Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering

The department will provide an education that integrates experiential learning and applied research, with a student-centered approach, resulting in graduates who make immediate and long-lasting contributions in manufacturing, service, government, and academia.

The department is globally recognized for graduates who are highly sought after due to their ability to solve problems and transform organizations. Our graduates, along with research performed by our students and faculty, positively impact the quality and competitiveness of manufacturing and logistics, the efficacy of health care, and the integration of sustainable practices into many settings.

We impart important values to our students at all levels of their study, ensuring we graduate industrial engineers who are well rounded and prepared to make meaningful contributions to their field.

• Student Centered: Our department makes decisions and behaves in a manner that demonstrates the primary importance of our students’ needs and interests.
• Community: Our department is a close-knit community characterized by respect for our differences, inclusion of a diverse set of ideas and people, and friendly collaboration among the faculty, staff, and students.
• Teaching Excellence: We demonstrate continuous excellence and innovation in how we deliver classes to our students, and the support we provide our students outside of class.
• Experiential Learning: We provide experiential learning throughout our undergraduate and graduate curricula via cooperative education, relevant projects, and practical experiences in our state-of-the-art labs.
• Practical Research: Our innovative research makes an impact on the outside world, both directly through its application, and for our students via project opportunities and incorporation into our courses.
• Innovation: Our teaching and research are characterized by new ideas and approaches, as well as a willingness to take risks.

The advanced manufacturing research group focuses on developing next generation manufacturing techniques, working with and characterizing novel materials, and designing new products having unique properties made possible through the use of advanced materials and processes. Students have access to world-class facilities, including the AMPrint Center, the Brinkman Advanced Machine Tools Lab, and the Interdisciplinary Manufacturing Engineering and Design (iMED) Lab.

Keywords

3D Printing (3DP), Additive Manufacturing (AM), Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR), CNC Machining, Computer Aided Design, Biomanufacturing

Examples

• Metal AM via jetting of liquid metal droplets
• Engineered lattice and cellular materials
• Collaborative robotics
• 3D printed tissue scaffolds
• Carbon fiber composite 3DP/AM
• Training of machine operators using AR/VR
• Printed electronics
• Hybrid metal additive and subtractive manufacturing

Learn to develop statistical and mathematical models and apply decision-making techniques to analyze complex processes. The data analytics research in our department is focused on the application of fundamental operations research tools such as statistics, optimization, simulation, machine learning, and decision analysis among others. These tools are used to study complex problems in different domains including:

• Autonomous mobile robots
• Vaccine supply chain
• Energy efficiency
• Transportation
• Manufacturing
• Product development

Learn to apply industrial and systems engineering principles and tools to improve healthcare efficiency, quality of care, logistics, patient safety, patient flow, and access to care. Students interested to pursue their career in healthcare systems engineering have the opportunity to focus on innovative research projects in:

• Health data and statistical analysis
• Healthcare supply chain and distribution
• Patient flow
• Healthcare financing models
• Patient safety
• Healthcare capacity management
• Healthcare logistics

A wide variety of industrial and systems engineering methodologies such as statistics, optimization and mathematical modeling, simulation, lean, Six Sigma, ergonomics and human factors, and bio-manufacturing could be used to solve complex healthcare related issues. Our faculty often partner with Rochester Regional Health, University of Rochester, Greater Rochester Independent Practice Association (GRIPA), Common Ground Health, and Finger Lakes Performing Provider System (FLPPS) to solve real world problems.

Learn and apply Human Factors/Ergonomics principles to the design of products (e.g., exoskeletons), operations, and work environments as they relate to human capacities, safety, and health.

Our students have the opportunity to engage with theoretical and applied research topics in Human Factors/Ergonomics and practice their skills in experiment design and data analytics. The Human Factors/Ergonomics research in our department focuses on several topics/areas, including:

• Assistive devices such as exoskeletons
• Locomotion and risk of falls
• Human muscle fatigue
• Wearable systems and remote monitoring
• Occupational biomechanics

Sustainable engineering refers to the integration of social, environmental, and economic considerations into product, process, and energy system design methods. Additionally, sustainable engineering encourages the consideration of the complete product and process lifecycle during the design effort. The intent is to minimize environmental impacts across the entire lifecycle while simultaneously maximizing the benefits to social and economic stakeholders.

Keywords

Life Cycle Assessment, Design for the Environment, Renewable Energy, Clean Energy, Triple Bottom Line

Examples

• Characterization of a transpired solar collector
• Lead-free piezoelectric materials for energy harvesting
• Electric load forecasting
• Dynamic modeling of an anaerobic digestion system
• Environmental and economic comparison of alternative military housing systems
• Life cycle impacts of alternative road deicing systems
• Life cycle analysis of a remanufacturing strategy for retired wind turbines
• Incorporating functional analysis into life cycle assessment methodology
• Comparative assessment of alternative collection strategies for recycling