The Society for Engineering and Management Systems (SEMS) is the society within the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) that supports IISE members as they seek to advance the state of engineering management practice and research. Besides advanced engineering skills, SEMS stimulates discussion and knowledge exchange related to management domains that are critical to advance your career, whether as an academic or a practitioner. 

Mission

Our mission is to research, develop, and promote engineering & management systems and processes that support organizational transformation, increase competitiveness, improve sustainability, and social responsibility. 

Vision

Advance the visibility, engagement, and impact of SEMS within IISE and the broader engineering management community by fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and professional development. 

This newsletter contains:

1. Society’s Board Members
2. Vision 2025–2026
3. IISE 2025 Highlights
4. Our Sponsors
5. SEMS Student Member Spotlight
6. Share Your Story in the SEMS Newsletter and LinkedIn!
7. Stay Connected with SEMS

IISE 2025 Highlights - SEMS Award Winners

Second Place

Congratulations to Rumena Began of the University of Louisville for the prize winning paper "Human-Machine Teaming Function Allocation: A Systematic Review."

Third Place

Congratulations to Neal Wilkinson of Oregon State University for the prize winning paper "Systemic Interactions of Employees and Organizations: The Management and Career Agency Mismatch."

Congratulations to Hongrui Liu, Miral Varotaria, and Ayca Erdogan of San Jose State University for their prize winning paper “Strategic Resource Allocation in Construction through Critical Path Analysis and LP Programming”​

A huge thank you to our sponsors for their generous support during the 2024–2025 year. Your contributions have made a meaningful impact on our initiatives, events, and community growth. We deeply appreciate your partnership in advancing the mission of SEMS.

Rumena Began is a recent SEMS member. She is a PhD Candidate and Graduate Research Assistant at the University of Louisville. Rumena has been a member of SEMS since 2025. Her LinkedIn profile can be found at  linkedin.com/in/rumena268.

🔬 What are you currently working on?

I focus on human-machine teaming, virtual reality, smart systems, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Currently, my research involves analyzing physiological data, including electrodermal activity, heart rate, and temperature, along with eye-tracking data to model and design intelligent, human-centered systems aimed at adaptive function allocation and enhancing human-machine collaboration and decision-making.

🌍 Why does your work matter?

This work is crucial for advancing human-machine collaboration in real-world applications, such as healthcare, manufacturing, and transportation. Such intelligent systems that respond to human physiological and cognitive states will improve safety, efficiency, and decision-making. The interdisciplinary nature of this research bridges AI, human factors, and system design.

🔄 How can your work or experience apply to other fields or industries?

This research offers transferable methods in human-centered design, machine learning, and physiological data analysis. These approaches can be applied across industries like healthcare, robotics, automotive, and smart cities, enhancing human-machine interaction, decision-making, and system adaptability in diverse environments.

💬 What advice would you give to others in this field?

Embrace interdisciplinary collaboration and integrate AI with human-centered design. As future engineering managers, they focus on optimizing both technical and team dynamics. Cultivate adaptability and problem-solving skills to lead successful projects and drive innovation in dynamic environments.

📚 Any learning or career resources you’d recommend?

I recommend the "Artificial Intelligence for Robotics" course by Georgia Tech on Udacity for hands-on AI applications in engineering. For a broader perspective, "Designing Data-Intensive Applications" by Martin Kleppmann is excellent for understanding system design and data handling.

Captain Sven Vanhengel is Squadron Commander F-16 Maintenance & a PhD Candidate of Applied Economics at Ghent University & Royal Military Academy & 10^th Tactical Wing Kleine Brogel. Sven has been a member of SEMS since 2025. His LinkedIn profile can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sven-v-a5a728176/.

🔬 What are you currently working on?

I am currently finalizing my PhD, in which I developed and validated the first measurement scale for Organizational Change Capability for public organizations. In parallel, I serve as the commander of an F-16 maintenance squadron responsible for preparing the transition to the F-35. This dual role allows me to directly connect theory and practice, offering a unique perspective on organizational change in high-reliability, public-sector environments.

🌍 Why does your work matter?

My research demonstrates how structured, data-driven diagnostics significantly enhance the success rate of organizational change initiatives. Our validated Organizational Change Capability Scale for Public Organizations provides public managers with an evidence-based compass, enabling them to systematically assess their organization's change capability, pinpoint critical gaps, and effectively steer their initiatives toward sustained success.

🔄 How can your work or experience apply to other fields or industries?

Any sector facing change can utilize the OCC survey to collect structured data, analyze the component scores, and prioritize targeted interventions, much like conducting a systematic audit. However, context matters, so slight OCC scale adaptations are essential.

💬 What advice would you give to others in this field?

Don’t take references to seminal works for granted; dig deep into foundational sources and read them carefully. It’s genuinely enlightening to discover how original meanings evolve or become distorted over generations of citations. The same rigor applies to fieldwork: immerse yourself fully, build genuine connections, and remain consistently present. Only then will rich qualitative insights truly emerge. Both require dedicated time, patience, and effort.

📚 Any learning or career resources you’d recommend?

I highly recommend reading the book Six Batteries of Change by Peter De Prins, Geert Letens, and Kurt Verweire (2017), and reflecting on its practical relevance to your current or future role. It offers invaluable insights and serves as an essential resource for any manager, commander, or leader navigating organizational change.

SEMS is now accepting submissions for upcoming editions of our newsletter and LinkedIn updates! We’re looking to highlight the great work being done by our members in the areas of engineering management, systems thinking, and impactful innovations across academia and industry.

Whether it’s a research breakthrough, a real-world application, a teaching innovation, or a community initiative, we want to hear from you!

Your contribution may be featured in one of our spotlight sections: 

• Research in Action
• From Practice to Impact
• Teaching & Outreach Highlights

To contribute, please send us the following:

1. A short write-up (approx. 200 words) in plain language, accessible to a broad audience
2. A high-quality image to accompany your story
3. A link to more information (if available), such as a project webpage or publication

Please send your submissions to Dr. Amir Momenipour at

momenipo@rose-hulman.edu.

We look forward to showcasing your work with the SEMS community!