Students shape the future of UC's Industrial & Systems Engineering Program

Phoebe Ting is an Industrial and Systems Engineering student at UC. Photo/Provided

Like many up-and-coming engineers, Ting's affinity for math and science sparked her initial curiosity for engineering. In grade school, she preferred a math equation over a written essay any day, and she excelled in her STEM classes.

"I knew I wanted to do some kind of engineering in college, but I also had a lot if interest in business," she said. "I was really involved in a business club in high school and wasn't ready to give that up."

She learned about industrial engineering at the local state college outside Boston where she grew up. Ting was looking at available majors and upon reading the description of industrial engineering discovered it was everything she wanted to do. Combining principles of business, engineering and a focus on efficiency and optimization, it checked every box for Ting.

The interdisciplinary nature of an industrial engineering degree opens the door to a range of career possibilities for students. This was both appealing and intimidating, she said.

Co-op gives Phoebe Ting the opportunity to explore Industrial and Systems Engineering in a hands-on way. Photo/Provided

"I wasn't sure what path to take with my industrial engineering degree, so co-op was really appealing to me because I could get real-life experience and find out what I like, and don't like, in the industry before graduating," she said.

Through co-op, UC engineering students alternate semesters in the classroom with semesters in the field doing real, paid, full-time engineering work. For an out-of-state student like Ting, the benefits of co-op are two-fold. Not only is she able to get engineering experience, but she is also able to make an income to help with her tuition costs.

Her first time on campus was at an admitted student event with CEAS, where she attended a major-specific information session. Because the ISE program was new, she recalls it being only herself, her parents, the head of the MMIE Department, and the ISE program director in the room. Ting impressed them with her knowledge of the field. Many students, both then and now, don't have a clear picture of what industrial engineering is and what the degree offers.

Karl Zimmer is an associate professor of practice in Industrial and Systems Engineering. Photo/CEAS Marketing + Communications

They spent the semester working on things like proposed curriculum updates, interviewing alumni (UC used to have an industrial engineering program), and brainstorming marketing content, to name a few. Among the first to navigate this new program, Ting and her cohort are in a unique position to provide feedback to college and department leadership on how the program could further benefit students.

"Currently, the program is primarily a mix of mechanical engineering and computer science," Ting said. "We are trying to make the curriculum more ISE specific."

"ISE is on the forefront of many of the latest initiatives in the world of business and engineering, and we are leveraging our students' co-op experiences to truly drive continuous improvement in the program," Zimmer said. "Together with our committed faculty engaged in cutting-edge research, we are putting all the pieces together to ensure our students are ready to excel in their careers post-graduation."

Ting shared after completing a few semesters of coursework and a few semesters on co-op, students had a better grasp of what they wanted the program to include. Things like supply chain, data analytics, and construction management are topics the students would like to see implemented into the program. Ting is also part of the Industrial and Systems Engineering Student Association (ISESA), a student organization that provides a point of connection for these students outside of the classroom.

Throughout the semester, ISESA hosts meetings that range from fun activities like bingo to networking events featuring industrial engineers who share their career experience with the students.

"ISESA is a really great group. We all want each other to succeed in this small major that we have, so it's a really supportive environment," Ting said.

After she graduates, Ting is excited to use her ISE degree to work in that space where business and engineering overlap. She hopes to utilize her final two co-op positions to dive deeper into what ISE has to offer and get experience in supply chain and logistics.

Industrial engineers can do a lot of things. Mainly, they focus on optimizing, improving, and implementing systems of all kinds.

Currently, the curriculum contains mechanical engineering classes, computer science classes, and electives.

Students can work across many industries including construction, mechanical engineering, healthcare, manufacturing, etc. Anywhere there are systems!