Improving Efficiency for Better Products and Services
Industrial engineers work for a vast range of manufacturers and service providers in both the public and private sectors. Wherever they work, they share a common purpose: increasing efficiency. UA industrial engineering majors take core courses in chemistry, math, physics, computer science and design and modeling with advanced courses in operations research, production analysis, information management, embedded computer systems, and human factors and ergonomics.
Academics > Research Opportunities > Outside the Classroom > Career Paths >
From making cars to streamlining hospital procedures to shortening ski lift lines, efficiency is key.
Academic Focus Areas
- Process design
- Production planning
- Optimization
- Modeling and simulation
- Information management
- Facility layout
- Workplace design
- Engineering management
- Material flow
- Distribution
Industrial Engineering Program
Research Opportunities
- Improving efficiency in traffic and transit systems
- Allocation of emergency services
- Financial investment
- Modeling and simulation for factory and supply chain management and automation
- Quality and reliability
UA industrial engineering researchers are collaborating with the Arizona Department of Transportation for more efficient transit services and with Banner – University Medical Center for maximizing efficiency in patient care in emergency rooms and operating rooms. Researchers are also working on several projects to make renewable energy more widely available to people in Arizona and around the world.
Outside the Classroom
Undergraduates are working with department head Young-Jun Son in the UA Advanced Integration of Manufacturing Systems and Technologies program on research projects for major manufacturers, homeland security, distributed energy networks, mining logistics, transportation and unmanned vehicle coordination.
Industrial engineering students have received internships with General Motors, W. L. Gore & Associates, Jacobs Engineering, Northern Pipeline, National Business Center, Raytheon, SynCardia Systems, Boeing and Walt Disney.
Career Paths
Industrial engineering graduates work in manufacturing, entertainment, shipping, health care, agriculture, transportation, telecommunications and customer service for private corporations and government agencies. Many of our alumni are now in high-tech management positions.
