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Focus - IE magazine July 2010 

A sense of accomplishment 

Professionals and students wined and dined at the honors and awards dinner in June, a highlight of the IIE Annual Conference and Expo 2010. Click to read the list of researchers and industry leaders who were recognized at the event.

FAA Design Competition 2011 

FAA sponsors airport design competition 

The Federal Aviation Administration is again sponsoring an airport design contest for universities. Deadline for entries is April 15, 2011.

Georgia Tech tops 'Best Colleges' list again

Georgia Tech tops 'Best Colleges' list again 

U.S. News and World Report named Georgia Tech the top engineering specialty school for industrial/manufacturing for 2010.

Ex-officer of IIE Hong Kong chapter dies a hero 

Kenneth Leung, a former secretary and treasurer for the Institute of Industrial Engineers’ Hong Kong chapter, died Aug. 23 while trying to shield his wife and others from a hostage taker’s bullets in Manila, according to colleagues and news reports.

Esteemed Georgia Tech professor dies 

Harrison Wadsworth Jr., a former industrial engineering professor and statistician in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech, died Aug. 3 in Atlanta at age 85. He was a member of IIE for 58 years.

CNNMoney.com: GM posts profit, CEO Whitacre to retire 

On Aug. 12, 2010, CNN reported that General Motors CEO and industrial engineer Ed Whitacre will retire effective Sept. 1, following reports of a $1.3 billion profit for the automaker in the second quarter.

ABCNews.com: Obama signs help for manufacturers into law 

According to an Aug. 11, 2010, report by ABC News, President Barack Obama signed into law The Manufacturing Enhancement Act of 2010, which will will reduce or suspend some tariffs that American companies must pay to import certain materials to manufacture their products.

Web exclusive Prehistoric reverse engineering brings dinosaur bones to life 

With only few bones to use work with, an IIE fellow at the University of Oklahoma is helping paleontologists develop three-dimensional models of a juvenile apatosaurus.

Summer camp gift aims to inspire new skilled manufacturing workers 

The CNA Foundation has contributed $15,000 to Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs (NBT), the foundation of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association International, for grants to community and technical colleges that offer young people an opportunity to learn more about careers in manufacturing and engineering.

Yahoo.com: Manufacturing cools in June as recovery slows 

According to a July 15, 2010, story from The Associated Press story posted on Yahoo.com, a government report reveals that manufacturing factory output fell in the month of June, which critics say has created a mixed picture about economic recovery in the U.S.

OUDaily.com: Camp encourages gender diversity in engineering

According to a June 24, 2010, story in The Oklahoma Daily online, the University of Oklahoma's College of Engineering held an all-girl engineering camp to inspire girls to become involved in the field.

FOCUS: L.A. traffic congestion conquered 

A team of students from a Los Angeles school may have the transportation design answers for reducing the carbon footprint made by traffic congestion within the metro L.A. area. And their efforts have been recognized with the IIE-sponsored Excellence in Systems Integration award at the Future City Competition, which took place during February’s National Engineers Week in Washington, D.C.

Engineering students race to simulate, create motorcycle for competition

A group of students and engineers from a university in Spain are discovering the inner workings of motorcycle design and production for an international engineering competition taking place in October.

Popsci.com: A fish-friendly tidal turbine

Read about 77-year-old industrial engineer W. Scott Anderson's new invention, the ECO-Auger, which accesses tidal energy without harming marine life, in a May 20, 2010, article published by Popular Science.

Emerging Technologies: Sunlight equals power 

Jessica Jeppsson reviews two of the latest products in solar energy technology that can help power everyday tools that IEs rely on most.

Research: Inventory commitment and manufacturing performance 

Professors Kwan E. Wee and Maqbool Dada have developed a model to manage component commonality by deferring inventory commitment.

HealthGrades study: Patient safety incidents at U.S. hospitals remain unchanged, costly

A study released in March 2010 by HealthGrades, an independent healthcare ratings organization, says the rate of patient safety incidents at U.S. hospitals showed no decline in 2009 for the fourth consecutive year, but costs have totaled almost $9 billion.

BusinessWeek.com: Ed Whitacre's Battle to Save GM from Itself 

This April 29, 2010, story from BusinessWeek.com looks at General Motors CEO Ed Whitacre's roadmap for the automaker's fiscal and public image recovery. 

Holliday elected Bank of America board chairman

According to a news release on April 28, 2010, Former DuPont CEO Chad Holliday has been elected to succeed Walter Massey as chairman of the board of directors for Bank of America.

MSNBC.com: Hundreds of suppliers, one Boeing 737 airplane 

An April 28, 2010, story from MSNBC.com examines the impact lean manufacturing has has on jet production at Boeing as well as the numerous suppliers whose parts are found on Boeing airplanes.

CNNMoney.com: GM pays off its bailout loans

According to an April 21, 2010, story on CNNMoney.com, General Motors CEO Ed Whitacre declares that the automaker has made a final payment of $5.8 billion to the U.S. and Canadian governments, paying off the last of its $6.7 billion in loans.

