Super Bowl winning quarterbacks go to Disney World. This year’s crop of award winners came close, as the IIE Annual Conference and Expo 2012 was held in Orlando, Fla., land of Disney, Mickey Mouse and dreams. We can’t report with surety that the victors visited Mickey after the honors and awards presentation. But at least some of their dreams came true. Some of this year’s winners are listed below, and the July issue will feature scholarship, fellowship and competition awards.

Frank & Lillian Gilbreth Industrial Engineering Award

Louis Martin-Vega, North Carolina State University

Captains of Industry

John McGlade, Air Products
Susan Story, Southern Company Services

Albert G. Holzman Distinguished Educator Award

Alice Smith, Auburn University

David F. Baker Distinguished Research Award

Ron Rardin, University of Arkansas

Medallion Award

Adedeji Badiru, Air Force Institute of Technology

Fellows

Jim Benneyan, Northeastern University
Richard Cassady, University of Arkansas
Sila Cetinkaya, Texas A&M University
Garry Coleman, Transformation Systems Inc.
Ted Eschenbach, TGE Consulting
Dave Goldsman, Georgia Tech
Kathy Kilmer, Disney
John Kobza, Texas Tech University
Jerome Lavelle, North Carolina State University
Sabah Randhawa, Oregon State University
Manuel Rossetti, University of Arkansas
Helmut Welke, John Deere
Ming Jian Zuo, University of Alberta

Dr. Hamed K. Eldin Outstanding Young IE Award – Education

Satish Bukkapatnam, Oklahoma State University

Outstanding Young IE Award – Industry

Peter Buczkowski, Disney

Fred C. Crane Distinguished Service Award

Eileen Van Aken, Virginia TechToni Doolen, Oregon State University

Pritsker Doctoral Dissertation Award

First place: Siqian Shen, University of Michigan

James W. Barany Student Award for Excellence

First place: Erika Moody, Northeastern University

Middle Career Leadership Award

Rona Pepmeier, Rolls Royce North America

Award for Technical Innovation

Ola Harrysson, North Carolina State University

Graduate Research Award

Sai Srinivas Nagesh, University of Arizona

IIE Joint Publishers Book-of-the-Year

Lawrence Snyder, Lehigh University, and Zuo-Jun Max Shen, University of California-Berkeley, “Fundamentals of Supply Chain Theory”

IIE Transactions Awards

Operations Engineering and Analysis Best Paper: “Approximate Dynamic Programming for Dynamic Capacity Allocation with Multiple Priority Levels,” A. Erdelyi and H. Topaloglu

Operations Engineering and Analysis Best Application Paper: “Skart: A Skewness- and Autoregression-Adjusted Batch-Means Procedure for Simulation Analysis,” A. Tafazzoli and J.R. Wilson

Quality and Reliability Best Paper: “An Age- and State-Dependent Markov Model for Degradation Processes,” Massimiliano Giorgio, Maurizio Guida and Gianpaolo Pulcini

Quality and Reliability Best Application Paper: “Characterization of Nonlinear Profiles Variations using Mixed-Effect Models and Wavelets,” Kamran Paynabar and Jionghua (Judy) Jin

Scheduling and Logistics Best Paper: “Risk Analysis of Commitment-Option Contracts with Forecast Updates,” John Buzacott, Houmin Yan and Hanqin Zhang

ISERC Best Track Papers Awards

Computers and Information Systems: “Fast Detection of Overlapping Communities in Online Social Networks,” Akshay Ghurye and Soundar Kumara

Engineering Economy: “Time Valued Technology: Evaluating Infrastructure Replacement with Rapidly Emerging Technology,” Kevin Ochs, Michael Miller and Alfred E. Thal Jr.

