures at the UC Berkeley Airport Planning Conference. Since 2013, Ms. Bender has also been a member of the Transportation Security Administration Planning Guidelines and Planning Standards (PGDS) Industry Working Group (IWG).

-Posted by Jay Rosenberger

Jay Correa will present at the Seminar Wednesday October 30 at 1:15pm in Room 114 of the W. A. Baker Chemistry Research Building (CRB).  Mr. Correa’s presentation title, abstract, and biographical sketch are below.

Title: Safety – Engineering Solutions Beyond Compliance
Author: Jay Correa
Location: W. A. Baker Chemistry Research Building (CRB) Room 114
Date: Monday, October 30
Time: 1:15pm – 2:15pm

Abstract: OSHA and other regulatory agencies lay out the requirements or guidelines that employers in different industries should follow to meet the minimum requirements for compliance.  Being in compliance with regulatory requirements not only helps an employer to avoid citations but should also, theoretically, facilitate the employer’s ability to provide a safe work place for employees.  Many individuals and companies encounter difficulties meeting compliance as a result of regulations stating “what” is necessary to comply but not “how”.  As a result, an employer may meet regulatory requirements but not create a safe working environment or process. The engineering design process is a methodical and systematic approach to solving challenging problems or issues in manufacturing, construction and other industries.  Taking an engineering approach to Safety can help individuals overcome the challenge of not only meeting regulatory requirements but create a safe work environment that exceeds compliance.  The presentation will illustrate the problem solving approach that was used to solve an issue encountered in one aspect of a facility’s Emergency Action Plan.

Biographical Sketch: Jay Correa, “Safety J”,  was born in Big Spring, Texas, where he enjoyed the first six years of his life as an only child.  He grew up to be a voracious reader and eventually, as his siblings would tell of it- an overwhelmingly loving and protective brother, uncle, father to his son and partner to his girlfriend.  Jay enjoyed several years at Texas Tech University pursuing his passions in Spanish poetry and Industrial Engineering. Since leaving Texas Tech he has worked for companies in manufacturing, pharmaceutical and oil/gas industries and provided consulting or bilingual training services to small and medium sized companies. His goal, for more than 12 years now, has been to help develop the safest and most safety-conscientious people possible.  Somewhere along the way, people nicknamed him “Safety J”, their safety superhero – a nickname he strives to be deserving of everyday.

-Posted by Jay Rosenberger

Dr. Irina Dolinskaya from the National Science Foundation will present at the Seminar Wednesday September 27 at 1:15pm in Room 101 of College Hall (CH).  Dr. Dolinskaya’s presentation title, abstract, and biographical sketch are below.

Title: Navigating NSF:  Funding Opportunities, Proposal Preparation, and the Merit Review Process

Author: Dr. Irina Dolinskaya

Location: College Hall (CH) Room 101

Date: Wednesday, September 27

Time: 1:15pm – 2:15pm

Abstract: The first part of this talk will give an overview of Dr. Dolinskaya’s research on adaptive modeling and solution approaches with applications to humanitarian logistics, optimal vessel navigation and electric vehicle routing. The second part of the presentation will focus on the funding opportunities offered by the Division of Civil, Mechanical & Manufacturing Innovation within the disciplinary programs and through crosscutting initiatives across the National Science Foundation. This presentation will describe opportunities that are relevant to the operation research, industrial engineering, and dynamics and controls communities. Operation Engineering (OE) and Dynamics, Controls and Systems Diagnostics (DCSD) programs, as well as programs targeted toward junior investigators will be discussed. The talk will also describe guidelines for proposal preparation and NSF’s Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts criteria.

Bio: Dr. Irina Dolinskaya is an associate program director at the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the Division of Civil, Mechanical & Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI). Dr. Dolinskaya services Operation Engineering (OE) and Dynamics, Control and Systems Diagnostics (DCSD) programs. Prior to joining NSF, Irina Dolinskaya was a faculty in the Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences department at Northwestern University. She obtained M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan, and B.S. degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Florida.

Dr. Irina Dolinskaya’s research is in the field of transportation science and logistics with focus on adaptive modeling and solution approaches to integrate dynamic real-time information. Her current primary applications are in humanitarian logistics, optimal vessel performance, and    electric vehicle routing.

Professor Dolinskaya is the winner of the INFORMS Transportation Science & Logistics Society Dissertation Prize and the 2008 recipient of the Bonder Scholarship for Applied Operations Research in Military Applications. She has also been recognized for her teaching with IEMS Graduate Teaching Award (2011) and Northwestern Associated Student Government Faculty Honor Roll (2012), as well as for her advising with Cole-Higgins Award for Excellence in Advising (2014).

-Posted by Jay Rosenberger

Dr. Dongqing Wang from Qingdao University in Qingdao, China will present at the first Seminar of the semester Wednesday September 6 at 2:00pm in Room 114 for the W. A. Baker Chemistry Research Building (CRB). Dr. Wang’s presentation title, abstract, and biographical sketch are below.

Title: Block-oriented Nonlinear System Identification—-Standard Least Square Methods and Least Square Methods for a Block-Oriented System
Author: Dr. Dongqing WangLocation: W. A. Baker Chemistry Research Building (CRB) Room 114
Date: Wednesday, September 6
Time: 2:00pm – 3:00pm

Abstract: System parameter identification has been a significant research topic due to its wide application in fault diagnosis, signal processing, process control and economic fields. In this presentation, the standard least squares (LS) method is first introduced. Secondly, least squares methods for block-oriented systems is introduced, including the over-parametrization based least squares (OP-LS) method, the hierarchical least squares (H-LS) method and the key term separation principle based least squares (KT-LS) method. The mentioned methods are applied to Hammerstein systems, Wiener systems, and Hammerstein-Wiener systems. Finally, the future research proposal is given related to the compressive sensing based identification methods. The main contributions are the proposed framework of the hierarchical least squares based identification method for block-oriented systems by using the hierarchical identification principle, and the presented auxiliary model based key term separation principle based least squares for block-oriented systems.

Biographical Sketch: Dr. Dongqing Wang was born in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China. She received B.S. and M.S. degrees from the Department of Electrical Engineering, Shandong University (Jinan, China) in 1986 and 1988, respectively. She joined the College of Automation Engineering, Qingdao University (Qingdao, China) as a faculty member since 1988. During work with Qingdao University, she received her Ph.D. degree from the School of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Tianjin University (Tianjin, China) in 2006. She was a Visiting Scholar in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Tennessee (Knoxville, USA) from August 2004 to February 2005. Since December 2010, she has been a Full Professor in the College of Automation Engineering at Qingdao University, Qingdao, China. Her current research interests include process modeling and control, system identification, parameter estimation, Robot Path Planning, and Wireless Power Transfer. She has published over 50 papers on modeling and identification as the first author. She has won 5 research awards from the Chinese government and best paper award from the European Association for Signal Processing as the first author, she received more than ten funded projects from the NSF of China government and industrial field as a PI. She is a Recipient of Special government allowances of the State Council. She was ranked as the 2nd tier professor by the Ministry of Education in P.R China.

-Posted by Jay Rosenberger

Dr. Chanhaeng Rhee from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas will present at the Seminar Monday April 24 at 1:15pm in Nedderman Hall 106. Dr. Rhee’s presentation title, abstract, and biographical sketch are below. 

Title: Improving Health Outcomes through Systems Engineering

Author: Dr. Chanhaeng Rhee