Bopaya Bidanda

Possui doutorado em Industrial and Management Systems Engineering - Pennsilvania State University (1987). Leadership in the Industrial Engineering Profession Dr. Bidanda has served on the Board of Trustees of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE). In 2006/7, he also served as the Chair of the Council of Industrial Engineering Academic Department Heads (CIEADH). Recognizing the lack of interaction between practitioners and academics in industrial engineering, Dr. Bidanda played a major role (between the years 1996 and 2001) in integrating two separate conferences the (practitioner based) IIE Solutions Conference with the IE research conference. He has previously served as the Program Chair for both conferences. Research Stewardship Over the last five years, doctoral graduates from the IE program at the University of Pittsburgh has joined the faculty of many diverse universities including: the University of Chicago (School of Business), the University of British Columbia, Iowa State University, Purdue University, University of Wisconsin Madison, University of South Florida, University of Central Florida, Virginia Tech, Oregon State, Auburn University, Wayne State, Oklahoma, Case Western Reserve, etc. This was a result of a planned program of recruitment of high quality students, their mentorship and preparation for academic careers in order to enhance the stature of the IE program at Pitt. He has been the advisor for almost 15% of all Pitt IE doctoral degrees, many of whom are at major universities. Faculty Development As department chair, Dr. Bidanda implemented a policy that would reduce the teaching load of untenured faculty members. His vision that resources (funds or graduate student researchers) should not come in the way of any faculty initiatives (research or otherwise), was realized through alumni contributions and corporate foundation donations. He increased the development (or unrestricted) funds in the department by 500% in five years. Academic Programs & Teaching Effectiveness As department chair, Dr. Bidanda has played a key role in implementing many innovative academic programs including a flexible doctoral program (directed towards teaching faculty in South America), the establishment of M.S. program with a focus on Global Engineering Leaders, and initiated the Engineering/Business program of the Semester At Sea. During Dr. Bidanda s time as Chair, industrial engineering faculty members have won the school-wide Bietle-Veltri Teaching Award on numerous occasions. As part of an effort to deliver a progressive curriculum, the IE department is the first in the country to require all undergraduates to complete an international experience as part of their graduation requirement. Innovative Research & Infrastructure Modernization When Prof. Bidanda joined the University of Pittsburgh in 1987, the School did not have a single manufacturing based laboratory. Over the last 20 years he has worked closely with foundations and the Development Office and been involved with all manufacturing laboratories here by securing over $7,000,000 in equipment and facilities. These now generate about $2,000,000 in annual research expenditures. He used these laboratories to publish in the area of Manufacturing Systems, Automation, Reverse Engineering & Rapid Prototyping. He has also been responsible for undertaking a major renovation of facilities as Department Chair including establishing the Computing Laboratory for Innovation & Productivity (CLIP), and the Albert Holzman Learning Center.