IMSE students gain new perspectives at conference

March 16, 2022

Mizzou IMSE students

IMSE students (l to r) Ray Wood, Reegan Spicer and Grayson Burns presented their research projects for the paper competition.

Members of the Mizzou Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) student organization connected with other industrial engineering students and professionals at the 2022 IISE South Central Regional Conference.

“It was great to be able to talk to industrial engineering students from other universities,” Grayson Burns, president of Mizzou IISE, said, “We were able to see, hear and learn different perspectives about and potential applications of industrial engineering.”

The conference, held on the campus of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma, brought Mizzou students together with students from six other educational institutions: Kansas State University; Oklahoma State University; Texas A&M University; the University of Oklahoma; the University of Texas at Arlington and Wichita State University.

Junior Reegan Spicer participated in a research presentation competition held as part of the conference’s schedule of events.

“I wanted to present the research I conducted the previous semester, plus learn what other research was being done by students and learn from them,” Spicer said, “I also wanted to make connections with other students from other schools.”

Additional activities during the conference included visiting two companies and seeing how they utilize industrial engineering in their operations, and learning about leadership versus management from Brenda Shumate, general manager of operations (mid-continent) for DCM Midstream.

“I honestly can’t pick a favorite activity,” junior Dustin Meier said. “From the plant tours, the banquet, to meeting and spending time with people – it was a great, beneficial and fun experience!”

All three students are already looking forward to next year’s regional conference, as the Mizzou chapter is planning to host the event.

“We are excited to host next year’s IISE South Central Regional Conference,” Burns said, “This year’s conference set the bar high, but we will have a lot of support in planning it.”

Learn how to improve systems and make things better as a Mizzou industrial engineer.