Message from the President
Dear IISE Construction Engineering & Management Division Members,
The world of Construction Engineering and Management is growing, with new approaches to solving problems each year. I recently had the opportunity to learn about new research including the construction of an off-road vehicle testing site being conducted by the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS) at Mississippi State University. The Proving Grounds, as it is called, is a 50-acre plot of land adjacent to campus that has multiple terrain and design features for testing mobility and autonomous testing. With trails of varying difficulty, the design and construction of the landscape allow for autonomous algorithms on the vehicles to make decisions when confronted with obstacles. This project will be the topic of one of the Division’s special sessions at this year’s annual conference. We are excited to hear more about the ground-breaking research being done with autonomous vehicles, along with the other great topics that will be presented at the conference.
As we continue to live with the COVID pandemic, there is a desire to reconnect and return to how things used to be. We hope to make the Construction E&M Division a place that can facilitate some of that reconnection, and the IISE Annual Conference is a great place to do that! Please feel free to reach out to me at ewall@cavse.msstate.edu, or any of the other committee members, if you wish to get involved.
Thanks,
Emily Wall, PhD, PE
President, Construction Engineering & Management Division
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Upcoming IISE Annual Conference and Expo
The IISE Annual Conference and Expo will be back in person in May 2022! We look forward to seeing you in Seattle, with opportunities to attend many wonderful sessions and also the Division’s Town Hall. If you are unable to attend in person, please consider the Digital Companion registration option for partial access to conference material. Remember that the early (least expensive) registration deadline is March 11, 2022.
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Board Member Highlight
James Warren is a Research Engineer at Mississippi State University’s Institute for Systems Engineering Research (ISER) and serves as a member of the IISE Construction Engineering and Management Division. Before joining ISER, James spent over 10 years as a Transportation Planner for the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT). At MDOT, he developed tools, software, and systems to produce cost estimates, analyze / model vehicular traffic, and prioritize infrastructure projects. During this time, James was also an Adjunct Instructor at Mississippi College. At ISER, James has continued to develop and refine cost-estimating software and procedures. Much of this work has been used by MDOT to guide decision analysis to prioritize surface treatments for roadways.
James has a B.S. in Mathematics from Mississippi College as well as an M.S. in Mathematics and a Master’s of Engineering from Mississippi State University. His educational background and work experience have allowed him to be involved in a wide range of projects. He is currently focused on three projects: a predictive analytics project for manufacturing, an audit of MDOT’s traffic-counting program, and a further development of cost-estimating software. James is excited to be a part of the IISE Construction Engineering and Management Division. He hopes to learn from other members as well as share his experiences.
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Message from the Editor
Hello, everybody!
A recent article from NPR discusses how construction engineers need to prepare buildings to withstand the impacts of more severe storms. This article (https://www.npr.org/2021/12/13/1063824365/civil-engineer-says-buildings-will-need-to-prepare-for-stronger-storms) discusses how recent severe storms in the United States have demonstrated the need for better-prepared buildings that can withstand severe-weather events. For example, planners could require buildings to meet higher standards when constructed, linking together the various structural components to diminish the change of damage or collapse. I look forward to seeing how the construction industry may adapt to protect buildings more effectively against severe-weather events in the coming decades.
The 2022 IISE Annual Conference and Expo is scheduled for May 21-24, 2022. Please make sure to register at the early-bird rate by March 11, 2022. We look forward to seeing work presented in the Construction Engineering and Management Track, and learning how such work can improve the current state of knowledge.
The Division Board is always looking for new members to participate. Please contact us to learn more about getting involved with the Division today!
Respectfully,
William Leonard
Newsletter Editor
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Call for Entries to Division Newsletter
Keep us in the loop about what’s happening in the world of construction engineering and management! Please share anything relevant to the Division that you think our readers should learn about. We are interested in applications of industrial and systems engineering to the construction industry, including construction design, value engineering, project management, engineering management, research, safety and ergonomics. Get in touch with William Leonard about any material you would like to see featured in the next Division newsletter.
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Media and Connect Information
Keep up with the Construction Engineering and Management Division on social media! We are on LinkedIn (IISE Construction Division) and Twitter (@IISEConstrDiv).
We’ll keep you updated about important deadlines for the next IISE Annual Conference (scheduled for May 21-24, 2022). Be sure to register at the reduced rate by March 11, 2022. Follow us to stay in the loop about IISE events, workshops, and activities, along with the latest news in industrial engineering and construction.
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