Engineering Management: “Application of Dynamic State Variable Models on Multiple-Generation Products Lines with Cannibalization across Generations,” Chun-yu Lin and Gul E. Okudan

Facility Logistics: “A Warehouse Model for Replenishment to a Bottom-Level Forward Area with Random Storage,” Lisa Thomas and Russell Meller

Healthcare Systems: “A Dynamic Network Disaster Evacuation Model to Transport Multi-Priority Patients,” Amarnath Banerjee and Hyeongsuk Na

Homeland Security Track: “Optimal Resource Allocation for Recovery of Interdependent Systems: Case Study of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill,” Cameron A. MacKenzie, Hiba Baroud, and Kash Barker

Lean Systems: “U-line Design and Operation with Helper Tasks,” John P. Shewchuk

Operations Research: “Adaptive Convex Enveloping for Multidimensional Stochastic Dynamic Programming,” Sheng Yu and Enrique Campos-Nanez

Simulation and Modeling: “Improving Care Transition through Effective Discharge Planning and Decision,” Lingling Sheng, Khim Teck Yeo and Jianfeng Mao

Supply Chain and Logistics: “Infinite Horizon Periodic Review Perturbed Demand Model with Lead Time,” Semra Sebnem Ahiska, James Lavin, Russell E. King, Don Warsing and Ana Vila-Parrish

Work Systems: “NASA-STD-3001, Space Flight Human-System Standard and the Human Integration Design Handbook,” Keith Holubec, Jennifer Boyer and Mihriban Whitmore

Golomski Award

“Assessing Multi-Layered Social Networks Using Reliability Models,” Kellie Schneider, Edward Pohl and Chase Rainwater

SEMS Management Award

Sreekanth Ramakrishnan, IBM

Wellington Award

Joseph Hartman, University of Florida

Master of ports passes away

Altiok mentored professors, led university department, contributed to CIEADH
The industrial engineering world lost a leader in research on port operations and security with the passing of Tayfur Altiok on April 14. Tayfur Altiok, a revered mentor and respected academician, was chair of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Rutgers University from 2001 to 2007.

From 2001 to 2007, Altiok was chair of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Rutgers University. He also was director of the university’s Laboratory for Port Security.

Altiok, a fellow of IIE, nurtured young professors in a gently demanding way, said Alice Smith, an industrial and systems engineering professor at Auburn University. The native of Turkey set high standards, she said, providing the supportive environment faculty members needed to thrive and excel.

“Tayfur’s work included important research in port operations around the world, notably for his home country of Turkey,” Smith noted. “Tayfur was justly proud of his contributions in improving shipping through the Bosphorus in Istanbul and was noted as one of the few world experts in this area.”

She noted that Altiok’s colleagues at CIEADH (Council of Industrial Engineering Academic Department Heads) would miss his cheerful manner and thoughtful contributions.

Altiok was a Fulbright awardee and published two books in the areas of simulation modeling and performance analysis of manufacturing systems. In addition to his work on ports, Altiok’s research and teaching activities included queuing theory, simulation modeling, risk analysis with applications to homeland security, safety and security, production lines and supply chain logistics and performance analysis, said Hoang Pham, current chair of the Rutgers Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. Altiok developed numerous decomposition algorithms to analyze complex queuing networks. He served as an advisor to government organizations and a consultant to various industries in the fields of capacity planning and performance analysis.

According to Pham, “[Altiok was] a very special person who cared deeply and genuinely about so many people and many things in life. We have all lost a great, dear friend and colleague.”

Altiok earned his B.S. and M.S. in industrial engineering from the Middle East Technical University, then another M.S. and a Ph.D. in industrial engineering from North Carolina State University. Prior to joining the faculty at Rutgers in 1983, he worked as an assistant professor of industrial engineering at North Carolina A&T State University from 1982 to 1983. He was promoted to full professor at Rutgers in 1996.

The family has designated the Tayfur Altiok Memorial Fund for ISE departmental scholarship through the Rutgers University Foundation for memorial contributions.

IIE goes to D.C.

Members on Capitol Hill help promote diversity in science, engineering
Two IIE National Capital chapter members teamed up in March with the Society of Women Engineers to promote diversity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Neal Schmeidler said industrial engineering concerns need more airtime on Capitol Hill.

