Wayne State College of Engineering hosts 2016 Institute of Industrial Engineers Regional Conference
The Wayne State University College of Engineering hosted the 2016 Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) Great Lakes Regional Conference with 330 students from 12 universities attending. The February conference was themed "Venture IIE: Engineering Based Entrepreneurs, The New Generation."
This year, attendees learned about the importance of entrepreneurship in engineering. Topics discussed included launching startups, social media marketing and other essential entrepreneurial skills.
Students also took part in networking and social events that helped them connect and share ideas. Tours were given of Detroit landmarks, such as Ford Motor Company and the Motown Museum.
Civil engineering alumnus and CEO of Urban Science Jim Anderson, served as the keynote speaker and gave students advice on how to succeed as engineers and entrepreneurs. Anderson founded Urban Science in 1977 to help the automotive industry better manage their sales and marketing resources. He also funded the Anderson Institute at Wayne State University that helps students and faculty commercialize ideas. Students were able to test Anderson's advice through a "Shark Tank" competition where they pitched their ideas to potential investors.
Attendees also presented research through a technical paper competition. Wayne State student Salman Ammoun's project titled "Minimizing Wait Time in the Emergency Room" received the top award in the competition.