GazetteTimes.com: Hospital hires efficiency expert 

A March 29, 2010, feature from Oregon-based Gazette-Times profiles a 2009 industrial engineering graduate from Oregon State University and her interests in improving processes at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center.

HeraldNet.com: 767 line to become leaner and quicker 

Industrial engineer Cherlyn Hernandez has her work cut out for her in designing a new assembly line of the Boeing 767 without stopping production, according to this March 28, 2010, story from The Herald in Everett, Wash.

NYTimes.com: Sharing space with Michael Massimino

Michael Massimino, IE and astronaut, can add movie star to his credentials. In a video interview with The New York Times, Massimino discusses his 2009 Hubble space mission and his work on the documentary film, "Hubble 3D."

New journal for better enterprises 

IIE is launching a new quarterly journal titled The Journal of Enterprise Transformation, a joint publication with the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) and the Lean Advancement Initiative at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Deadline for paper submissions is May 1.

Yahoo.com: College grads: Which ones earn the most? 

How much can industrial engineering undergraduates earn once they finish college? According to a 2009 College Salary Report, the major ranks No. 9 in the top 10 highest-earning degrees.

Research: Predicting the length of a surgical procedure

A University of Toledo doctor and a professor-student team from Texas A&M University address the problem of estimating lengths for medical surgery.

FOCUS: The benefits of flying high 

Melody Ablola, a logistics consultant for Arup in London, is IIE's pick for the New Faces of Engineering 2010. Also, read the first details about the Lean Six Sigma Solutions Conference.

WSJ.com: Adherents defend the Toyota 'way'

A Feb. 26, 2010, article from The Wall Street Journal discusses new questions raised about Toyota's business principles in light of the company's recalls and quality problems linger.

Economist.com: The machine that ran too hot

In a story published by The Economist on Feb. 25, 2010, experts comment on how Toyota's competitors are absorbing much of the damage done by recent recalls because many of them model their own production systems after the Toyota Production System.

Reuters.com: Wal-Mart to cut emissions from supply chain 

According to a Feb. 25, 2010, story from Reuters, Wal-Mart Inc. has announced plans to eliminate 20 million metric tons of greenhouse gas from its supply chain by the end of 2015. IE and Wal-Mart CEO Mike Duke said the effort would cut energy use, which in turn would mean lower costs for Wal-Mart and lower prices.

CNN.com: Toyota recall: What took so long?

According to a Feb. 24, 2010, story published on CNN.com, Toyota president Akio Toyoda acknowledged in a hearing before U.S. lawmakers that the company had made mistakes and repeatedly apologized for the recent lapses in quality control.

SFGate.com: Injuries evolve along with new gadgets

Are you reading this on your Blackberry or iPhone? A Feb. 2, 2010, story published by the San Francisco Chronicle discusses the pain in the neck and back that using new media devices can cause for users.

Web Exclusive Learning from ANTS

Ant colony optimization (ACO) is the newest and most intriguing management modeling technique. Read more about the future applications of ACO.

Web Exclusive Designing better performance (extended)

In an extended version of a feature from the February 2010 issue of Industrial Engineer magazine, healthcare organizations are at a critical crossroads in terms of performance, growth and survival. Read more about design criteria and projects for healthcare facilities.

FOCUS: SHS co-founder retires 

Vinod Sahney, senior vice president and chief strategy officer for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachussetts, will retire Feb. 1. Sahney helped found the Society for Health Systems in 1987.

Manufacturing in 2010 

There are no magic bullets for reinvigorating the U.S. maunfacturing sector. But in the cover story from the January 2010 issue of Industrial Engineer, there are signs and suggestions - "Back to the USA," for example - that could enable the industry to overcome larger economic hurdles.

NYTimes.com: Rapid growth has its perils, Toyota learns 

In a Jan. 27, 2010, article by The New York Times, Toyota may be in danger of losing its bragging rights within the automobile industry after multiple recalls of several million cars it has manufactured and sold around the world. Will Toyota's competitors swoop in to take advantage of its suddenly damaged reputation for quality in its cars and trucks?

AP: Ed Whitacre named permanent CEO of GM 

According to a Jan. 25, 2010, report by The Associated Press, Ed Whitacre will drop "interim" from his title and stay on with troubled automaker General Motors as its permanent CEO. Whitacre, 68, is a former CEO of telecommunications giant AT&T Inc.

OUDaily.com: Student named Miss Kansas 

From a Jan. 20 story in The Oklahoma Daily, Bethany Gerber - a junior majoring in industrial engineering - has recently been named Miss Kansas and will move on to compete in the Miss USA pageant. Read more about how the University of Oklahoma's industrial engineering program took her across the state border.

WALA-TV: Gulf Power president receives high honor 

According to an online story posted Jan. 20 by WALA-TV (Southwest Florida, South Alabama), Gulf Power President and CEO Susan Story, an Auburn graduate and native Alabamian, is being inducted into the State of Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame honors individuals with outstanding accomplishments in the field of engineering who have significantly contributed to the betterment of their communities.

