Systems Science and Industrial Engineering celebrates elevation to school and other 2024 achievements
U.S. News ranking rises, Sayama becomes SUNY distinguished professor
The fall semester at started with the Department of Systems Science and Industrial Engineering upgrading to the School of Systems Science and Industrial Engineering, still under the Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science.
Renaming to a school reflects exceptional growth in student enrollment, faculty and research funding over the past decade.
Also, in the 2024 rankings from U.S. News and World Report, the industrial and systems engineering program ranked #26 among public universities in the nation (#36 overall). ISE is the second-highest-ranking program at .
Here are other SSIE accomplishments from the second half of 2024.
Student news
PhD student Tasneem Tawalbeh and master’s student Sam Gold were among the students who took part in the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute (NYSP2I) Student and Faculty Research Program during the summer. Working under the supervision of Assistant Professor Yuxin Wang, they investigated a better way to make the perovskite solar cells by replacing the lead with a safer alternative.
A piece in this year’s Watson Review magazine looked at senior capstone projects from different departments at the college. The SSIE project, supported by AVANGRID, created a prototype of a hydrogen fuel station that can power hydrogen fuel cell bikes.
Nicole Dates ’23, MS ’24, was involved in several extracurricular organizations and did remarkable work during her time at . Her ambition has driven her to amass many accomplishments in her field.
Research news
Another Watson Review piece looked at energy research throughout the college. Highlighted are Assistant Professor Neha Patankar’s energy system models for power grids and Associate Professor and SSIE Associate Chair Yong Wang’s research into detecting smart grid cyber-intrusion, improving recharging of lithium-ion batteries and analyzing off-peak usage.
Distinguished Professor Hiroki Sayama collaborated with researchers from ’s School of Management to look at how, in virtual teams where nonverbal cues are limited, a person’s engagement and influence in conversations can significantly shape whether they’re perceived as a leader.
Ahmed Abdeen Hamed, a visiting research fellow, has created a machine-learning algorithm he calls xFakeSci that can detect up to 94% of bogus scientific papers — nearly twice as successfully as more common data-mining techniques.
Faculty news
Hiroki Sayama was among the faculty members promoted to SUNY distinguished professors this spring. The title is reserved for those who have achieved national or international prominence and exemplary reputations within their disciplines.
Before stepping down as Watson College dean in May, Distinguished Professor Krishnaswami “Hari” Srihari reflected on his 15-year tenure leading the college and his transition back to full-time research and teaching.
Alumni news
Nana Banerjee, PhD ’96, is the president and CEO of the weather and data analytics company Pelmorex. The company’s newest app, Your Weather Assistant, goes beyond the local forecast of temperature and precipitation to provide personalized wardrobe suggestions, travel recommendations and historical climate information.