ISE welcomes new faculty with model-based systems engineering focus

The Auburn University Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) is proud to welcome Edward Huang to the department as an associate professor.

Huang, who specializes in facility design, earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and engineering management from National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan in 2001, and a master’s in 2003. He went on to earn a master’s degree in industrial engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2008 and a doctorate in 2011.

After spending time as a visiting professor at universities in Germany and Singapore, Huang has served as an associate professor of systems engineering and operations research at George Mason University (GMU) since 2018.

Huang developed a strong interest in industrial and systems engineering during his undergraduate studies at National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan.

“Particularly, I became fascinated with manufacturing systems,” he said. “The moment I set foot in semiconductor fabs (semiconductor fabrication plants) across Taiwan, I was captivated by the remarkable automation present in these factories. Witnessing the seamless integration of hundreds of robots, vehicles and machines within a fab was truly impressive. From that point onward, my objective became unraveling the underlying structure of these industrial systems and uncovering the theorems necessary for comprehending and ultimately enhancing their design.”

Huang’s research focuses on the design aspect and analysis of facility design. He has extensively utilized model-based systems engineering methodologies for various defense and aerospace systems.

“My objective is to gain a comprehensive understanding of these systems and establish a unified digital modeling process and framework to effectively incorporate design artifacts,” he said. “As for analysis, my aim is to explore the structure and behavior of industrial systems by employing diverse operations research approaches.”

Among his career achievements, Huang was named the Online Teacher of Distinction at GMU in 2021 and was a nominee for the GMU Career Connection Faculty Award in 2019. One achievement he is particularly proud of is the opportunity to collaborate with manufacturing company 3M during the COVID-19 pandemic in their efforts to combat the trade of counterfeit personal protective equipment (PPE). The focus was on understanding how counterfeiters infiltrate legitimate supply chain distribution networks.

“To tackle this issue, we utilized data analytics and operations research methodologies to uncover patterns and assess the effectiveness of various disruption strategies,” he said. “Through our efforts, we have successfully identified approximately 59 million N-95 respirators, which were deemed to be of low quality or even potentially harmful. Our findings have been instrumental in safeguarding frontline healthcare workers by preventing the use of these substandard respirators.”

Huang is excited about the opportunity to join the ISE faculty at Auburn University.

“What truly excites me is the opportunity to collaborate with experts from various disciplines and contribute to interdisciplinary research initiatives,” he said. “Auburn ISE provides an exceptional environment that fosters collaboration and encourages the exchange of ideas. I eagerly anticipate the chance to work closely within such a collegial setting, as I believe it will greatly enhance my research experience and professional development.”

ISE Department Chair Greg Harris said Huang fills an academic need for the ISE department in systems engineering, and that his areas of expertise, especially Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) is in great demand.

“I get calls constantly from defense contractors and government partners seeking assistance in implementing MBSE capabilities into the organization,” Harris said. “One of our goals as an ISE department is to present a robust systems engineering program that includes multiple courses, with one being a course in MBSE, and undergraduate and graduate certificates. Dr. Huang’s capabilities and expertise advances that goal by coming to Auburn with existing capability and competencies.”

Huang added that a primary objective in his new role is to make a significant contribution to the field of digital engineering. He said by observing the advancements in the defense and manufacturing industries, we can witness a notable shift from traditional document-based design and manufacturing methods to the adoption of digital thread design and digital supply chain planning and control.

“This transition has opened up exciting opportunities to enhance the design of industrial systems within the context of Industry 4.0,” he said. “I am motivated to explore and leverage these advancements, bringing valuable insights and expertise to further advance the department’s capabilities in digital engineering.”