In addition, the offering of short courses and targeted workshops at various sites throughout the state is pursued. The ability of the faculty and students in understanding and integrating the engineering and the business aspects of an enterprise gives the department a unique advantage over all other engineering disciplines in working with both small and large organizations to enhance productivity and competitiveness. Government agencies and laboratories are frequently engaged in projects for which expertise in industrial and systems engineering can play significant roles. The department aggressively seeks out opportunities to collaborate with state and federal government agencies and laboratories on problems relevant to the department. We see industrial outreach as a partnership that keeps the department connected to the application world.
Industrial partnerships benefit the department by providing access to industrial relevant problems.
This way the faculty and the students are regularly refreshed and given the opportunity to work on challenging and stimulating problems. The experience gained in working on industrial problems is imported to the classroom through instructions, projects, and case studies to enhance students' learning and connection to the real world. Industrial partnerships also helps the faculty and students to gain access to new technologies available in industry and provide an opportunity to leverage on our laboratory resources. Personnel exchange between the department and industry continues to receive emphasis. Having industry practitioners get involved in teaching and interacting with students is seen to contribute to students' learning and broadens their understanding of the field.