{"id":28706,"date":"2026-03-24T15:07:42","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T20:07:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/engineering\/?post_type=department&#038;p=28706"},"modified":"2026-03-26T13:43:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T18:43:15","slug":"research","status":"publish","type":"department","link":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/engineering\/departments\/industrial-manufacturing-engineering\/research\/","title":{"rendered":"Research"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n    <div class=\"uwm-l-container--base uwm-u-py-80\">\n        \n\n<div class=\"uwm-l-row\">\n<div class=\"uwm-l-col\">\n<div id=\"main\" class=\"site-main\">\n\t<header class=\"page-header\">\n\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title heading-separator\">\n\t\t\tResearch\t\t<\/h1>\n\t<\/header>\n\t\n\t\n\n<p>Research isn\u2019t just something our industrial &amp; manufacturing engineering faculty do\u2014as an R1 research university, it\u2019s a core part of what makes your education at 51ÁÔÆæ more valuable, more relevant, and more impactful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For prospective students, it means you\u2019re choosing a program that is constantly evolving, deeply connected to industry, and focused on solving real problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Choosing a research-active program means you\u2019re joining a community focused on innovation and impact. At 51ÁÔÆæ, industrial and manufacturing engineering research is driving solutions for industry, sustainability, and society\u2014and as a student, you\u2019re part of that progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"uwm-p-accordion uwm-p-accordion--icon-left-circle\" data-accordion-prefix-classes=\"uwm\" data-accordion-cool-selectors=\"1\"><button class=\"uwm-p-accordion--toggle-button size-p-md\">Expand All<\/button>\n<div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--header\">Industrial &amp; Manufacturing Engineering Research Areas<\/div><div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--panel\"><div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--panel-inner uwm-u-clear\">\n<div class=\"content_block\" id=\"custom_post_widget-28703\">\n<p>Our industrial &amp; manufacturing engineering faculty are engaged in cutting-edge research in areas such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Automation of manufacturing systems<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Data analytics<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lean manufacturing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Logistics<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Material handling and distribution<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Optimization<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Six Sigma<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Systems design modeling<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--header\">Industrial &amp; Manufacturing Engineering Research Centers &amp; Labs<\/div><div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--panel\"><div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--panel-inner uwm-u-clear\">\n<div class=\"content_block\" id=\"custom_post_widget-28690\">\n<p>The <a href=\"mailto:https:\/\/sites.uwm.edu\/amdl\/\">Advanced Manufacturing &amp; Design Lab<\/a>, led by Ilya Avdeev, conducts research leading to better design of complex multi-physics systems ranging from CT scanners to EV batteries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/csi\/\">Connected Systems Institute<\/a>&nbsp;(CSI), led by Joe Hamann, accelerates innovation by bringing together industry and academic researcher to facilitate digital transformation for small and medium-sized manufacturers, ultimately developing an educational curriculum to better prepare the workforce of the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/sites.uwm.edu\/ceas-iac\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Industrial Training and Assessment Center (ITAC)<\/a>, led by Ryo Amano, is a Department of Energy program dedicated to helping small and medium-sized manufacturers and wastewater treatment plants minimize their energy costs through efficient use of resources<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As an R1 research institution, research is integral to our work at 51ÁÔÆæ and to the experience of students pursuing graduate degrees. Our college has a wide range of faculty-led labs that perform cutting edge research.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/engineering\/research\/research-labs-centers-and-institutes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Full list of our college\u2019s research labs, centers, and institutes<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--header\">Funding Partners<\/div><div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--panel\"><div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--panel-inner uwm-u-clear\">\n<p>51ÁÔÆæ is one of only two R1 research universities in Wisconsin, and the only one in Southeast Wisconsin. We\u2019re also a top externally funded institution with robust opportunities for teaching and research assistantships. Partners that support our research include:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>National Institute for Health (NIH)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>National Science Foundation (NSF)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Regional and national businesses<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>United States Air Force<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--header\">Undergraduate Research<\/div><div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--panel\"><div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--panel-inner uwm-u-clear\">\n<p>As an R1 university, research is a significant focus of what we do. Undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to get involved in research. Undergraduate students can reach out to the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/our\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">51ÁÔÆæ Office of Undergraduate Research<\/a>&nbsp;regarding research opportunities, or contact individual faculty directly.