Faculty and students from the Wm. Michael Barnes ’64 Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISEN) at Texas A&M University were honored with multiple awards at the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) Annual Conference and Expo 2025 in early June, highlighting the department’s ongoing efforts to cultivate research and academic success.
Dr. Amarnath Banerjee, professor and associate department head for undergraduate affairs in ISEN, received the 2025 Innovations in Education Award in recognition of his leadership in developing the Bachelor of Science in Data Engineering (DAEN) program. The award highlights innovative curriculum design and its impact on national-level engineering education.
“It was great that the new DAEN program was being recognized at the national level,” Banerjee said. “It certainly provides a lot of exposure to our peers and students. The award was a recognition of the superb job that the DAEN Task Force did in planning and developing the new curriculum.”
In addition to celebrating individual accomplishments and interacting with students, the department further strengthened its visibility within the industrial engineering community by sponsoring the Frank and Lillian Gilbreth Industrial Engineering Award, the highest honor presented by IISE, reaffirming the department’s commitment to advancing the field.
The department’s presence at the conference extended beyond awards. The department’s IISE student chapter hosted time management workshops designed to support professional development for attendees, showcasing the chapter’s leadership in peer-to-peer engagement. ISEN’s five capstone competition winners attended the conference, gaining valuable exposure and networking opportunities with industry and academic leaders.
Ph.D. candidate Jiahui Ye was also recognized for research excellence, winning the Quality Control and Reliability Engineering (QCRE) Division Best Student Poster Competition and being named a finalist for the Manufacturing and Design (M&D) Best Track Paper Award.
The ISEN department fosters a culture of student excellence — I’m just one of many ISEN students recognized in recent years, a reflection of the department’s strong commitment to supporting student growth.
“I’m truly honored and humbled to have received the QCRE best student poster award and to be a finalist for the M&D Best Track Paper,” Ye said. “It’s incredibly encouraging to have my work recognized by the IISE community, and I’m deeply grateful for the guidance and support of my advisor, mentors and collaborators throughout this journey.”
Ye attributes these achievements not only to personal effort but also to the supportive environment fostered by the department.
“The ISEN department fosters a culture of student excellence — I’m just one of many ISEN students recognized in recent years, a reflection of the department’s strong commitment to supporting student growth,” Ye said. “From research opportunities and faculty mentorship to travel funding and support for writing and presentations, ISEN provides the resources students need to thrive.”
Ye acknowledged the vital guidance and support of her advisor, Dr. Alaa Elwany, collaborator Dr. Rui Tuo, and committee members Dr. Zhijian ‘ZJ’ Pei, Dr. Ibrahim Karaman, and Dr. Raymundo Arróyave, all of whom played an integral role in her accomplishments.
“The collaborators and faculty members that I have worked with have provided so much guidance and support throughout my time in ISEN,” Ye said. “Their insights and encouragement have shaped my experience at Texas A&M as a whole.”
Several other faculty members and students received awards and recognition at this year’s conference, including Yuhao Zhong, Shashank Galla, Haopeng Tian and Abhishek Hanchate, who won second place in the QCRE Data Challenge Competition.
Texas A&M will also host the IISE South-Central Regional Conference in February 2026, further reinforcing the department’s active role in shaping regional collaboration and student engagement.