NORCROSS, Ga. - BostonChron -- The top thinkers and performers in the industrial and systems engineering world were celebrated by the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) during its Annual Conference & Expo in New Orleans May 20-23.

IISE's most prestigious award, the Frank & Lillian Gilbreth Industrial Engineering Award sponsored by The Wm. Michael Barnes '64 Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Texas A&M University, was awarded to educator G. Don Taylor Jr., Ph.D., PE, of Virginia Tech. Taylor is executive vice provost and Charles O. Gordon Professor in ISE in the Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering.

In a recent episode of Problem Solved: The IISE Podcast (podcast.iise.org), Taylor discussed his career and the award.

"I always had aspirations to lead to the best of my ability, and I certainly wanted to make a real difference with my life's work. But I think really this is an honor that goes well beyond my wildest expectations. And I think the fact that it was named for the founders of our profession, Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, makes it even more memorable and more special."

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A former IISE president, Board of Trustees member and IISE Fellow, Taylor's research interests have focused on the simulation of complex systems and the logistics of material flow and freight transportation. He has served as principal investigator or co-principal investigator on more than 60 externally funded projects, leading to the publication of 10 books, 75-plus journal articles and book chapters and more than 120 conference papers and technical reports.

The Captains of Industry Award went to Robert Pudlo, FedEx Ground (retired). The award is presented to business or gov­ernment leaders who successfully used industrial engineering in the workplace.

The Class of 2023 IISE Fellows included members who have made significant, recognized contributions to industrial engineering.

Emanuel Melachrinoudis, Ph.D., Northeastern University

Om Prakash Yadav, Ph.D., North Carolina A&T State University

Xueping Li, Ph.D., University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Jonathan H. Owen, Ph.D., General Motors Co.

David Coit, Ph.D., Rutgers University

Li Zheng, Ph.D., Tsinghua University

Denis Cormier, Ph.D., Rochester Institute of Technology

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Chase Rainwater, Ph.D., University of Arkansas

Linda Ng Boyle, Ph.D., University of Washington

Julie Simmons Ivy, Ph.D., North Carolina State University

Kash Barker, Ph.D., University of Oklahoma

Lukasz Mazur, Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

For more on IISE's 2023 honors and awards winners, visit link.iise.org/Honors23. Details on IISE's awards program are available at iise.org/Honors.

About IISE: The Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers is the world's largest professional society dedicated solely to the support of the industrial engineering profession and individuals involved with improving quality and productivity. Founded in 1948, IISE is an international, nonprofit association that provides knowledge, training, networking opportunities and recognition to enhance the skills and effectiveness of its members, customers and the profession. For more information about IISE, visit www.iise.org.