April 2020
Dr. Leyuan Shi, an International Expert, Takes Over as Director
Dr. Leyuan Shi, a professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at University of Wisconsin-Madison, has taken over as the new Director of the Center for Quick Response Manufacturing.
Dr. Shi is a leading international expert and brings strong research experience as well as extensive industry interaction to her new role. “I am excited and honored to take over the leadership of the QRM Center. For the past twenty-five years, the QRM Center has been a role model for high-impact collaborations between faculty, students and industry. I look forward to continuing the strong legacy and growing the Center’s activities to enhance manufacturing competitiveness,” said Shi.
Professor Shi received her Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from Harvard University in 1992. Her research interests include simulation modeling and large-scale optimization with applications to operational planning, scheduling, and digital supply chain management. She has developed a novel optimization framework that has been extensively applied to scheduling and optimization of job shops manufacturing high-mix, low-volume products. Her research work has been supported by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Office of Naval Research, and the State of Wisconsin.
Professor Shi has been on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Madison for over twenty years and has worked with several companies including John Deere, Rockwell Automation, National Oilwell Varco, Fisher Barton and R&B Grinding. She is also one of the inventors of a set of digital tools including Manufacturing Execution Optimization (MEO), Maintenance Repair & Overhaul Optimization (MRO2), and Dynamic Manufacturing Critical-Path Time (DMCT).
Dr. Shi has published 3 books and more than 130 papers. She currently serves as Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering and served on the editorial board for Manufacturing & Service Operations Management and INFORMS Journal on Computing. She has been the General Chair, co-Chair, and program committee member for many national and international conferences. Professor Shi is an IEEE Fellow.
Dr. Charlene Yauch, experienced educator and practitioner to join as Associate Director
Dr. Charlene Yauch, an experienced engineering educator and practitioner will join the QRM Center as its Associate Director in August 2019. Dr. Yauch has decades of experience in Quick Response Manufacturing and has significant experience helping companies improve manufacturing operations. “I am excited to join the leadership team at the QRM Center. The Center is well positioned to expand its activities into new areas to leverage emerging opportunities in manufacturing ” said Yauch.
Professor Yauch received her Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. As part of her research, Prof. Yauch worked with the QRM Center to investigate organizational issues related to implementing manufacturing cells. Professor Yauch has been an engineering educator for over 18 years at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) and Oklahoma State University. Her honors include five teaching awards and a National Science Foundation Career grant. As the Industrial Engineering program director at MSOE, she expanded elective course offerings, upgraded lab facilities and equipment, and helped the Industrial Engineering student chapter host a regional conference.
Dr. Yauch has taught classes on manufacturing systems, materials and 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, including simulation modeling, facility layout, and process improvement. Dr. Yauch has a multi-disciplinary educational background. In addition to her Ph.D., Professor Yauch 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.
“I am delighted to welcome Prof. Charlene Yauch to the QRM Center. Her experience and expertise will be a great asset as we plan a series of initiatives aimed at growing the activities and impact of the QRM Center,” said Shi.