Source: Bradley Kramer, 785-532-5606, bradleyk@k-state.edu
Hometown connection: Westmoreland
News release prepared by: Tina Long, 785-532-3720, tinal@k-state.edu
Monday, May 21, 2012
Industrial engineering show-offs: Research by three graduate students being presented at national industrial engineering conference
MANHATTAN -- Three Kansas State University industrial and manufacturing systems engineering graduate students will present their research at the annual conference and expo of the Institute of Industrial Engineers, May 19-23, in Orlando, Fla.
May 2012 master's graduate Brian Moore, Westmoreland, will present his research on the impact of decentralized decision-making on the access to cholera treatment in Haiti. He conducted the work under the supervision of Jessica Heier Stamm, assistant professor of industrial and manufacturing systems engineering. In many humanitarian and public health settings, multiple organizations act independently to locate facilities to serve an affected population. As a result of this decentralized decision-making environment, individuals' access to facility resources may suffer in comparison to a hypothetical system in which a single planner locates the facilities to optimize access for all. Using integer programming models, Moore and Heier Stamm and were able to identify optimized locations for adequate and more equitable access to cholera care in Port-au-Prince and throughout Haiti. They said their research demonstrates the usefulness and feasibility of using a dynamic, rolling-horizon framework to optimize facility location decisions over time, which could be implemented in response to future humanitarian or public health responses.
Doctoral student Mohammed Obeidat, Jordan, will present his paper "Implementing Lean Manufacturing in the Sewing Industry." Lean manufacturing has been adopted in a number of industries, including electronics, automotive and consumer products manufacturing. Several industries, including sewing, have questioned the applicability of lean manufacturing principles to their industry. Obeidat's research is focused on extending the scope of lean application through its implementation in a sewing factory. His research showed that lean techniques resulted in a reduction of 96 percent in production wastes and a 43 percent reduction in lead time. Obeidat's research was supervised by Z.J. Pei, professor of industrial and manufacturing systems engineering, and Raid Al-Aomar, Abu Dhabi University.
Doctoral student ZhenZhen Shi, China, working with David Ben-Arieh, professor of industrial and manufacturing systems engineering, and Chih-Hang "John" Wu, associate professor of industrial and manufacturing systems engineering, has developed a seven-equation system dynamics mathematical model and multi-agent based model that simulate the basic components of innate immune response of acute inflammatory response and the potential development of sepsis or septic shock through the human body at a cellular level. The aim of this research is to develop an assessment tool that medical staff can use to predict outcomes or risk by comparing a series of simulated prognostic indicators with the actual patient's status. Shi's research validated that the simulated behaviors of multi-agent based models conform to traditional experiment results.
"I'm proud of the research contributions our graduate students are making to the university, industry and society," said Bradley Kramer, head of Kansas State University's department of industrial and manufacturing systems engineering. "Their work elevates not only our department and the field of industrial engineering, but also is an important element in their professional development."
The Institute of Industrial Engineers is the world's largest professional society dedicated solely to the support of the industrial engineering profession and individuals involved with improving quality and productivity. Founded in 1948, the institute is an international, nonprofit association that provides leadership for the application, education, training, research and development of industrial engineering.
