The largest industrial and systems engineering event of the year is the Institute of Industrial Engineer’s (IIE) annual conference and expo, and this year’s gathering will host Cullen College alumna Nancy Currie as keynote speaker.
Currie, a principal engineer at NASA, earned her Ph.D. in industrial engineering from UH in 1997. She was selected as a NASA astronaut in 1990 and flew on four space shuttle missions, logging a combined 1,000 hours in space. She is also an associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
At the IIE conference, Currie will discuss the importance of a rigorous systems engineering integration function in the design and operation of complex system. She’ll also examine the role of the NASA Engineering Safety Center (NESC), which was established as a direct response to the 2003 Columbia accident, and how NESC is often asked to assist with significant engineering challenges.
The IIE conference and expo will be held May 30-June 2 in Nashville, TN.