August 2021
The Center for Quick Response Manufacturing recently became part of the Office of Interdisciplinary Programs (InterPro) within the College of Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Interpro, formerly known as the Office of Engineering Professional Development (EPD), offers a portfolio of professional education programs and services, focused on the needs of engineers, managers, and technical professionals. InterPro’s offerings include a wide array of professional development courses, along with certificates and online master’s degrees. InterPro is led by Ed Borbely, Associate Dean, who is anticipating great opportunities for cross-collaboration between the QRM Center, the UW e-business consortium (UWEBC), and the College’s traditional professional development offerings.
In conjunction with this transition to InterPro, Dr. Charlene Yauch was promoted to Center Director. Dr. Yauch has worked as Associate Director for the Center since 2019. She is an experienced engineering educator and practitioner with extensive experience in Quick Response Manufacturing and improving manufacturing operations. “I am excited to lead the QRM Center at this critical time. The Center provides encouragement, support, and technical expertise to U.S. manufacturers, and the Center’s new home within InterPro will no doubt expand our reach even further” said Yauch.
Professor Yauch received her Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. As part of her research, she worked with the QRM Center to investigate organizational issues related to implementing manufacturing cells. Professor Yauch has been an engineering educator for over 20 years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) and Oklahoma State University. Her honors include five teaching awards and a National Science Foundation Career grant.
Dr. Yauch has taught classes on numerous industrial engineering topics, including design & analysis of manufacturing systems, manufacturing processes, computer numerical control machining, automation technologies, and engineering economy. Her professional interests relate to the implementation of manufacturing system improvements such as Quick Response, Lean, and Agile Manufacturing, with emphasis on the human, social, and organizational aspects.
Prior to her doctoral degree, she worked in industry for six years, performing a variety of tasks for manufacturing firms. Dr. Yauch has a multi-disciplinary educational background. In addition to her Ph.D., she has a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Purdue University, and graduate degrees in sociology (M.S.) and manufacturing systems engineering (M.S.) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.