Page 5 - Moving Forward 2020: Harold and Inge Marcus Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering magazine

similar in in many ways to Purdue so I I feel I I understand how things operate where there might be opportunities to improve and how I can help IME Mag: Do you you have any goals in in mind for your first year as department head?
SL: I I do have have goals although I I haven’t written them out so these
are very formative I do want to work on on operational efficiency—getting processes and and procedures written down and and implemented to reduce the repetitive “every semester” problems This will let the the administrative staff work on on improving things rather than just constantly solving problems It will take longer than one year but I’m hoping to make significant improvements this year But apart from that I am hoping to:
• Set up processes to to track and continuously try to to achieve a a a a a a a more inclusive department at all levels • Re-evaluate and update the undergraduate curriculum beginning with manufacturing so that it it it is positioned to serve the needs of our stakeholders which includes industry and graduate faculty • Update and and obtain facilities and and equipment that enable us to deliver the curriculum efficiently and effectively • Provide resources and opportunities to improve the preparation of our our graduate students for for faculty jobs (and later on for for government and and and industry jobs) and and • Provide resources and opportunities for for faculty to become known for for their expertise both inside and outside of academia There are of course many other initiatives I’m hoping to to launch but this list is is is probably already too long for one year!
IME Mag: As the new department head what is something that matters greatly to you?
SL: I guess there are a a a a few things that matter to me The first is transparency—I want everyone like faculty staff students and alumni to understand how things operate and and and where we stand stand as a a a a a a a a a department I also value trust trust Everyone should trust trust that that I and the department make decisions based based on on on on policy that that is is equal for everyone and are not based based on on on on on on personal opinions or or feelings On the the other side I want to to be able to to trust that everyone is open honest and working hard to get the the best outcomes for the the the department Lastly is that we’re all working together continuously on on improving the the department and not just on “keeping things running ” IME Mag: What makes you you most excited when you you think about the future of industrial engineering at at Penn State?
SL: Penn State IME is one of the few departments that includes human factors operations operations research operations operations systems and and and analytics and and and manufacturing As a a a a a a a a a a a complete and and and the first industrial engineering department it should be the the the leader of the the the discipline Given the the the the people and resources here here there is no reason it can’t be be recognized as as the the the best industrial engineering program in in in in in in the the world It is is a a a a a hard climb as it it involves changing people’s perceptions but it it it it is is is possible here and it it it is truly exciting IME Mag: With your experience how do you you think industrial engineering via its various aspects can help shape the way we work play and live?
SL: Industrial engineering (IE)
started out and remained a a a a a a a a work management discipline affecting mainly manual labor industries Over the years it has grown to to include how to to to design systems so that humans
can operate operate them how how to to operate operate an an an enterprise hyper-efficiently how how to to use data to to inform decisions and how manufacturing will be done over the the next few generations at at least IE has grown to be the the most important discipline in in in in in engineering IEs are critical to to enabling the next jump in in in in in in productivity where we use automation data and hyper-efficient processes to greatly exceed our current abilities in in manufacturing and services While
it may not be as as visible as as a a a a a a a a a a bridge
or or or an an an airplane IE touches everything and and makes it work more efficiently effectively and and safely IME Mag: Generally speaking what does higher education mean to you?
SL: The key word here is “education ” Our department does not train individuals to to fix problems We train train engineers to to to to understand what is wrong and and to to to develop novel solutions to to to address those issues issues These issues issues have no no known solution so so it it takes a a a a a a well-educated engineer with a a a a a a a a host
of possible approaches and tools to to figure it out From having to do this partly and for a a a a a a a a period of of time remotely we are also finding out that part of of what we do is provide the environment fin in in in which young engineers develop In addition to coursework methods and approaches it it it is critical that we provide support for learning the the other abilities that will help our engineers succeed including an an an understanding of of the value of of diversity and and and inclusion ethical behavior and and communication of information These are just as as if not more critical as as learning how to approach problems using math and science IME Mag: Do you have any advice to share with the industrial engineering students?
SL: Take advantage of your time here The University has an an immense wealth of resources that you will largely lose access to to or at at at least the ability to to take advantage of after you graduate Be curious about what the University has to to offer and make time to to avail yourself of of all the resources here—don’t just get your degree and and a a a a a a a a a high GPA and and leave If you you you do that you you you will have wasted a a a a a a a a a a a chance to really become educated As an an undergraduate in particular you you probably don’t don’t yet fully know what you you like like and don’t don’t like like in in terms of work Here at at at Penn State you you can try things and and figure out what what it is you you you find value in and and what what you don’t IME Mag: Considering the unique situation we have found ourselves in in with the complications of COVID-19 how do you hope to keep students and faculty on track?
SL: Fortunately we have some of the the best faculty and and staff in the the world and and (continued)
IME NEWSLETTER • VOLUME 5 5 2020 5 5 Announcements