A Second Golden Age | History | NC State ISE
A Second Golden Age
The following departmental history was written using the research presented by Clarence Smith, ISE assistant department head, at the department’s 75th Anniversary Celebration held November 3, 2006. This history is based on previous works prepared by former department heads Robert Carson and Cliff Anderson, as well as research conducted in the University Archives of the DH Hill Library. Information has also been acquired from the College of Engineering to help provide greater context. The latest information was added by ISE Communications with assistance from Paul Cohen and Julie Swann.
Explosive growth
1973
Anderson steps down
The headship of Cliff Anderson ends after 16 years as Department Head is the longest tenure in our department’s history.
William Smith
William Smith becomes the Department Head of Industrial Engineering, having previously served on the faculty at Lehigh University.
1974
Furniture gets funding
The Furniture R&D Applications Institute, headed by IE professor Anco Prak, is funded by the National Science Foundation.
1975
A New IIE President
William Smith becomes the 1975-1976 National President of IIE.
1976
A Final Act
One of Smith’s final acts as President is presenting the IIE Fellow Award to John Canada.
1977
record numbers
A record number of BSFMM degrees are awarded (29 in total).
record Growth
Graduate program enrollment hit 50 for the first time.
C.A. Anderson Outstanding IE Faculty Award
The first C.A. Anderson Outstanding IE Faculty Award, established by the undergraduate students in IIE, ΑΠΜ and the Furniture Club, was given to Jim Tompkins.
1979
FMM REACHES AN ALL-TIME HIGH
FMM degree program enrollment peaks at 92 students.
Darrell Rice
Darrell Rice replaces Haywood Burnette as Park Shops Lab Manager.
IE Department Plan for the 80s
1980
IE 50th Anniversary
A 50th Anniversary Convocation of industry, academic and student leaders is held in August, resulting in a strategic plan entitled “IE Department Plan for the 80s.”
IIE REgion III & Iv Student Conference
Our undergraduate student chapter of IIE hosted the IIE Region III & IV Student Conference on the NC State campus for the first time.
1981
The big three-double-o
IE undergrad enrollment climbs rapidly, hitting 300 students.
1982
Accelerated Growth
IE undergraduate enrollment continues accelerating, hitting 470 – 170 more than the previous year!
Smith Departs
Bill Smith steps down as department head.
Canada Takes the lead
John Canada serves as acting head after Smith steps down.
1983
Thom Hodgson
Thom Hodgson replaces Canada as the new Head of the Industrial Engineering Department.
Birth of IMSEI
Hodgson, working with Associate Dean of Engineering Carl Zorowski, initiates the Integrated Manufacturing Systems Engineering Institute (IMSEI) graduate program.
Enrollment Peaks
Undergraduate Enrollment peaks at an all-time high of 535!
1985
Graduates surpass 100
The total number of students receiving the BSIE degree tops 100 for the first time. 122 BSIE degrees are awarded.
Kathy Rau
Kathy Rau earned the first-ever College of Engineering Faculty Senior Scholar Award, recognizing her as the most outstanding rising senior in engineering.
1986
Most Outstanding Chapter
IIE student chapter earns IIE’s “Most Outstanding Chapter” award after 6th, 4th, and 2nd place finishes over the previous three years.
1989
One Hundred and fifty
All degrees granted by the department in one year surpassed 150, an amount not realized before or since.
1990
Stephen Roberts
Stephen Roberts is named IE Department Head at NC State after serving several years on the faculty at Purdue University,
1991
Furniture Manufacturing and Management Center
The Furniture Manufacturing and Management Center is established with Tom Culbreth as Director.
1993
BSIE, Furniture Manufacturing track
The BSFMM degree is replaced with the BSIE, Furniture Manufacturing track.
Paul Bottoms was awarded the first BSIE, FM degree.
Graduate Numbers Climb
IE graduate enrollment topped 100 for the first time.
Wilbur Meier
Wilbur Meier joins the IE faculty full-time after serving as NC State’s Dean of Engineering for two years.
1994
The Ergo Center
the Ergonomics Center of North Carolina was formed in cooperation with the North Carolina Department of Labor with Mahmoud Ayoub as Director.
1996
Distance Education.com
Former ISE Associate Head Gary Mirka taught the state’s first online, real-time, Internet-based, distance education class to the University of North Carolina at Asheville students.
1999
Jim Wilson gets “promoted”
Jim Wilson becomes Department Head. He is the first department head to be “promoted” into the position, joining the IE faculty in 1991.
Onto a Brave New Millennium!
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