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--header\">Poster Competition &amp; Three Minute Thesis<\/div><div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--panel\"><div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--panel-inner uwm-u-clear\">\n<p>Graduate and undergraduate students have the opportunity to participate in the annual&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/engineering\/research\/student-research-poster-competition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Poster Competition &amp; Three Minute Thesis<\/a>, a signature event for our college. Students gain valuable experience working with faculty researchers and are invited to share their work with judges from industry, who provide feedback.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/537\/2026\/01\/Niu.spectrum.jpg\" alt=\"An asian man who is a professor of industrial and manufacturing in blue shirt and gray sportscoat shows a person who is mostly off-camera a tiny specimen.\" class=\"wp-image-27808\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/537\/2026\/01\/Niu.spectrum.jpg 750w, https:\/\/uwm.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/537\/2026\/01\/Niu.spectrum-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><figcaption>Junjie Niu, professor, industrial &amp; manufacturing engineering, talks to a reporter about how to incorporate powdered elements into coin-sized rechargeable batteries. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"uwm-l-col uwm-l-col--4 uwm-l-offset--1\">\n            <nav aria-label=\"Section\" class=\"uwm-p-navigation-list uwm-p-navigation-list--gold-border uwm-u-mb-40\">\n                <div class=\"uwm-p-navigation-list--title\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/engineering\/departments\/industrial-manufacturing-engineering\/\">Industrial &amp; Manufacturing Engineering<\/a>                <\/div>\n                <ul>\n                                            \n                        <li class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/engineering\/departments\/industrial-manufacturing-engineering\/undergraduate\/\" >Undergraduate Programs<\/a>                        <\/li>\n                                                \n                        <li class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/engineering\/departments\/industrial-manufacturing-engineering\/masters-programs\/\" >Master&#039;s Programs<\/a>                        <\/li>\n                                                \n                        <li class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/engineering\/departments\/industrial-manufacturing-engineering\/phd-programs\/\" >PhD Programs<\/a>                        <\/li>\n                                                \n                        <li class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/engineering\/departments\/industrial-manufacturing-engineering\/people\/\" >People<\/a>                        <\/li>\n                                                \n                        <li class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/engineering\/departments\/industrial-manufacturing-engineering\/research\/\" >Research<\/a>                        <\/li>\n                                                \n                        <li class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/engineering\/students\/current\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Resources for Current Students<\/a>                        <\/li>\n                                                \n                        <li class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/engineering\/students\/scholarships\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Scholarships<\/a>                        <\/li>\n                                        <\/ul>\n            <\/nav>\n        \n\n    <div class=\"uwm-p-card uwm-p-card--color-head uwm-u-my-40\">\n        <div class=\"uwm-p-card--title\">Contact<\/div>\n        <div class=\"uwm-p-card--body\">\n            <div class=\"uwm-p-card--content\">\n                <strong>Contact Info:<\/strong> <a href=\"mailto:ceas-ime@uwm.edu\">ceas-ime@uwm.edu<\/a><br \/><br \/><strong>Street Address<\/strong><br>College of Engineering &amp; Applied Science<br>3200 North Cramer Street<br>Milwaukee, WI 53211<br \/><br \/><strong>Mailing Address<\/strong><br>College of Engineering &amp; Applied Science<br>P.O. Box 784<br>Milwaukee, WI 53201-0784            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n\n","protected":false},"author":19687,"parent":64,"template":"","meta":{"uwm_academics_department_contact":"","_uwm_academics_department_template":"subpage","_uwm_academics_department_navigation":[],"uwm_academics_department_card_image_id":0,"uwm_academics_department_banner_image_id":0,"uwm_academics_department_sort_title":"","footnotes":"","uwm_wg_additional_authors":[]},"program_department":[],"class_list":["post-28706","department","type-department","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>College of Engineering &amp; Applied Science<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"At 51ÁÔÆæ, industrial and manufacturing engineering research is driving solutions for industry, sustainability, and society\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/engineering\/departments\/industrial-manufacturing-engineering\/research\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Research\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"At 51ÁÔÆæ, industrial and manufacturing engineering research is driving solutions for industry, sustainability, and society\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/engineering\/departments\/industrial-manufacturing-engineering\/research\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"College of Engineering &amp; 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