Message from the Head

It's an exciting time to be an industrial engineer. Our field is at the heart of the transformation that is taking place in the economy, shaped by the revolution in big data and computing and advances in automation and artificial intelligence. Our field is also at the heart of many of the innovations in business models, from digital markets to smart mobility services to e-commerce. More than ever, the skills of industrial engineers (bringing to bear systems thinking and analytics to solve complex problems) are in demand, in domains ranging from healthcare to finance to supply chains, and many others. Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE) at the University of Minnesota is at the cutting edge of this transformation. Our faculty and students are involved in research that is developing advanced analytics to enable personalized medicine, on-demand services, smart pricing, and driverless cars. Read about these and more throughout the pages of this website

Our department is experiencing remarkable growth. Over the last six years, our faculty has more than doubled and our student enrollment has increased many folds. This fall, we welcomed one of our largest incoming undergraduate classes with more than 90 students. Our students—both undergraduates and graduates—are in high demand and finding employment at the world’s leading companies and academic institutions. We are engaged in collaborations with numerous partners from industry, government, and non-profit organizations to enhance the learning experience of our students and to engage in research and service that impacts our local community and the world.

We continue to diversify our educational programs with an emphasis on rigor, relevance, and flexibility. In addition to core undergraduate and graduate programs, we have recently launched an innovative MS program in Analytics, an interdisciplinary BS program in Data Science (in collaboration with Computer Science and Statistics) and an integrated (five year) BS-MS program in Industrial Engineering.

I invite you to explore our department, through the pages of this site. If you are a potential student, please reach out and connect with us. If you are a potential industry or academic partner, drop us an email so we can initiate a conversation. If you are an alumnus, tell us how your degree has shaped your career.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Saif Benjaafar
McKnight Presidential Endowed Professor and Distinguished McKnight University Professor and Head