Katherine Meza said congressional representatives need avenues to find out how their decisions affect the STEM community.

Neal Schmeidler and Katherine Meza said they learned valuable tips and tools about working with legislators, and both would like to participate in SWE’s “Capitol Hill Day” next year. The two-day event, which was held March 21-22, included educational talks, role playing exercises and remarks from congressional representatives and staff members.

“I’ve got two things: One is help IIE out with SWE and other organizations,” said Schmeidler, owner and president of OMNI Engineering & Technology Inc. “But I want to learn more about it because I think the day is going to come where we, IIE, should be on the hill, like a lot of organizations.”

Meza said participants were able to get an idea of what they can bring to the table at Capitol Hill and how to be prepared next time because they did not know anything prior to the event.

She said it’s up to the participants to keep reaching out to representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. SWE Capitol Hill Day is as much about letting representatives know who they can turn to for information as it is about constituents learning the legislative process, she added.

SWE aims to do such events every year, and Meza believes that they are great opportunities to get the word out about STEM education and, specifically, industrial engineering.

“It’s very important that people out there that are representing us are aware of how their decisions impact us,” she said. “It’s very difficult for representatives to know how their decisions are affecting the STEM community.”

Schmeidler’s one criticism involved something very important to industrial engineers: data.

“I do consulting for the federal government, and for these decisions about what to do with money, you need a business case. I heard about how it’s a good idea, it’s the thing to do. And I agree. It is the thing to do,” Schmeidler said. “[But] I didn’t see any data about, OK, if we do improve diversity, what does that mean in terms of jobs and GDP.”

This time, more beats less

Extra half day helps apply ergo to retail, distribution

Talk about continuous improvement – GOErgo has added a half-day workshop to this month’s Best Practices in Ergonomics Applied to Retail & Distribution conference.

The first, original day, July 23, features six educational sessions from top ergo experts at NIOSH, Southworth Products, L’Oreal, Supervalu and The Ergonomics Center of North Carolina.

The additional half-day best practices workshop focuses on two common manual material handling problems with research data from NIOSH. Participants and solution providers will discuss identifying and detailing the target problems, past attempts at solutions, possible ideal solutions, and short-term and long-term outcomes. The additional workshop is sponsored by the Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA) and Ergonomic Assist Systems and Equipment (EASE).

The best practices-ergo conference is scheduled from July 23-24 in Bloomington, Minn. Day one is at the Hilton Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport, followed by a half day at the Embassy Suites, which is within walking distance of the Hilton.

For more information, visit www.iienet.org/ergoretail.

Better operations in the bluegrass state

Engineering Lean and Six Sigma Conference decamps to Louisville, Ky.
Four keynote speakers have been announced for the Engineering Lean and Six Sigma Conference 2012, scheduled for Oct. 1-3 in Louisville, Ky.

The bluegrass state will be well-represented with speakers from two major universities. Glenn Uminger is Toyota Executive in Residence at the University of Kentucky and director of lean systems for Toyota Engineering and Manufacturing North America. And Brent Stucker is a professor of industrial engineering at the University of Louisville. The other two speakers are Mark Shirkness, general manager of distribution for GE Appliances, GE Consumer and Industrial; and Tejas Gandhi, assistant vice president of management engineering and lean at Virtua Health.

The conference, which will be held in the historic Seelbach Hilton, also features three facility tours, two pre-conference workshops and dozens of presentations.

One pre-conference workshop, “Building a Dream Team to Accelerate Your Lean Journey,” will be conducted by Joe Barto, founder and president of Training Modernization Group (TMG). The other, “VSM 2.0 – Using Mistake Proofing to Take Value Stream Mapping to the Next Level,” will be conducted by performance improvement coach and IE magazine columnist Kevin McManus of Great Systems! Both courses are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 1.

For more information, visit www.iienet.org/leansixsigma.com.