RIT Engineering Student Chapter ‘Takes the Bronze’

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They may not have run the Olympic 100 meters, but their results are as impressive as Usain Bolt’s dash to the finish line.

The Rochester Institute of Technology student chapter of the Institute of Industrial Engineers received the organization’s Bronze Award for its members’ achievements and the chapter’s contributions to campus and community activities in the 2011–2012 academic year. The group was specifically recognized for hosting the IIE regional conference in March at RIT, one of its major initiatives this past year.

The Institute of Industrial Engineers is an international society for professionals and academics to further the industrial engineering profession. Student chapters are assessed yearly on membership and growth, finances and activities sponsored.

“We are honored to receive this award,” says Abbey Burns, a 2012 graduate of the industrial and systems engineering program. Burns served as chair of the regional conference; she led the committee that organized its 11 industry and academic speakers and hosted more than 80 attendees from peer universities.

“We’re also pleased with the increase in membership and participation we’ve seen from both graduate and undergraduate students this past year,” Burns adds. There are 30 members of the student chapter that was established in 1971. “Their participation made it possible for us to do so many tours and activities outside of the regional conference.”

During the year, the chapter toured local businesses, hosted panel discussions featuring program alumni working in area businesses and networked with the local senior chapter, led by industrial and systems engineering faculty member and student chapter adviser John Kaemmerlen.

“The credit for this level of performance and recognition goes to the students who were chapter officers and the leaders of the regional conference,” says Kaemmerlen, who also was a member of the student chapter when he was an undergraduate in the industrial and systems engineering program.

Members of the chapter leadership team were: Burns; Erik Hilley, chapter president; Brandon Bova; Tashalynn Taylor; Richard Latham; Matt Jackson; Matthew Myers; Kassandra Schlott; and Matt Purcell.