Change is upon us again as we say thank you to Stuart Nisbet for his leadership, and I assume the chair role of the Advisory Board. We also give a big thanks to our departing members and welcome new members to the Board. We seek to keep a relevant mix of experience and diversity in our board membership to help Dr. Swann maintain and improve the quality of the ISE program we all expect at NC State.
I am a fan of embracing change. It goes back to the core of my industrial engineering education. “Change” is all around us and I believe the ISE skills we learned in the program help us in many facets of our work and personal life. We have been called many things, change engineers, productivity engineers, efficiency experts, logistics experts, production managers, manufacturing engineers, presidents and CEOs.
“Change” today in the workplace, in education and in society seems to be speeding up day by day. The impact of artificial intelligence, process digitization, advanced manufacturing, climate change/risk, changes in global supply chains and others lead to complex problems that require the breadth of the ISE competencies to address. This is a time of opportunity for ISEs!
At NC State, I believe the department is taking key steps to maintain a highly sought-after program. The fantastic facility we now have at Fitts-Woolard Hall, the Center for Additive Manufacturing and Logistics, and the degrees offered, including the interdisciplinary programs and degrees, put NC State in a position of strength. We have expanded offerings and added to our outstanding faculty recently to build on our advantages, such as evidenced by the Masters in Engineering Management and adding sustainability expertise. Thanks to many of you for your philanthropic support.
ISE alums have vital skills to contribute to our changing world, societies and enterprises positively. All ISE alums have relevant experience to share with students and faculty. I encourage active engagement with the department and students to ensure NC State ISE remains one of the top ISE schools in the country. The Board and the Department appreciate your support.
GO PACK!
Jeff Johnson, BSIE 1978