Author: Sarah Sedaghatzadeh

SMU OREM: First Academic Equivalency in Texas

In May 2023, through SMU’s office of sponsored research, the Lyle School of Engineering’s Operations Research and Engineering Management (OREM) Department, led by Dr. Sila Cetinkaya, OREM Department Chair, and Dr. Diana Easton, OREM Associate Department Chair, entered into a formal Agreement with the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE).  The purpose of this agreement is to promote a collaborative relationship in granting SMU’s engineering students a Systems Engineering Professional Certification.

INCOSE is the international authoritative body on systems engineering with more than 21,000 members and more than 70 chapters over 77 countries. Their mission is to “address complex societal and technical challenges by enabling, promoting, and advancing systems engineering and systems approaches”. INCOSE offers a Systems Engineering certification program that “provides a formal method for recognizing the experience and knowledge of systems engineers” from around the globe. This Systems Engineering Professional (SEP) certification recognizes and distinguishes professional engineers who have demonstrated competency in systems engineering, regardless of where they are in their careers.

OREM is now offering courses in Systems Engineering approved for academic equivalency! Please see the associated INCOSE Press Release. Under the terms of the agreement, Academic Equivalency allows qualified engineering students to bypass the Systems Engineering knowledge exam when applying for a Systems Engineering Professional certification at the level of Associate Systems Engineering Professional (ASEP) or Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP). Also, as part of the Academic Equivalency Program, Lyle’s Engineering students have free access to an INCOSE affiliate membership, offering the student many professional benefits.

SMU is the first institution in the state of Texas to have received this academic equivalency, joining a select group of universities such as Cornell, George Mason, Colorado State, and Purdue.

The Systems Engineering body of knowledge is extensive and OREM’s Academic Equivalency program is a great way to learn it.  This program is available to 5xxx/7xxx level students from any Lyle engineering degree program! Students interested in taking OREM’s Academic Equivalency courses and/or joining INCOSE as an affiliate member should talk to OREM’s Systems Engineering Program Director, Dr. Diana Easton.

New Leadership Certificate from OREM, Hart Center

Engineers are uniquely well suited to be strong leaders through their mastery of analysis and problem-solving skills. Yet many lack formal management training in the “power skills” necessary to help teams and organizations reach their highest potential. Lyle’s OREM department, led by Dr. Diana Easton, OREM Associate Chair, has partnered with the Hart Center for Engineering Leadership, led by Dr. Robert Amponsah, Hart Center Assistant Director, to create an Integrated Leadership Certification Model that augments content from OREM’s graduate Engineering Management curriculum. This integrated model provides students the opportunity to analyze their own leadership attributes and decision-making styles, strengthen essential communication, motivation, and influencing skills, and ultimately plan for future personal growth and success in the management of technical organizations, project teams, and technologies.

OREM Faculty Representing Lyle on Global Stage

Lyle’s Operations Research and Engineering Management’s Systems Engineering Program Director, Dr. Diana Easton, will represent SMU on INCOSE’s Corporate Advisory Board (CAB) and Academic Council (AC).  The INCOSE CAB “provides strategic guidance to technical leadership, leading to the development of Systems Engineering products and standards to meet their needs.”  The Academic Council members “form the branch of the Corporate Advisory Board facilitating discussion and exploration of issues relevant to academia and setting a path for achievement with strategic collaborations within INCOSE.”

This is an internationally recognized achievement for Dr. Easton, Lyle, and SMU. She has been publicly congratulated by Provost Loboa in her newsletter, stating “We are pleased that you will be representing SMU and Lyle School of Engineering in Systems Engineering and the larger field of Operations Research and Engineering Management on the global stage.”

OREM Chair Served at INFORMS Annual Conference

Dr. Sila Cetinkaya of SMU Lyle OREM served in the role of Program Co-chair for the 2023 INFORMS Annual Meeting in Phoenix, AZ, Oct 14-18.  The theme for the meeting engaged professionals to find new ways to tackle one of the National Science Foundation’s 10 Big Ideas: “Harnessing the data revolution” with the power of expertise of INFORMS membership! With more than 12,500 members from around the world, INFORMS is the leading international association for professionals in operations research, analytics, and data science among other relevant fields. This year’s annual conference attracted over 6,000 participants and offered a rich program engaging students, researchers, practitioners, and industry leaders. The OREM department sponsored the conference at the Bronze level targeting events that engage student members.