Richard Reeve becomes first inductee into Industrial and Systems Engineering Academy at RIT

Over 40 years, the industrial and systems engineering department in the Kate Gleason College of Engineering has grown from two faculty members and five students in 1968 to more than 200 undergraduates and 60 graduate students in 2009.

The college will celebrate the anniversary of the department and will induct one of its founding faculty, Richard Reeve, into the Industrial and Systems Engineering Academy at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 9 in Xerox Auditorium in the James E. Gleason Building.

Reeve has been a faculty member, mentor and academic advisor throughout his tenure. He is currently associate dean of the college. He has long been involved in the career guidance of incoming students to the industrial and systems engineering department and, now as associate dean, he reviews the graduation and industry trends of engineering graduates.

Reeve recalls several successful, early graduates of the program who have since become leaders at Kodak and Disney where numerous industrial and systems engineering graduates currently work.

“I’m honored by this but need to give credit where credit is due,” Reeve says. “I think the students would say I was helpful, tough, but fair and hopefully they’d say that my door was always open to them. Students haven’t changed as much as people think they have. They are motivated, they want a good education to get a job at graduation. And the friendliness of the people in the department hasn’t changed.”

The induction ceremony will be followed by a reception in the Gordon Atrium across from the auditorium in the James E. Gleason Building. The event is part of the Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend.