{"74961":{"#nid":"74961","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Student Spotlight: Jose Sarmiento Exemplifies True Leadership","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA life of purpose through inspiration and leadership is\nthe way Jose Sarmiento, an undergraduate student in the Stewart School of\nIndustrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE), plans to bring positive changes to\nthe world. Sarmiento, who seems to always have an infectious smile on his face,\nhumbly exemplifies his leadership skills in everything he does, whether it is\nplaying a game of pick-up soccer, working with the Institute of Industrial Engineers\n(IIE) at Georgia Tech, mentoring his fellow students, as a member of Alpha Pi\nMu, or representing ISyE on the College of Engineering Undergraduate Advisory Council.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cJose has been a wonderful addition to the newly formed\nUndergraduate Advisory Council in the College of Engineering,\u201d said Gary May,\nDean of the College of Engineering. \u201cHis insights are extremely helpful as we\ndiscuss issues and initiatives designed to enhance the educational experiences\nof our undergraduates.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen choosing a school to pursue his dream of becoming a gifted\nleader, Sarmiento said the choice was no accident or quick decision. Beyond\nISyE\u2019s high rankings and excellent reputation, Sarmiento believed Georgia Tech\nwould be action-oriented and could provide him with the momentum to achieve his\ngoals to make a difference in the world. As a student, Sarmiento\u2019s drive, passion,\nand leadership skills have been very evident to his classmates and the ISyE\nfaculty. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAccording the Chen Zhou, associate chair for\nundergraduate studies at ISyE, \u201cThe most fitting word to describe Jose is \u2018intensity.\u2019\u0026nbsp;\nHe is always intensely involved in whatever he is doing whether it is figuring\nout better strategies for IIE events, finding cases or projects to support his\nclass work, or teaching incoming students how to land intern or co-op\njobs.\u0026nbsp; Jose is smart, reliable, and modest. You can always count on him to\ngive 100% to his activities and endeavors.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ESarmiento\u2019s desire to become an authentic leader was nurtured through his invaluable life experiences\ngrowing up in Venezuela. Working in a market back home, Sarmiento saw\nfirst-hand opportunities to improve output and moral. He plans to put his\nleadership and industrial engineering (IE) skills into action with a future\ncareer in agriculture. He believes a degree in IE will give him the tools and\nknowledge he needs to solve problems with a systematic approach, while\nempowering others. According to Sarmiento, the power of a leader is measured by how\npowerful he makes those who follow him.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFor students considering coming to Georgia Tech to study\nat ISyE, Sarmiento encourages them to believe in themselves and their\npossibilities. In his opinion, persistence is much more important than getting\nit right the first time. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere is a way for you to encompass something much\nbigger than yourself and it\u2019s done through persistence, through courage,\nthrough always trying to move forward regardless of what happens,\u201d reflects Sarmiento.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to his studies and campus leadership\nactivities, Sarmiento is participating in the Co-op program with Delta Cargo,\nwhere he is enjoying expanding his horizons as he gains real-world experience.\nHe expects to graduate from ISyE in the fall of 2012.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA\nlife of purpose through inspiration and leadership is the way Jose Sarmiento,\nan undergraduate student in ISyE, plans to bring positive changes to the world.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":"","uid":"27511","created_gmt":"2011-12-19 17:40:56","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:53","author":"Ashley Daniel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-12-19T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-12-19T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"75051":{"id":"75051","type":"image","title":"Jose Sarmiento and Chen Zhou","body":null,"created":"1449178046","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:27:26","changed":"1475894688","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:48","alt":"Jose Sarmiento and Chen Zhou","file":{"fid":"193795","name":"jose_and_chen_zhou.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/jose_and_chen_zhou_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/jose_and_chen_zhou_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":252934,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/jose_and_chen_zhou_0.jpg?itok=5-58uoWA"}},"75061":{"id":"75061","type":"image","title":"Jose has been playing soccer since he was a child.","body":null,"created":"1449178046","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:27:26","changed":"1475894688","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:48","alt":"Jose has been playing soccer since he was a child.","file":{"fid":"193796","name":"jose_soccer.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/jose_soccer_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/jose_soccer_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":403150,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/jose_soccer_0.jpg?itok=oKptUCou"}}},"media_ids":["75051","75061"],"groups":[{"id":"1242","name":"School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISYE)"}],"categories":[{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"109","name":"Georgia Tech"},{"id":"1202","name":"H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering"},{"id":"15851","name":"Jose Sarmiento"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:barbara.christopher@isye.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBarbara Christopher\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIndustrial and Systems Engineering\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404.385.3102\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"73086":{"#nid":"73086","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Alumni Spotlight:  Evan Toporek, a third-generation apparel executive, is CEO of Alternative Apparel","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA\nthird-generation apparel executive, Evan Toporek, 1993 IE, is the CEO, partner,\nand member of the Board of Directors for Alternative Apparel, a leading\nlifestyle apparel brand that specializes in casual clothing for young men and\nwomen.\u0026nbsp; At Alternative Apparel, Toporek is responsible for establishing the\ncompany\u2019s long-term business strategy and overseeing the execution of its core\nbusiness functions including marketing, global distribution, customer service,\nand information systems. Since joining Alternative in 1998, he has led the\ncompany through aggressive revenue earnings and employee growth while\nmaintaining a focus on his core values: \u201cTreat everyone with respect. Don\u2019t cut\ncorners. And keep things in perspective.\u201d\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EToporek has worked hard to propel the company from a blank tee shirt\nmanufacturer to one of the world\u2019s fastest growing young contemporary lifestyle\nbrands, with a growing roster of retailers in over 120 countries.\u0026nbsp; Under\nToporek\u2019s leadership, Alternative has garnered recognition from Inc. magazine\nas one of the \u201c500 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America,\u201d received a\nprestigious 2009 Apparel All-Star Award and, most recently, was named one of\nGeorgia\u2019s \u201c20 Fastest-Growing Mid-Market Companies\u201d by Georgia Trend magazine.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE: How did you end up in the fashion\nindustry?\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nET: My father and grandfather were in the industry, but I didn\u2019t necessarily\nsee myself following suit.\u0026nbsp; I worked for Andersen Consulting for five\nyears after graduating and learned a great deal.\u0026nbsp; In my heart, though, I\nwas more of an entrepreneur.\u0026nbsp; So I left to buy into Alternative and\npartner with the founder who had started the brand a year or so earlier.\u0026nbsp;\nWe were introduced by a mutual friend.\u0026nbsp; At the time, 1998, all of the\nother entrepreneurs were seemingly starting or joining startup \u201c.coms.\u201d\u0026nbsp; I\nwas old school, I guess.\u0026nbsp; I wanted to make and sell something\ntangible.\u0026nbsp; Something you could try on and get immediate\nsatisfaction.\u0026nbsp; Something accessible.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE: How would you describe your sense\nof style?\u0026nbsp; How would you describe Alternative Apparel\u2019s sense of style?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nET: I\u2019m casual.\u0026nbsp; I\u2019m not a very corporate person and I don\u2019t dress\ncorporately.\u0026nbsp; I own a suit or two, but reserve those for funerals and\nreally, really special occasions.\u0026nbsp; I\u2019m no fashionista but I appreciate\nquality, something that fits right, feels good, and looks a little different.\u0026nbsp;\nI don\u2019t believe cloning is a good thing when it comes to fashion.\u0026nbsp;\nAlternative is a casual, fashion basics line.\u0026nbsp; I think our greatest\nproduct quality is softness.\u0026nbsp; Everything we make is washed and softened so\nthat it feels like you\u2019ve owned it for many years.\u0026nbsp; It\u2019s vintage\ninspired.\u0026nbsp; We draw inspiration from styles that were cool years ago and\nbring them back to life.\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE: Tell me about Alternative\nApparel\u2019s sustainability mission.\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nET: Around forty percent of our products fall under a sub brand called\nAlternative Earth, our eco-friendly line.\u0026nbsp; We broke down the manufacturing\nprocess and made small changes that we feel make a big difference in protecting\nour environment.\u0026nbsp; We use organic cotton, recycled polyester, low impact\ngarment dyes, we re-use water in the washing process, but it still has a great\nwide color assortment and feels as soft as everything else we sell.\u0026nbsp; Our\neco-friendly garments are certified as such and we perform random audits of our\nfactories to guarantee this.\u0026nbsp; In our offices, showrooms, and our store, we\nuse found objects from flea markets and bring them back to life as fixtures and\ninterior decoration.\u0026nbsp; Someone else\u2019s trash is our treasure.\u0026nbsp; These\nare small things that can make a big difference.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE: How do you apply your industrial\nengineering skills to your role at Alternative Apparel?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nET: Specifically, I can certainly handle the details of any conversation\nrelated to warehousing, supply chain management, and information systems.\u0026nbsp;\nI\u2019m not using the formulas I learned, but Tech taught me how to solve problems\nand I use that skill every single day.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE: Do you think your IE degree has\ncontributed to your success?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nET: Without question.\u0026nbsp; Not because of the formulas that I learned, but\nbecause of the problem solving skills that became ingrained and second nature\nto me.\u0026nbsp; Most entrepreneurs live and die by what I call \u201csticky note\u201d\nsolutions.\u0026nbsp; They might get you through the day or week but you\u2019ll be\nripping another sticky note off the pad sooner than later.\u0026nbsp; I think the\ntraining I got at Tech has helped me create solutions in all areas of our\ncompany, from end to end, that are far longer lasting.\u0026nbsp; And most of them\ntie back to systems.\u0026nbsp; Tech introduced me to the power of information\nsystems.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nISyE: What prompted you to get a degree in industrial engineering?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nET: It was an engineering degree which I coveted, and a degree in industrial\nengineering was open ended and was applicable to many roles in many\nindustries.\u0026nbsp; Heck, there are plenty of doctors and lawyers out there with\nIE degrees.\u0026nbsp; It established the foundation but didn\u2019t pigeon hole\nme.\u0026nbsp; It got me ready for the real world, but allowed me to defer the\ndecision of choosing what I wanted to do next.\u0026nbsp; I wanted to get out and\nwork and I didn\u2019t want to go to graduate school.\u0026nbsp; I\u2019m not sure there is another\ndegree at any other institution that prepares you better to enter the workforce\nstraight out of college.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE: What advice do you have for\nstudents of ISyE?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nET: Try to relate your class work to real life experience.\u0026nbsp; I worked in a\nwarehouse every summer in high school and got to know the business pretty\nwell.\u0026nbsp; I always tried to relate my IE class work back to that business the\nbest I could.\u0026nbsp; Connecting book examples to real world examples helped me\ngrasp the concepts.\u0026nbsp; Take advantage of the Senior Design projects, Co-op,\nand summer internships to match class work with job work where you can.\u0026nbsp;\nAlso, take a sales job at some point in school.\u0026nbsp; Sell something door to\ndoor.\u0026nbsp; Wrapping paper.\u0026nbsp; Tee shirts.\u0026nbsp; Whatever.\u0026nbsp; Sales -\nit\u2019s the one skill that I don\u2019t think can be learned in a class, but it is\nabsolutely critical in work.\u0026nbsp; Whether you are selling your products to a\ncustomer, or selling an idea to a co-worker or a boss, it\u2019s as important as any\nother skill you can acquire.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE: What is the most important thing\nyou learned while at ISyE?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003C\/strong\u003EET: I learned that there is a science involved in decision making.\u0026nbsp; I\nlearned that you can make smarter decisions with factual evidence when it\u2019s\navailable.\u0026nbsp; I learned how to get to that evidence in school.\u0026nbsp; I use\nthat skill every day.\u0026nbsp; Trusting your gut is important when no information\nis available, but confirming your gut feel with information gives you a far\nbetter chance of doing something right.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE: Is there any one person who has\nbeen an inspiration to you?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nET: Not one person in particular.\u0026nbsp; I try to take a little bit of what I\nlike from many people and use it myself.\u0026nbsp; I draw inspiration from my\nfamily though.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; My wife, my parents, my siblings\u2026they all give me\nfar more confidence than I would have on my own.\u0026nbsp; In many ways, my drive has\ncome from wanting to make those I\u2019m closest with proud of me.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE: What is the best advice you have\nreceived?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nET: Customer experience is just as important as product differentiation. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE: Can you tell us one interesting\nthing about yourself, that you don\u2019t mind me sharing with the rest of the\nworld?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nET: I eat a mountain of ice cream every night\u2026every single night.\u0026nbsp; I\u2019m\nconvinced it keeps me thin.\u0026nbsp; Perhaps I should start a new diet craze?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE: What is your favorite flavor?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nET: Edy\u2019s Grand Rocky Road.\u0026nbsp; Definitely.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE: What would you be doing if you weren\u2019t\ndoing what you are doing?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nET: Something in Sports Management.\u0026nbsp; D-Rad, keep me in mind one day.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor more information about\nAlternative Apparel, visit their website at \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.alternativeapparel.com\/\u0022\u003Ewww.alternativeapparel.com\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp; Follow them on Facebook at \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/alternativeapparel\u0022\u003Ewww.facebook.com\/alternativeapparel\u003C\/a\u003E\nand on Twitter at \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/twitter.com\/alternativeapp\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/twitter.com\/alternativeapp\u003C\/a\u003E.\n\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEvan Toporek, 1993 IE, is the CEO, partner,\nand member of the Board of Directors for Alternative Apparel, a leading\nlifestyle apparel brand that specializes in casual clothing for young men and\nwomen.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":"","uid":"27511","created_gmt":"2011-11-29 09:29:09","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:42","author":"Ashley Daniel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-11-29T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-11-29T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"73087":{"id":"73087","type":"image","title":"Evan Toporek, CEO of Alternative Apparel","body":null,"created":"1449177979","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:26:19","changed":"1475894671","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:31","alt":"Evan Toporek, CEO of Alternative Apparel","file":{"fid":"193728","name":"evan2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/evan2_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/evan2_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5914163,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/evan2_0.jpg?itok=GKREdgoj"}}},"media_ids":["73087"],"groups":[{"id":"1242","name":"School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISYE)"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"}],"keywords":[{"id":"15167","name":"Alternative Apparel"},{"id":"15166","name":"Evan Toporek"},{"id":"109","name":"Georgia Tech"},{"id":"1202","name":"H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:barbara.christopher@isye.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBarbara Christopher\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIndustrial and Systems Engineering\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404.385.3102\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"72294":{"#nid":"72294","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Alumni Spotlight: Ramson Siblings Make Their Dream a Reality","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESherri Ramson (IE 2011) and Eric Ramson (IE 2011), a\nbrother and sister duo from South Florida, recently graduated from the H.\nMilton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE). Unlike most\ntraditional ISyE undergraduate students, Sherri and Eric decided to make their\ndream of earning a college degree a reality after being in the workforce for\nten years.\u0026nbsp; With the support of their\nfamily and each other, Sherri and Eric graduated from ISyE with high honors. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ESince graduating, Sherri has been working as a consultant\nat Clarkston Consulting, and Eric is a software implementation consultant at\nPower Plan Consultants. They both share a common goal for the future: never\nstop learning.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; What prompted you to pursue your\nundergraduate degree after being in the workforce for ten years?\u0026nbsp; Was it something you always wanted to do? \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ESR:\u0026nbsp; I would have\nliked to go to college after high school, but it always seemed like an\nunrealistic option for me. I come from a family of a single mom with three\nkids, and no influential adults in my life had a college degree. Finances were\ntight and school was expensive. My mother doesn\u2019t have a degree, but she has an\namazing work ethic and a constant desire to succeed in life. She instilled\nthose values in me and my brothers, and it helped me to excel professionally. I\nworked for a few companies and was always put on the fast track to management.\nI came to a point where I was on a great track to make a career out of retail\nmanagement. But I wanted more. I wanted something more challenging. \u0026nbsp; \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EER:\u0026nbsp; I always\nwanted to go to school, but as Sherri stated, I didn\u2019t really have the\nopportunity.\u0026nbsp; Although I had a relatively\nsuccessful career, I never felt that I was intellectually challenged at my\njob.\u0026nbsp; After talking it over with my wife,\nthen girlfriend, Sandra, we came up with a plan to send me to college.\u0026nbsp; Without Sandra\u2019s encouragement and influence,\nI probably would have never gone to college. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; What influenced your decision to study at\nGeorgia Tech?\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ESR:\u0026nbsp; Both Eric and\nI were attracted to Georgia Tech because it had the #1 IE program in the\nnation. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; How was it that you and your sibling decided\nto get your degree at the same time, and at the same school?\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ESR:\u0026nbsp; We both had\ntoyed around with the idea, and then Eric started talking about really taking\nthe steps and moving to Georgia to pursue a degree from Georgia Tech. The more\nwe talked, the more we realized how much we could be there and support each\nother. I was nervous about going back to school, but when Eric told me I\nwouldn\u2019t be alone, I knew this was the time to take the leap or I may never go. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; Did you both have the same class\nschedule?\u0026nbsp; In what ways did you support\neach other with your work load?\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ESR:\u0026nbsp; Though we\ndidn\u2019t always have the same schedule, were always there to motivate each other.\nWe each have different skills and were able to combine those. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EER:\u0026nbsp; We always had\na reliable study and homework partner in each other. We each have different\nstrengths and skills, which made us a great team. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; How do you think your \u201cnon-traditional\u201d\nundergraduate experience compares to that of a traditional one?\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EER: Our experience was very different than that of a\ntraditional undergraduate experience. We missed out on the social side of\nthings, like living in dorms and being involved in Greek life. It had been some\ntime since we had been in a classroom, and there were many times when we fell\nbehind in the information needed for the class. The age difference\nautomatically makes you feel a little different. At first this seemed like a\nnegative trait to have, but as we got to know more students, we realized we had\na lot to offer them by having some real world work experience. We felt at times\nalmost like an unspoken mentor.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOn the plus side, we were very focused and able to\nappreciate the value in learning the material. We viewed the classroom in the\nsame way we would a work office, and treated it with the same maturity and\nprofessionalism. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; What was your favorite spot on campus?\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EER:\u0026nbsp; The ISyE main\nbuilding was near most of our classes where we did most of our studying, and\nthere was a microwave there. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ESR:\u0026nbsp; Juniors was my\nfavorite spot on campus, and our favorite place to eat.\u0026nbsp; We were always looking for an excuse to go\nthere. Sadly, it closed. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; What is your fondest memory of your Georgia\nTech experience? \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ESR:\u0026nbsp; Graduation day\nat the Dome when Professor Chen Zhou walked over and shook my hand, congratulated\nme, and wished me luck on my future. That was the moment I realized I did it! \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EER:\u0026nbsp; The week\nbefore we started at Tech, Sherri and I snuck into the IC building.\u0026nbsp; We walked around, looked at the classrooms,\nand talked about what we thought it would be like to go to Tech.\u0026nbsp; We were both so excited at the opportunity to\ngo to such a prestigious school. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; You both graduated with high honors.\u0026nbsp; What do you feel contributed to your academic\nsuccess? \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ESR:\u0026nbsp; Determination.\nWe both knew how great the opportunity to attend college was for us. We had\nboth had a challenging path just to get there, and knew that we were setting\nthe example for future generations. We didn\u2019t want to just get through it, we\nwanted to achieve success. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; What is the most important thing you learned\nwhile at ISyE? \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EER: Both of us agree that learning how to handle any\nproblem presented to us was very important. In ISyE, you are given problems\noutside of your scope of knowledge. You have to be able to do research to find\nanswers, leverage all available resources , and break the problem down into\nsmall achievable pieces. You gain a special confidence after solving a few\nproblems that seemed impossible in the beginning. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; What advice would you give to a student\nconsidering coming to Georgia Tech to study ISyE?\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ESR:\u0026nbsp; Be prepared to\nfind answers outside of the classroom. The professors give you work that is\nbeyond what is covered in the lecture, and you have to learn how to research\nand solve problems on your own. It\u2019s hard and can be frustrating at times, but\nit prepares you to have confidence when faced with something outside of your\ncomfort zone\u2014a valuable tool to have when starting a career. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EER:\u0026nbsp; Be prepared to\nwork hard! \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; Can you tell us one interesting thing about\nyourself, that you don\u2019t mind us sharing with the rest of the world?\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\n\nER:\u0026nbsp; I\u2019m\nhappily married and the father of a three and half year old daughter , who was\nborn my second year of college.\u0026nbsp; My\nfamily has served as my support structure; I don\u2019t think I would have done so\nwell at Georgia Tech if it weren\u2019t for them.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESherri Ramson and Eric Ramson, a\nbrother and sister duo who recently graduated from ISyE, pursued a degree at Georgia Tech after being in the workforce for\nten years.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":"","uid":"27511","created_gmt":"2011-11-02 09:14:23","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:38","author":"Ashley Daniel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-11-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-11-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"72295":{"id":"72295","type":"image","title":"Sherri and Eric after graduation.","body":null,"created":"1449177454","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:17:34","changed":"1475894653","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:13","alt":"Sherri and Eric after graduation.","file":{"fid":"193658","name":"bench.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/bench_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/bench_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1393055,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/bench_0.jpg?itok=slPMat4c"}},"72296":{"id":"72296","type":"image","title":"Sherri and Eric at Junior\u0027s Grill.","body":null,"created":"1449177454","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:17:34","changed":"1475894653","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:13","alt":"Sherri and Eric at Junior\u0027s Grill.","file":{"fid":"193659","name":"juniors.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/juniors.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/juniors.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1553689,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/juniors.jpg?itok=KJ_ERZ85"}}},"media_ids":["72295","72296"],"groups":[{"id":"1242","name":"School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISYE)"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"}],"keywords":[{"id":"14965","name":"Eric Ramson"},{"id":"109","name":"Georgia Tech"},{"id":"426","name":"isye"},{"id":"169388","name":"Sherri Ramson"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:barbara.christopher@isye.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBarbara Christopher\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIndustrial and Systems Engineering\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404.385.3102\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"71503":{"#nid":"71503","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Student Spotlight: Breona Jenkins is at the top of her class","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBreona Jenkins, an\nundergraduate student in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems\nEngineering (ISyE), is among the top of her class for academic achievement and\nleadership. On track to graduate in the spring of 2013, Jenkins is the\nrecipient of the Jack C. Webb Scholarship\u003Cstrong\u003E,\n\u003C\/strong\u003EWomen in Engineering Scholarship\u003Cstrong\u003E, \u003C\/strong\u003Eand\u003Cstrong\u003E \u003C\/strong\u003Ethe Atlanta Gas Light Scholarship. In\naddition to her high honors, Jenkins holds several leadership and\nextracurricular positions such as Tau Beta initiate, FASET leader, Kids@Kollege\ncommittee chair, peer advisor for the Office of International Education, Team\nBUZZ project coordinator, and member of the Mentor and Mentee Program with\nWomen in Engineering. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ERead the following interview to learn more about Breona.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp;\nFinish the sentence: Few people know that\u2026 \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBJ:\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/strong\u003EMy two passions are dancing and Spanish.\nI am the vice president of the Spanish Speaking Organization, and a member of\nthe Ballroom Dance Club at Georgia Tech. I studied abroad last summer in Spain\nand Mexico, and hope to travel back one day soon. If I could use my engineering\nskills to assist in furthering the development of the Mexican infrastructure,\nit would be a dream.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; Is there any one person who has been an\ninspiration to you or someone that you consider your hero? Who and why?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBJ:\u0026nbsp; My mother is my\ninspiration. As a soldier for the Army Reserve, she is also my hero. She has\nalways been there for me to encourage me in my pursuits, advise me when I have\na problem, and give me confidence in my abilities. She is a strong woman who\nhas shown me that I can overcome any struggles that I may have in life.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE: Tell me a\nlittle about yourself. Where are you from originally?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBJ:\u0026nbsp; Originally born\nin\u0026nbsp;Flint,\nMI, I moved to Woodstock, GA in 2005 and where I attended\nhigh school. I enjoy music, cooking, reading, rock climbing, and being involved\non campus to meet new people.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE: What motivated you to come to\nGeorgia Tech?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBJ:\u0026nbsp; Georgia Tech is an\namazing Institute and always in the top ten of public colleges in the nation.\nThat reputation attracted me to Tech. In high school, I loved math and science,\nand I felt that Tech would give me an opportunity to pursue my interests and guide\nme to a career path that I would love.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EI initially came to Georgia Tech as pre-architecture, but\nafter completing a Senior Project with two practicing architects, I decided\nthat it was not my passion. Still fascinated with science and math, I decided\nto pursue engineering. After much research, I chose industrial engineering, as\nit would offer me great flexibility in my choice of profession, and I would\nhave the opportunity to interact with both people and machines on a daily\nbasis.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE: I understand that you participate\nin the Co-op program.\u0026nbsp; Tell me about your\nexperience.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBJ:\u0026nbsp; I am in my second\nrotation as a co-op at Manhattan Associates, a supply chain software company\nwhere I work as a consultant. My day-to-day job includes testing issues,\ncreating reports for the issues, and participating in conference calls with\nclients to resolve any concerns they have.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE: \u0026nbsp;What has been your favorite IE course so far?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBJ:\u0026nbsp; ISyE 2028. I learned the software \u201cR\u201d\nand found that Statistics is a powerful tool that can be utilized in everyday\nlife. Also, my professor, Heeyoung Kim, was enthusiastic about her position and\nmade me excited about statistics as well.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; What is something every student should do\nwhile at Georgia Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBJ:\u0026nbsp; Every student at\nTech should see a DramaTech play, go to a show at the Ferst Theater, spend a\nnight in Tech Rec, and take advantage of the facilities in the CRC.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp;\nTell me about a favorite ISyE experience you have had.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBJ:\u0026nbsp; I found my probability\nclass quite interesting, especially after I started to fully understand it. One\nday, my professor was speaking on a particular topic and he proclaimed, \u201cIt\u2019s\nlike magic. It is magic, in fact. It\u2019s probability!\u201d It was one of the funniest\nmoments in my ISyE career.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; What are your prospective career\ngoals?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBJ:\u0026nbsp; In the future, I\nhope to help others through service and through my profession. I would like to\nhave a career that involves some travelling, holds my interests and challenges\nme, and also allows me to help humanity in some way - no matter how small or\nlarge. One of my biggest goals is to own a restaurant. It would be wonderful to\nuse my engineering skills to be successful in the culinary arena.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp;\nWhat was the last book you read for pleasure?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBJ:\u0026nbsp; \u003Cem\u003ECrossfire\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Eby Dick\nand Felix Francis. Now I am reading\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EI\u2019d Know You Anywhere\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;by\nLaura Lippman.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; What piece of technology could you not live\nwithout?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBJ:\u0026nbsp; I could not live\nwithout my laptop. I store all pictures, music, and documents on it and it has\nbeen with me through all of my college years.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp;\nWhat music do you listen to?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\nBJ:\u0026nbsp; I love all music. Especially John\nMayer, Teena Marie, Usher, NeverShoutNever, Reik, and Linkin Park.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp;\nWhat is your favorite spot on campus?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBJ:\u0026nbsp; Campanile hands\ndown. It\u2019s a reminder of the beauty and focus of the Tech community, and the\nchanging of the colors is reminiscent of the growth that each student\nexperiences while at Tech.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp;\nWhat is the best piece of advice you ever received?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBJ:\u0026nbsp; Life is what you\nmake it.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp;\nWhat advice would you give a student considering coming to Georgia Tech\nto study at ISyE?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBJ:\u0026nbsp; I would suggest\nthat the student keeps an open mind, studies hard, and explores different\noptions in the ISyE major, as well as the clubs and organizations at Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBreona Jenkins, an\nundergraduate student in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems\nEngineering (ISyE), is among the top of her class for academic achievement and\nleadership.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":"","uid":"27511","created_gmt":"2011-10-17 16:25:34","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:30","author":"Ashley Daniel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-10-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-10-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"71504":{"id":"71504","type":"image","title":"This past spring, Breona and her dance partner, Drew Loney, competed in a dance competition at UNC Charlotte.","body":null,"created":"1449177386","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:16:26","changed":"1475894637","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:57","alt":"This past spring, Breona and her dance partner, Drew Loney, competed in a dance competition at UNC Charlotte.","file":{"fid":"193534","name":"dancing.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dancing_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dancing_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":70768,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/dancing_0.jpg?itok=ZRU6YYHv"}},"71505":{"id":"71505","type":"image","title":"Breona Jenkins during her study abroad in Spain","body":null,"created":"1449177386","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:16:26","changed":"1475894639","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:59","alt":"Breona Jenkins during her study abroad in Spain","file":{"fid":"193535","name":"spain3.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/spain3_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/spain3_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":96699,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/spain3_0.jpg?itok=TpuQt2Z7"}}},"media_ids":["71504","71505"],"groups":[{"id":"1242","name":"School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISYE)"}],"categories":[{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"14769","name":"Breona Jenkins"},{"id":"1202","name":"H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:barbara.christopher@isye.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBarbara Christopher\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIndustrial and Systems Engineering\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404.385.3102\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"71627":{"#nid":"71627","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Alumni Spotlight: Ran Jin Pursues a Career in Academia","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAfter receiving his PhD from\nthe H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE), Ran\nJin has accepted a position as an assistant\nprofessor at the Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Virginia\nTech (VT). Jin, who has always wanted to pursue a career in academia, is\nexcited about starting his career. According to Jin, several features attracted\nhim to his current position such as the flexibility to determine his research\nfocus, the interaction with young people, the teaching and self-learning, and ability\nto measure his career success by the students\u2019 success. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EDuring his time in ISyE, Jin was the recipient of several\nprestigious awards including: 2010 INFORMS QSR Best Student Paper Award\nFinalist for \u201cReconfigured Piecewise Linear Regression Tree for Multistage\nManufacturing Process Control\u201d, Runner-up for the 2008 Best Poster Award for\n\u201cIntermediate Adjustment Feedforward Control,\u201d in the College of Engineering Graduate\nSymposium, and the 2007 Forging Industry Educational \u0026amp; Research Foundation\nScholarship.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ETo learn more about Ran Jin,\ncontinue reading the interview that follows.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; Ran Jin,\nwhat motivated you to achieve your career goals? \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ERJ:\u0026nbsp; When I was a kid, my father told me: \u201cYou\ncan\u0027t expect to be both grand and comfortable.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\nNow, even if I am having great difficulty achieving my career objective,\nI feel being persistent seems to be the only choice.\u0026nbsp; I want to contribute something in my area\nwhen I still have the chance.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; Tell us\nabout yourself.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ERJ:\u0026nbsp; I was born in Chengdu City, Sichuan Province,\nChina. My hometown is famous for panda bear and spicy food. I received my\nbachelor\u2019s degree in electronic engineering from Tsinghua University in\nBeijing, China.\u0026nbsp; Afterwards, I joined\nProfessor Jan Shi\u2019s research group at the University of Michigan where I\nreceived a master\u2019s degree in statistics, as well as in industrial engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOutside of work, I\nenjoy photography, kayaking, and reading books, specifically history and\neconomics related. I enjoy cooking, and I seldom repeat what I cook because I\nalways want to try something new.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE: \u0026nbsp;What influenced your\ndecision to get your PhD at Georgia Tech?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ERJ:\u0026nbsp; Professor Shi heavily influenced my decision\nto pursue a PhD at Georgia Tech. I think the most important part of the PhD\nstudy is to find a good advisor. A good advisor can lead you to the objective\nthat you want to achieve. A good advisor is a tour guide to help you quickly\nexplore the areas that you might have interests in. Professor Shi is such a\ngood advisor. \u0026nbsp;When Professor Shi decided\nto join the faculty at Georgia Tech, I wanted to transfer with him, and I feel\nthat was probably the best decision I ever made. \u0026nbsp;Another aspect that drew me to Georgia Tech\nwas the size of the ISyE faculty. I was happy to have so many faculty members\nin our department, with flexible course choices and many research collaboration\nopportunities.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE: \u0026nbsp;Tell us about a favorite or most memorable\nISyE experience you had.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ERJ:\u0026nbsp; I highly enjoyed the seminars\ngiven by world class scholars invited to our department.\u0026nbsp; As a graduate student, the learning, dialog, and\nquestions with these scholars helped me understand what defines good research,\nand what makes that research outstanding in the academic society.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE: \u0026nbsp;What is something every student should do\nwhile at Georgia Tech?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ERJ:\u0026nbsp; Go workout at the CRC! As a\nstudent, balancing work and life is important.\u0026nbsp;\nBesides, how many students from other schools have a chance to go\nworkout on an Olympic site?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE: \u0026nbsp;Where was your favorite spot on the Georgia\nTech campus?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ERJ:\u0026nbsp; The lawn beside the ISyE and Instructional\nCenter buildings. From this spot, I enjoyed many picnics and beautiful views of\nthe campus.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE: \u0026nbsp;What have you been doing since finishing your\nPhD last April?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ERJ:\u0026nbsp; I moved to a new place and\njoined the VT faculty.\u0026nbsp; Joining the VT\nfaculty is a completely new start for me. It means challenges, and also\nopportunities.\u0026nbsp; Being outstanding in this\ntop IE department of the country is not easy, but fortunately I have a lot of\ngreat colleagues to learn from.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE: \u0026nbsp;Would you say that ISyE prepared you for your\ncurrent position?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ERJ:\u0026nbsp; ISyE prepared me for almost\nevery aspect of my current position. ISyE has one of the best industrial\nengineering programs in this country, with teaching and research being\nperformed by some of the best scholars in the field.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE: \u0026nbsp;What do you do to make learning more engaging\nfor students?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ERJ:\u0026nbsp; I use multiple types of media,\nsuch as video and images, to help students link new material to information\nthey already know.\u0026nbsp; I teach students how\nto solve real-world problems, rather than focusing on textbook problems.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE: \u0026nbsp;What piece of technology could you not live\nwithout as an instructor?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ERJ:\u0026nbsp; PowerPoint. Without the PowerPoint\npresentation, it is hard to use video, photos, or data plots to illustrate the\nideas behind the problems I teach.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; Tell us a\nlittle bit about your PhD thesis and current research.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ERJ:\u0026nbsp; My thesis is about how to manufacture\nproducts with better quality.\u0026nbsp; To improve\nthe quality, we need to understand the relationship between the quality and the\nimportant factors to change the quality.\u0026nbsp;\nNowadays, the manufacturing system becomes more complex, and we may have\nlimited knowledge about this relationship from an engineering perspective.\u0026nbsp; On the other hand, the advancement of sensing\ntechnology gives us a data-rich manufacturing environment.\u0026nbsp; My thesis is about how to integrate the\nengineering domain knowledge and operational data to model the manufacturing\nprocess, and improve the quality.\u0026nbsp; I\napplied this methodology in the semiconductor manufacturing processes\u003Cstrong\u003E.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMy current research involves engineering\ndriven data fusion in manufacturing system modeling and quality improvements,\nwith specific interests in the variation reduction in product realization and\nmanufacturing scale-up, and quality engineering based on high definition\nprofile data. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE: \u0026nbsp;What is your favorite book\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E? \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ERJ:\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp; Modern History of China\u003C\/em\u003E, by\nTsiang, Tingfu. The reason why this is my favorite book is that the author has\na completely new angle and new evidence to show the history of China from years\n1840 to year 1911, with only 50,000 Chinese characters (It could be very\nchallenging even with 500,000 Chinese characters).\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; I believe this should be the first book to\nread to understand the Chinese modern history. Dr. Tsiang\u2019s personal experiences\nare also interesting to me. He was a faculty member at Tsinghua University in\nthe 1920s, where I completed my undergraduate degree. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ERecently, I have been reading \u003Cem\u003EEconomic Imperialism,\u003C\/em\u003E by Wuchang Zhang.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; What is the best piece of advice you ever\nreceived?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ERJ:\u0026nbsp; Actually I got two from my\nadvisor Prof Shi about how to work efficiently:\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHave a beginning and an end.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOnly Handle It Once\u201d\n(OHIO)\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAfter receiving his PhD from\nthe H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE), Ran\nJin has accepted a position as an assistant\nprofessor at the Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Virginia\nTech (VT).\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":"","uid":"27511","created_gmt":"2011-10-20 08:50:38","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:30","author":"Ashley Daniel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-10-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-10-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"71628":{"id":"71628","type":"image","title":"Ran Jin received his PhD from Georgia Tech ISyE","body":null,"created":"1449177396","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:16:36","changed":"1475894639","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:59","alt":"Ran Jin received his PhD from Georgia Tech ISyE","file":{"fid":"193546","name":"ran_jin_georgia_tech_graduation.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ran_jin_georgia_tech_graduation_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ran_jin_georgia_tech_graduation_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":508999,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ran_jin_georgia_tech_graduation_0.jpg?itok=gXTd8OOf"}},"71629":{"id":"71629","type":"image","title":"Ran Jin","body":null,"created":"1449177396","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:16:36","changed":"1475894639","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:59","alt":"Ran Jin","file":{"fid":"193547","name":"ranjin.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ranjin_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ranjin_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1742065,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ranjin_0.jpg?itok=d_5fqUN_"}}},"media_ids":["71628","71629"],"groups":[{"id":"1242","name":"School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISYE)"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"}],"keywords":[{"id":"109","name":"Georgia Tech"},{"id":"1202","name":"H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering"},{"id":"14827","name":"Ran Jin"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:barbara.christopher@isye.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBarbara Christopher\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIndustrial and Systems Engineering\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404.385.3102\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"71267":{"#nid":"71267","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Student Spotlight: President\u2019s Scholar Connor Perkett","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EConnor Perkett, a President\u2019s Scholar (PS) at Georgia Tech, is a second year undergraduate student in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE) on track to graduate in the spring of 2014. Perkett is a member of Lambda Sigma Honor Society, an honorary organization for sophomores dedicated to leadership and service. He is also a host for Connect with Tech, Georgia Tech\u2019s recruitment program. Perkett, who was born in Connecticut and raised in Lake George, New York, was first drawn to Georgia Tech through the President\u2019s Scholarship Program, which was designed for students who have been identified as being capable of making significant contributions, both in and out of the classroom.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; Tell me a little about yourself. \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003ECP:\u0026nbsp; I am a second year undergraduate student at ISyE and have loved every bit of it!\u0026nbsp; The PS program really drew me to Tech because it is like a family- the connectedness and kindness of the program really shines through. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; What motivated you to come to Georgia Tech?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003ECP:\u0026nbsp; Georgia Tech had a perfect balance of a work hard\/play hard mentality that I couldn\u2019t find at other schools. The classes are very rigorous and challenging, but the sports are always there to cheer on the Yellow Jackets! I also wanted to go to a place where I could find some diversity and try something new- something I didn\u2019t have in upstate New York.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; What piqued your interest in becoming an industrial engineer? \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003ECP:\u0026nbsp; Throughout high school, I have always loved working with numbers and anything scientific. However, at the same time, I loved business and the decisions that are made in the business realm of companies. Therefore, ISyE was the best combination of the things I enjoy, and it is something that I can be happy about the rest of my life.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; Who is your favorite professor and why?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003ECP:\u0026nbsp; I would definitely have to say John D. Cressler who is currently teaching COE 3002 for management and technology, as well as the Honors Program. He really cares about every student learning the material and gives that extra push. He wants to see every student succeed to the best of their ability.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; Favorite IE course so far and why?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003ECP:\u0026nbsp; I have just started taking ISyE courses this semester, my first course being ISyE 2027. It is interesting thus far.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; What is something every student should do while at Georgia Tech?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003ECP:\u0026nbsp; Study Abroad! Georgia Tech has an amazing study abroad program, and there is something for everyone\u2019s taste. After my freshman year, I decided to go on the Oxford Study Abroad program which was definitely the greatest experience of my life. The places we traveled, the friends we made, and the fun we had surpass anything I have ever experienced before. The Office of International Education works with each student to give them the best experience they could ever imagine.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; What are your prospective career goals?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003ECP:\u0026nbsp; I really want to concentrate in financial optimization and then find the perfect school to get my MBA. From there, I just want to find a job that will make me happy, which could include non-profits, managerial positions, business transactions, or something in the amusement park industry.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; What are some of your non-academic interests?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003ECP:\u0026nbsp; I enjoy being on the Student Center Programs Council concert committee, which plans the homecoming concerts and other live performances throughout the year. I also enjoy sports, hiking, travelling, working with disabled children, playing percussion, listening to music, and exploring Atlanta.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; How do you spend your free time?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003ECP:\u0026nbsp; I really enjoy trying new things with friends, whether it be different kinds of foods, exploring new places, or running distances I have never ran before. However, sitting down and taking a quick rest is always nice too!\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; What was the last book you read for pleasure?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003ECP:\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003E Atlas Shrugged\u003C\/em\u003E by Ayn Rand. Objectivism at its best.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; What piece of technology could you not live without?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003ECP:\u0026nbsp; Transistors- they are literally in everything.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; What music do you listen to?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003ECP:\u0026nbsp; I love all kinds of music, but I really appreciate bands that can perform live. The experience of a live concert cannot match that of a disc.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; What is your favorite spot on campus?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003ECP:\u0026nbsp; Bobby Dodd Stadium; there\u2019s nothing like game day.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; Tell me about one of your accomplishments?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003ECP:\u0026nbsp; My greatest accomplishment occurred in ninth grade. Unfortunately, I used to be a very obese child growing up, but in ninth grade I decided to change that. I was fed up being so out of shape. Throughout the next six months, by watching what I ate and going to the gym four times a week, I was able to work off sixty pounds. Ever since then, I have been able to maintain a proper weight\/muscle ratio.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; What is the best piece of advice you ever received?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003ECP:\u0026nbsp; Wherever you go in your future, never forget where you\u2019ve been and the people that have touched you.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; Is there any one person who has been an inspiration to you or someone that you consider your hero? Who and why?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003ECP:\u0026nbsp; I would definitely have to say my parents. They have sacrificed so much to raise my family and make sure that all of us succeed. I will definitely model my family style off of them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE:\u0026nbsp; Finish the sentence: Few people know that...\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003ECP:\u0026nbsp; I have eight brothers and sisters- five of which are adopted; three from China, and two from Guatemala.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EConnor Perkett,\na President\u2019s Scholar (PS) at Georgia Tech, is a second year undergraduate\nstudent in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering\n(ISyE) on track to graduate in the spring of 2014. Perkett is a member of\nLambda Sigma Honor Society, an honorary organization for sophomores dedicated\nto leadership and service.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":"","uid":"27511","created_gmt":"2011-10-13 14:32:08","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:26","author":"Ashley Daniel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-10-13T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-10-13T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"71268":{"id":"71268","type":"image","title":"Connor at a Georgia Tech football game","body":null,"created":"1449177367","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:16:07","changed":"1475894632","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:52","alt":"Connor at a Georgia Tech football game","file":{"fid":"193503","name":"connor_at_gt_football_game.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/connor_at_gt_football_game_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/connor_at_gt_football_game_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5385372,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/connor_at_gt_football_game_0.jpg?itok=XHjecvCS"}}},"media_ids":["71268"],"groups":[{"id":"1242","name":"School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISYE)"}],"categories":[{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"14707","name":"Connor Perkett"},{"id":"109","name":"Georgia Tech"},{"id":"1202","name":"H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering"},{"id":"5735","name":"president\u0027s scholarship program"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:barbara.christopher@isye.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBarbara Christopher\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIndustrial and Systems Engineering\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404.385.3102\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"69960":{"#nid":"69960","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Student Spotlight: Adjoa Aka","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAdjoa\nAka, an undergraduate student in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and\nSystems Engineering (ISyE), is volunteering with the Georgia Tech chapter of\nEngineers Without Borders (EWB-GT) in their fundraising efforts as they\nprepare to send a team of students to Cameroon, Africa in December to implement\na clean water distribution system.\u0026nbsp; According to Aka, who is originally\nfrom Togo, a country in West Africa, working with EWB-GT is a way for her to\n\u201cgive back\u201d.\u0026nbsp; When asked what motivates her to give back, she stated that\ngiving back brings her so much joy.\u0026nbsp; Even\nwhen she was in Africa, she tutored children as a way to serve her\ncommunity.\u0026nbsp; According to Aka, Dr. Martin\nLuther King Jr. described it best when he said, \u201cEveryone can be great, because\nanyone can serve\u2026 you only need a heart full of grace.\u0026nbsp; A soul generated\nby love.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAka also\nvolunteers her time to help African refugee families as they adjust to a new\nlife in the United States, specifically encouraging them to further their\neducation.\u0026nbsp; In addition to her volunteer work, Aka is a member of the\nStudent Alumni Association and the African Students Association at Georgia\nTech. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003ETo learn\nmore about Aka, continue reading the interview that follows.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E How are you contributing to EWB-GT\u2019s\nfundraising efforts?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAA:\u0026nbsp; I have been helping the fundraising team on a\nproject to implement a clean water distribution system in Cameroon,\nAfrica.\u0026nbsp; I have been making phone calls\nand distributing information to potential sponsors who may be interested in\nsupporting this trip, and EWB-GT in general.\u0026nbsp;\nGifts in support of this project will assist with travel expenses, as\nwell as the cost of construction for the water distribution system, solar pump,\nand storage tank.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp; \u003Cstrong\u003EFor any of our readers who would like to help\nsupport this project, where can they go for more information?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAA:\u0026nbsp; That would be great!\u0026nbsp; Anyone who wishes to make a donation to the Georgia\nTech Foundation in support of EWB-GT can contact Nancy Sandlin, the director of\ndevelopment for ISyE, at 404-385-7458, or \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:nsandlin@isye.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ensandlin@isye.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE\u003C\/strong\u003E:\n\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat have you enjoyed most about working with EWB-GT?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAA:\u0026nbsp; EWB-GT is 100% run by students.\u0026nbsp; It is amazing that students can take what\nthey learn in class and apply it to such a great cause.\u0026nbsp; For example, Georgia Tech students are\nresponsible for designing the water tank and water distribution system which\nwill be used in Cameroon.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE\u003C\/strong\u003E: \u003Cstrong\u003EHow\ndo you plan to apply what you are learning as an ISyE student to EWB-GT?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAA:\u0026nbsp; As an industrial engineering student, I plan\non working with the team to offer more efficient and cost effective ways to\nhelp those in need.\u0026nbsp; For example, I can\nuse statistical data to determine how much water a community needs each day, or\nto assist in finding out the probability of disease in the water.\u0026nbsp; I hope to have the opportunity to travel with\nEWB-GT, and work on location.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp; \u003Cstrong\u003EWith the strenuous work load from your\nclasses, how do you have time to volunteer?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAA:\u0026nbsp; It is always easy to find time for things we\nlove.\u0026nbsp; When I have a little free time\naway from my books, I find time to do what I am passionate about.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp; \u003Cstrong\u003EWhat motivated you to pursue a degree in\nindustrial engineering?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAA:\u0026nbsp; I have always known I wanted to be an\nengineer, but I wasn\u2019t sure in what capacity I wanted to pursue this\nfield.\u0026nbsp; My strength lies in mathematics\nand problem-solving.\u0026nbsp; As an industrial\nengineer, I can use my strengths for the good of humanity, helping underprivileged\ncommunities, which is where my passion lies.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp; \u003Cstrong\u003EWhat are your hobbies and interests?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAA:\u0026nbsp; I enjoy Agbadja, a traditional dance from my\nhome in Togo, and listening to soukousse and zouk music, popular music in African\nculture.\u0026nbsp; I also like to travel and\nexplore other cultures.\u0026nbsp; On my last visit\nto Africa, I visited Benin, my family\u2019s native country, to learn more about my\nheritage.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp; \u003Cstrong\u003EWhat is your favorite thing to do on the Georgia\nTech campus?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAA:\u0026nbsp; The Georgia Tech Christian Campus Fellowship\n(CCF) is a great place to meet fellow students and make friends here on\ncampus.\u0026nbsp; I enjoy attending the CCF events\nand listening to their guest speakers.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp; \u003Cstrong\u003EHow do you hope to contribute to society,\nmaking the world a better place, as an industrial engineer?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAA:\u0026nbsp; Using my skills as an industrial engineer, I\nhope to work with disadvantaged communities, helping them gain access to such\nbasic needs as clean water, food, and healthcare.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAdjoa Aka, an undergraduate student in the H.\nMilton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE), is\nvolunteering with the Georgia Tech chapter of Engineers Without Borders\n(EWB-GT) in their fundraising efforts as they prepare to send a team of\nstudents to Cameroon, Africa in December to implement a clean water\ndistribution system.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":"","uid":"27511","created_gmt":"2011-09-12 17:18:53","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:09","author":"Ashley Daniel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-09-14T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-09-14T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"69961":{"id":"69961","type":"image","title":"Adjoa Aka (R) and Adam Drozek (L), EWB-GT project leader and civil engineering student, review the group\u0027s water distribution plans for Cameroon.","body":null,"created":"1449177275","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:14:35","changed":"1475894614","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:34","alt":"Adjoa Aka (R) and Adam Drozek (L), EWB-GT project leader and civil engineering student, review the group\u0027s water distribution plans for Cameroon.","file":{"fid":"192872","name":"064.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/064_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/064_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3721819,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/064_0.jpg?itok=Fu9VN8ON"}},"71509":{"id":"71509","type":"image","title":"Adjoa Aka","body":null,"created":"1449177386","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:16:26","changed":"1475894639","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:59","alt":"Adjoa Aka","file":{"fid":"193536","name":"adjoa_dress_1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/adjoa_dress_1_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/adjoa_dress_1_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5693066,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/adjoa_dress_1_0.jpg?itok=HcRGUT3Z"}}},"media_ids":["69961","71509"],"groups":[{"id":"1242","name":"School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISYE)"}],"categories":[{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"14266","name":"Engineering Without Borders"},{"id":"12385","name":"ewb-gt"},{"id":"479","name":"Green Buzz"},{"id":"426","name":"isye"},{"id":"168869","name":"Student Spotlight"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:barbara.christopher@isye.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBarbara Christopher\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIndustrial and Systems Engineering\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404.385.3102\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"63466":{"#nid":"63466","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Alumni Spotlight: Retired Two-Star General Ron Johnson Leads NBA Refs","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERon Johnson (MS OR 1985), retired two-star general and graduate of the H. Milton Stewart\nSchool of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE), oversaw the Army Corps of\nEngineers\u2019 $18 billion reconstruction of Iraq in 2003 and 2004 and then\nsupervised the clean-up of the Gulf Coast after hurricane Katrina in 2005. Now\nJohnson is guiding\nthe nation\u0027s top basketball officials in his capacity as the NBA\u0027s senior vice\npresident of referee operations.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFor Johnson, his transition from the combat\ntheater to the basketball arena isn\u2019t as broad a leap as one might think. In\nfact, in a recent interview in the \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ajc.com\/sports\/refereeing-the-nba-refs-750645.html\u0022\u003EAtlanta Journal Constitution\u003C\/a\u003E (AJC) \u003C\/em\u003EJohnson stated that, \u201cyou should never\nbe surprised that an industrial engineer [IE] is anywhere,\u201d particularly given\nISyE\u2019s status as the number-one ranked graduate program in industrial engineering\nin the nation. IEs take real-life situations, Johnson explains, \u201cand through\nour analytical talents, we make them better.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBelieving that the value of any level education at Georgia Tech, regardless of the field of study, is measured by the success of its graduates around the world, Johnson is committed to helping students pursue their goals at Tech and take their skills into the world. To that end, he has endowed two scholarships at Georgia Tech -- the Ronald L Johnson Scholarship for African American students who have financial needs and are pursuing a degree in the Stewart School of ISyE and the Ronald L Johnson Roll Call Scholarship Endowment Fund. Johnson shared that he feels blessed to have the opportunity to do this, and he thinks \u201cthat it is right to give back when I\u0027ve been blessed with so much.\u201d\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPrior\nto earning his master\u0027s at Tech, Johnson graduated from the United States\nMilitary Academy at West Point, where\n he received a bachelor of science degree with a concentration in \nMathematics and Mechanical Engineering. \u0026nbsp;He is also a \u0022Jedi Warrior\u0022 \ngraduate of the Army\u0027s elite School of Advanced Military Studies, where \nhe earned a Master\u0027s in Strategic Planning. Johnson has received executive\nleadership and national security training at Harvard University, Gallup\nUniversity, George Washington University, the University of Virginia, and the\nCenter for Creative Leadership. He was an Army War College Fellow at the Joint\nCenter for Political and Economic Studies.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIn\nthe interview that follows, Johnson explains how his IE degree has helped him\nboth in his military career and now in the NBA and what his relationship to\nGeorgia Tech means to him. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE\u003C\/strong\u003E: \u0026nbsp;You have had quite an illustrious career as a two-star general and then with the Army Corps of Engineers before heading the\nNBA\u0027s referee operations. How has your IE degree helped you as a two-star\ngeneral and working in the Army Corps of Engineers? \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ER.J.: \u003C\/strong\u003EI would like to think that my\nsuccesses from the day that I left GeorgiaTech to the day that I retired from\nthe military were somehow influenced by my experiences at Tech in many ways.\nThe diversity of the student body, the rigor of the Masters in OR program at\nTech -- all of that helped me. To be specific, as the Gulf Region division commander\nin the Corps, understanding a systems approach to a large-scale program\/project\nmanagement in Iraq made it clear that field commanders, government\nrepresentatives, and the Iraqis should have input to what we were doing IF this\nreconstruction was going to add value. Understanding how to synchronize all the\npieces of the nation\u0027s largest public engineering firm as the Deputy Commander\nGeneral (DCG) was key to success of the Corps. Also, as the DCG of the Corps, I\nwas the lead for our Lean Six Sigma efforts. \u0026nbsp;There is no doubt that my\ncredentials from West Point and Georgia Tech were key in making me desirable to\nboth Lockheed-Martin and the NBA.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE\u003C\/strong\u003E: \u0026nbsp;How has your IE degree helped you do your job\nas the NBA\u2019s senior vice president of referee operations?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ER.J.: \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EGeorgia Tech has given me some quantitative skills\nthat are critical to evaluating our performance. Understanding what data tells\nyou, as well as what it does not is critical to success. Having the Operations\nResearch and Systems Analysis (OR SA) degree from Tech also gives me understanding that allows me to\ntake a systems approach in my position. In other words, it is important to seek\ninput from other basketball operations folks before implementing solutions or\neven making assessments\u003Cstrong\u003E.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE\u003C\/strong\u003E: \u0026nbsp;Do you have a formal procedure for scheduling\nyour referees? If so, what is it?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ER.J.: \u003C\/strong\u003EWe do have a formal process in\nscheduling our referees that is not much different from how airlines crews are\nscheduled. We do not use the classic \u0022travelling salesman\u0022 algorithm,\nnor do we attempt to solve any linear programming scheduling problem because\nour crews have constraints and restraints that are not conducive to a simple\nsolution.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE\u003C\/strong\u003E: \u0026nbsp;What is your biggest challenge as the person\nresponsible for NBA referee operations?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ER.J.: \u003C\/strong\u003EThis is a leadership position.\nLeading a highly competent and specialized group of people is very difficult\nwhen you haven\u0027t done what they have done. What I do bring to the job is proven\nleadership\u0026nbsp;and a calm style that is necessary to deal with the emotions of\nour game.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE\u003C\/strong\u003E: What are the logistics\nquestions\/issues in scheduling the NBA referees? \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ER.J.: \u003C\/strong\u003EOf course there are logistical\nchallenges associated with getting crews in place. Many think that referees go\nto games where they live -- not true -- our NBA referees are rapidly deployable\nLeague-wide. They go where they are scheduled, regardless of where they live.\nWe are able to overcome some of the challenges of weather and flight\ncancellations by having work rules which require referees to be in place far in\nadvance of our games. Therefore we will know far enough in advance whether to\nsend in a replacement referee in the case of transport challenges or\ninjuries\/illness. The biggest advantage we have is the dedication of our\nofficials -- they will do whatever it takes to get to their games.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE\u003C\/strong\u003E: \u0026nbsp;What motivated you to come to Georgia Tech to pursue\nyour graduate degree?\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ER.J.: \u003C\/strong\u003EI met a Georgia Tech professor,\nthe late Griffin Callahan, also a West Point graduate, and he sold me on the\nISyE\u0027s ORSA program.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE\u003C\/strong\u003E: \u0026nbsp;Describe one of your most interesting moments\nat Tech?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ER.J.: \u003C\/strong\u003EThere are six -- the first was\nbeing admitted and accepted in a conditional status; the second was Tech basketball;\nthe third was graduation; the fourth was being named a Distinguished Grad; the\nfifth was meeting the young man who received my scholarship; and the sixth and\nmost recent is endowing my scholarship - forever.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE\u003C\/strong\u003E: \u0026nbsp;In your interview with the AJC, you stated\nthat your education at Tech taught you how to think rather than what to think,\ncan you give me an example or tell me why this is important to you?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ER.J.: \u003C\/strong\u003EThis is a very important concept. There is a lot\nof \u0022training\u0022 that you can receive in the classroom that teaches you\nmethods of solutions to problems. All you need to do is to just do a lot of\nproblems. In my graduate education at Tech, we were often assigned problems\nthat had no simple or \u0022elegant\u0022 solutions. You had to know HOW TO\nTHINK about the problem and some possible ways of solving the problem based\nupon what you already knew. Knowing HOW to think allows people to find\nsolutions that are NEW. Knowing what to think oftentimes limits you to\nsolutions that already exist.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE\u003C\/strong\u003E: \u0026nbsp;What advice would you give a student starting\nthe program today?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ER.J.: \u003C\/strong\u003ECarpe Diem! \u0026nbsp;You are getting a great\neducation and you can expand that education by getting involved in the entire\ncollege experience. Trust me \u2013 Georgia Tech is a great place to learn and a\ngreat place to expand your horizons. Get involved. Get to know your classmates\n- embrace the diversity at Tech. Your classmates will be leaders of industry\naround the world. The relationships you build today will be of great help to\nyou in the future.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE\u003C\/strong\u003E: What do you read for pleasure\nand what are you reading now?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ER.J.: \u003C\/strong\u003EThe NBA Rule Book --\nI\u0027m still learning. \u0026nbsp;For pleasure, I just finished the \u003Cem\u003E52nd Floor - Thinking Deeply about\nLeadership\u003C\/em\u003E by David A. Levy, James E. Parco and Fred R. Blass; \u003Cem\u003EWith Honor in Hand\u003C\/em\u003E by Terron Sims; Outliers: The Story of Success\nby Malcolm Gladwell; and \u003Cem\u003EPrivate\u003C\/em\u003E by\nJames Patterson.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE\u003C\/strong\u003E: \u0026nbsp;Finish this sentence: Few people know\nthat.......\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ER.J.: \u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;1. I am a\nvery private person.\u0026nbsp; 2. I work very hard\nevery day to get better.\u0026nbsp; 3. I go\nanaerobic Monday through Friday to improve my fitness (I work out instead of go\nto lunch each week day unless I\u0027m forced to attend a lunch meeting). 4. I won\u2019t\nfeel that I have been successful until I have the title \u0022Dr\u0022 in front\nof my name.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE\u003C\/strong\u003E: Is there any one person\nwho has been an inspiration to you? If so, who, and how did they inspire\nyou?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ER.J.: \u003C\/strong\u003EI have three. CW4 (Ret) Don Lesch\n- he saw something in me that I never saw in myself and dared me to go to West\nPoint, which tricked me into actually doing it. Also -- every soldier and\ncivilian that I have ever had the privilege of leading -- they selflessly serve\njust to get it done. Finally - my son, Ian. He is learning how to become a man.\nHe does it in a very brave way and in his own way, but it scares me sometimes.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERon Johnson (MS OR 1985), retired two-star general and graduate of the H. Milton Stewart\nSchool of Industrial and Systems Engineering, oversaw the Army Corps of\nEngineers\u2019 $18 billion reconstruction of Iraq in 2003 and 2004 and then\nsupervised the clean-up of the Gulf Coast after hurricane Katrina in 2005. Now\nJohnson is guiding\nthe nation\u0027s top basketball officials in his capacity as the NBA\u0027s senior vice\npresident of referee operations.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Alumni Spotlight: Retired Two-Star General Ron Johnson Leads NBA Refs"}],"uid":"27328","created_gmt":"2011-01-13 11:47:20","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:07:57","author":"Edie Cohen","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-01-13T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-01-13T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"63361":{"id":"63361","type":"image","title":"General Ron Johnson (right) and General Kip Ward, AFRICOM Commander, at Johnson\u0027s retirement ceremony in March 2008.","body":null,"created":"1449176690","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:04:50","changed":"1475894557","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:37","alt":"General Ron Johnson (right) and General Kip Ward, AFRICOM Commander, at Johnson\u0027s retirement ceremony in March 2008.","file":{"fid":"191812","name":"Retirement.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Retirement_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Retirement_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":96522,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Retirement_0.jpg?itok=G3wWo60A"}},"63362":{"id":"63362","type":"image","title":"(Left to Right) Ron Johnson with his son, Ian, and nephew, Doug Jackson, at Johnson\u0027s first All Star game in Phoenix in 2009.","body":null,"created":"1449176690","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:04:50","changed":"1475894557","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:37","alt":"(Left to Right) Ron Johnson with his son, Ian, and nephew, Doug Jackson, at Johnson\u0027s first All Star game in Phoenix in 2009.","file":{"fid":"191813","name":"With_son,_nephew.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/With_son%2C_nephew_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/With_son%2C_nephew_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":105576,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/With_son%2C_nephew_0.jpg?itok=Ebh8sdq_"}},"63360":{"id":"63360","type":"image","title":"Ron Johnson (seated third from left) talking with his five-year-old godson, Eli Easley, at a Wilmington, North Carolina, book panel. Standing is Eli\u0027s mohter, Tara Easley (Mrs Hawaii International 2002).","body":null,"created":"1449176690","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:04:50","changed":"1475894557","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:37","alt":"Ron Johnson (seated third from left) talking with his five-year-old godson, Eli Easley, at a Wilmington, North Carolina, book panel. Standing is Eli\u0027s mohter, Tara Easley (Mrs Hawaii International 2002).","file":{"fid":"191811","name":"fJohnson_with_Godson.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/fJohnson_with_Godson_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/fJohnson_with_Godson_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":82269,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/fJohnson_with_Godson_0.jpg?itok=jb-cdnni"}}},"media_ids":["63361","63362","63360"],"groups":[{"id":"1242","name":"School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISYE)"}],"categories":[{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"}],"keywords":[{"id":"109","name":"Georgia Tech"},{"id":"426","name":"isye"},{"id":"1615","name":"ron johnson"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:barbara.christopher@isye.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBarbara \nChristopher\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIndustrial and Systems Engineering\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404.385.3102\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}