Clemson University’s Department of Industrial Engineering recently celebrated a standout year of engagement and recognition through the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE), with the Clemson IISE Student Chapter hosting the 2026 IISE Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference, five students receiving IISE scholarships and the chapter’s faculty advisor, Dr. Emily Tucker, earning a national early career award.
by Kathy Snipes March 5, 2026
Clemson IISE Hosts 2026 Mid-Atlanta Regional Conference
The Clemson University IISE Student Chapter hosted the 2026 IISE Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference from February 20-22, 2026, welcoming industrial and systems engineering students and professionals from across the region to Clemson. The conference theme, “Innovating the Impossible,” highlighted the role of industrial engineers in pushing boundaries, solving complex problems and imagining new possibilities for the field. The three-day even included opportunities for hands-on learning, technical presentations, professional networking, career exploration and engagement with industry leaders.
Clemson IISE Named University Organization of the Year
The student chapter’s leadership and service were also recognized at the university level. The Clemson University IISE Student Chapter received the Clemson University Organization of the Year award from Omicron Delta Kappa. The award is the highest honor a Clemson student organization can receive and recognizes a group that goes above and beyond in service, leadership and academics.
Students Receive National IISE Scholarships
Five Clemson IE students also received IISE scholarships, reflecting their academic excellence, leadership and professional promise.
Elizabeth Dulaney, a junior industrial engineering student in the Clemson University Honors College, received the Dwight D. Gardner Scholarship. Dulaney is pursuing a career in medicine and is interested in the integration of engineering analysis, data-driven problem solving and patient care. Her experience includes patient-centered research focused on improving emergency department arrival and check-in processes, undergraduate research in biomedical engineering and clinical experience as a medical assistant. She also served on the Clemson IISE Conference Committee for the 2026 Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference.
Ata Ozer, a junior industrial engineering student, also received the Dwight D. Gardner Scholarship. Ozer’s experience includes industrial engineering and continuous improvement internships with Westinghouse Electric and IVA, where his work focused on Lean manufacturing, process optimization, quality improvement and projected cost savings. He is also involved with Clemson Engineers for Developing Communities, where he held a functional management leadership role.
Samantha Morin, a sophomore industrial engineering student with a computing emphasis in the Clemson University Honors College, received the Jabil Cares Foundation Excellence in Engineering Scholarship. The scholarship recognizes a junior-level engineering student who demonstrates academic excellence, leadership and a commitment to making a positive societal impact through engineering. Morin has maintained a 4.00 GPA and has experience as a tutor through the Clemson University Academic Success Center and as an automation engineering intern with PAI Pharma, where she applied computing and engineering concepts to manufacturing efficiency projects.
Jackson Plas, a junior industrial engineering student and business administration minor, received the IISE Council of Fellows Undergraduate Scholarship. Plas served as president-elect of the Clemson IISE student chapter and helped lead planning for the 2026 IISE Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference. His experience includes internships with NASA and Piston Automotive, where he worked on engineering design, line rebalancing, process optimization and operational improvements.
Sam Koscelny, a Ph.D. student in industrial engineering, received the Gilbreth Memorial Fellowship. Koscelny’s research focuses on human factors, human-AI interaction and healthcare informatics. His work includes research on pediatric mental and behavioral health in emergency care and adaptive human-AI interaction with healthcare chatbots. He is advised by Dr. David Neyens and has published work related to pediatric emergency department utilization, healthcare chatbot information presentation and patient care pathways.
Dr. Emily Tucker Receives Outstanding Early Career Faculty Recognition
Clemson IE faculty were also recognized through IISE. Emily Tucker, Dean’s Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering, received the Dr. Hamed K. Eldin Outstanding Early Career IE in Academia Award. The award recognizes early career IISE members in academia who have demonstrated outstanding characteristics in education, leadership, professionalism and potential in industrial engineering, and who have made engineering contributions through application, design, research or development of IE methods. Tucker’s work aligns closely with the award’s emphasis on research, education and service to the industrial engineering profession.
Her research areas include social good operations research, stochastic optimization, quantum optimization, healthcare policy resilience, transportation and logistics.
She teaches courses in transportation and logistics engineering, engineering optimization and optimization under uncertainty, and she serves as a senior member of IISE. Tucker also serves as faculty advisor for the Clemson IISE Student Chapter, supporting the students as they build professional connections, lead chapter initiatives and engage with the broader industrial and systems engineering community.
Together, these recognitions reflect the strength of Clemson IE’s student leadership, academic excellence and professional engagement. From hosting a regional conference to earning competitive scholarships and national faculty recognition, Clemson IE students and faculty continue to represent the department’s commitment to innovation, service and impact across the industrial and systems engineering profession.