Web Exclusive Expert analysis

Member Forum columnist Michael Maddox discusses his role as an expert witness. "Expert witnesses are the opposite of advocates. Our job is to analyze objectively and elucidate the technical issues in a case. While we usually work for one side or the other (plaintiff or defendant), our job is not to help the lawyer for whom we work. Our job is to explain certain issues to the court."

CNNMoney.com: GM CEO promises profit for taxpayers 

According to a Jan. 11 report from CNN, General Motors Chairman and Interim CEO Ed Whitacre promised Monday that taxpayers will make a profit on the $50 billion that the U.S. Treasury has sunk into the company over the past 13 months.

AJC.com: Wal-Mart CEO's journey began in Georgia 

In a Dec. 26, 2009, profile story from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Wal-Mart CEO Mike Duke opens up about a career that began when his high school physics teachers told him in 1967 to major in industrial engineering and work in the service industry, "the future of opportunity in America."

Managing demand volatility

Businesses can't afford to view the recent economic recession as a part of a regular fiscal cycle. If a company were to continue operating within its own status quo, then it could be ruining the opportunity for benefits after the economy rebounds.

FOCUS: Cast your ballot

Read more information about the candidates for IIE's Board of Trustees 2010-2011. Online voting polls close at midnight Feb. 5.

Research: Can flexibility be constraining? 

Can flexibility facilitate responses to process changes? Three researchers analyze the positive and negative effects of flexibility.

FOCUS: Rewarding ergonomics

Keynote speakers for AEC 2010 will include Ian Noy, vice president of Liberty Mutual Group, and Guy Fragala, nationally renowned ergonomics author and expert.

Cecil Gray Johnson, IYSE professor emeritus at Georgia Tech, dies 

Cecil Gray Johnson, ISyE professor emeritus at Georgia Tech and Holzman Distinguished Educator Award winner, died Oct. 25.

Red noses preferred 

It may not be the season yet, but Rudolph has been spotted at offices everywhere. In fact, based on the premise of Cyndi Laurin and Craig Morningstar’s book, The Rudolph Factor, you could be the next Rudolph.

Web exclusive Ultimate construction 

What makes a responsible site selection? What’s on the red list of materials? And what fosters beauty and spirit?

FOCUS: World of engineering 

IEs from the Twin Cities Chapter will teach young girls about different fields of engineering this November. Also, read about upcoming conferences and new Web features from IIE.

Now accepting papers for new healthcare systems engineering journal 

Beginning in March 2010, Taylor & Francis Publishers will publish a quarterly journal of the Institute of Industrial Engineers featuring original high-quality papers on healthcare-related topics of interest for researchers who want to remain current with cutting edge approaches to healthcare problems.

Systems engineer tops Money Magazine's top 50 jobs in America 2009 

Money Magazine and PayScale.com surveyed the best jobs in America and found systems engineer to be the No. 1 job on the list with a potential 10-year field growth of 45 percent. Other IE-related jobs made the Top 50 list as well, including quality control engineer, quality assurance manager and manufacturing engineer.

Research: Incorporating prior knowledge into aviation security screening 

Three academics from the University of Houston explored using Bayesian analysis - which incorporates prior knowledge with present data into statistical analysis - in designing and evaluating aviation security systems.

Web exclusive Material handling becomes green resource 

With new innovations in green technology in the material handling industry, businesses are now able to conserve energy and save money while increasing productivity.

Web exclusive An OEM backs environmental leadership

Flextronics explains its five-pillar Environmental Leadership Program, which is designed to meet new global environmental regulations while creating value that increases customer competitiveness.

Evaluation day 

Measuring office ergonomics training can show impact.

An IE in space 

Astronaut Mike Massimino reaches out from the Hubble telescope servicing mission on Twitter.

For what it's worth

The most recent PayScale Salary Survey placed industrial engineering within the top 10 college majors that lead to high salaries. Industrial engineering earned the ninth spot while computer science and environmental engineering ranked eighth and 10th respectively.

Veterans healthcare to get an injection of IE

Quality and performance will be the focal point of an alliance designed to improve the care of approximately 1.2 million U.S. veterans.

YouTube for the manufacturing line 

Video, used intelligently based on the recent advances in miniaturization of equipment and files, can lead to improvements in the double-digit percentage range, with full participation and buy-in of employees.

Industrial engineering boost

In his book, Great Jobs in the President’s Stimulus Plan, occupational expert Lawrence Shatkin asserts that industrial engineering is one of 15 professions that will benefit from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Seven lessons for leading in crisis

Read best-selling author Bill George's seven lessons for leading organizations through major crises.

Plight of the Detroit Three

Scenario: An auto-industry symposium is to end with a lively panel discussion labeled, “Plight of the Detroit Three.” The panelists are a free-enterprise economist, a car-industry insider and an industrial management researcher. The economist goes first.

Vital healthcare information

Applying manufacturing principles to the health care industry.

 
       
 
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