LaTech Engineers Win

Industrial Engineering Project Wins First Place At National Conference

HAYDEN SCAFF, A SENIOR STUDYING INDUSTRIAL Engineering at Louisiana Tech University, recently achieved first place alongside his team at the 2023 Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) Annual Conference and Expo. Their winning entry involved optimizing bus schedules for Lincoln Parish schools. Scaff presented the senior capstone research on behalf of his teammates, Wes Brady and Kosi Anadi, both hailing from Jackson, Louisiana, and Slidell, respectively. The presentation took place at the Global Finals of the Undergraduate Technical Paper Competition.

Scaff, who is currently interning as a continuous improvement engineer at Graphic Packaging in Monroe, emphasized the value of his team’s preparation for the College of Engineering and Science Design and Research Conference, which provided him with invaluable public speaking experience. He highlighted the unique opportunities Louisiana Tech offers its students to refine their presentation skills, stating that the Industrial Engineering and capstone curriculum pushes students out of their comfort zones, as effective oral communication is vital for industrial engineers.

In addition to Scaff and his team, five other members of Louisiana Tech’s Industrial Engineering program also attended the conference. Ana Moscoso, a senior from Santa Cruz, Bolivia, served as the chair for the “Future of Work and Human Factors” session. Moscoso presented research on “Evaluating Cognitive Load Assistance System in an Industry 5.0 Environment,” which she co-developed with Dana Hamarsheh from Dayton, Ohio, and Associate Professor Dr. Mary Fendley.

Moscoso emphasized that Louisiana Tech’s Industrial Engineering program encourages students to engage in research projects and provides opportunities to attend events like the IISE Annual Conference, enabling them to expand their professional network and prepare for their post-college careers. She expressed gratitude toward the faculty and the IISE student organization for their unwavering support, including answering questions and providing necessary resources to help students excel.

Dr. Jun-Ing Ker, the Program Chair, led the Experiential Learning in Engineering Education session and presented a paper titled “Learning with the Pump: Freshmen to Seniors,” co-authored by Dr. Fendley. Additionally, Kristen Steelman, a senior from Sherwood, Arkansas, Senior Lecturer Dr. John Easley, and Lecturer of Industrial Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Statistics Dr. Jason Howell also attended the conference.