ODU Engineering Management & Systems Engineering

Congratulations to Captain Michael Fontaine (MEM '21) who recently assumed command at Sasebo Naval Base, Japan!

Former enlisted sailor takes command at US naval base in southern Japan A Navy captain with a background in nuclear reactors and antisubmarine warfare is now in charge of Sasebo Naval Base, Japan, homeport of an expeditionary strike group led by the USS America.

📢 Exciting news! Join us for an insightful online webinar hosted by WiSE Chair Holly Handley, Ph.D., on June 14, 2023, at 11:00 AM via Zoom. 🎉🎓

🔬👩‍💻 In collaboration with IEEE Systems Engineering and Women in Systems Engineering, we present the "2023 Women in Systems Engineering Webinar Series." Discover the future of systems engineering in the age of Generative AI, featuring renowned experts Philip Barry, Ph.D., and Steve Doskey, Ph.D. 🌍🤖

📆 Mark your calendars and save the date for this groundbreaking event that will shed light on the impact and potential of Generative AI in the field of systems engineering. The release of Chat-GPT3 in November 2022 marked the dawn of a new era, where generative AI transcends traditional knowledge recovery and decision support. 🆕💡

💡 During this webinar, Philip Barry and Steve Doskey will provide a comprehensive overview of Generative AI, showcasing how it's already revolutionizing systems engineering. They'll explore its applications in requirements engineering and design, while also discussing potential futures and offering cautionary notes on premature wholesale adoption. 🌐🚀

🌐 Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to delve into the transformative world of Generative AI and its implications for Systems Engineering. Join us for an engaging and thought-provoking discussion.

🔗 Register now and secure your spot at the webinar: https://buff.ly/43eE0pD

🎓 Be part of the conversation that shapes the future of systems engineering with Generative AI! See you on June 14th! 🗓️💻

📢👥 We're thrilled to continue our IISE Conference coverage by shining the spotlight on Francisco's remarkable research on effective communication in virtual engineering project teams! 🌐💬

🗣️ Francisco's paper titled "Exploring the Role of Teamwork Skills and Conflict in Virtual Teams: Implications for Communication" delves into the crucial role of communication in virtual teams and the specific skills and barriers that impact team effectiveness. 💪🌍

🔍 In his abstract, Francisco highlights the challenges posed by remote settings and the importance of effective communication in virtual teams.

"Communication is a critical process that facilitates team members’ coordination, expertise exchange, decision-making, and, consequently, team effectiveness. A focus on effective communication is critical in virtual teams due to their lack of face-to-face interactions and social presence. Communication becomes challenging in remote settings, and specific skills emerge as more essential to success. It is known that effective teams rely on planning, ex*****on, and interpersonal skills to be successful. Still, the specific impact of these skills on virtual team effectiveness is not well understood. Additionally, conflict can emerge as a significant barrier to collaboration for remote teams that can hinder their communication. This paper examines the role of teamwork skills and emergent conflict as predictors of the frequency of communication in virtual engineering project teams. Previously validated measures were used to assess teamwork skills and emergent conflict in a sample of virtual teams. The sample included 101 graduate engineering students working in 32 fully virtual project teams of size 3-4 to complete a semester project on systems analysis and design. Results indicate that skills associated with mission analysis and strategy formulation were the strongest predictors of the frequency of communication, while relationship conflict was associated with low levels of communication. These findings are relevant to organizations that rely on virtual team-based structures by identifying critical levers and barriers to team communication. These findings can be used to identify targets for virtual team training, including a focus on strategic planning and mission analysis, as well as conflict management strategies to prevent and resolve relationship conflict in virtual settings."

📑 Dive further into Francisco's insightful research by reaching out to us via [email protected] !

🌟 Let's applaud Francisco for his valuable contributions in understanding the dynamics of virtual teamwork and the critical factors that shape successful communication. His work opens avenues for organizations to optimize virtual team structures and implement targeted training strategies for enhanced collaboration and conflict resolution. 🙌💡

🌟🎉 We're thrilled to congratulate Dr. Ziniya Zahedi on receiving the esteemed "40 Under 40" Alumni Association Award! 🏆✨

👩‍🎓 As Assistant Director at the Institute for Digital Innovation at George Mason University, Operations Manager at the Center on National Security at Georgetown University Law Center, and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Engineering Management at Old Dominion University, Dr. Zahedi's dedication to education and innovation is truly inspiring. 💡

💼🌍 On top of her remarkable achievements, she is also the Owner and CEO of Lezolve, a data analytics firm, and COO of Trinyan, a cloud-based technology firm, both thriving startups in the DMV area.

📚🎓 Dr. Zahedi holds a Ph.D. in Engineering Management and Systems Engineering, a Master's Degree in Project Management, and a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, all earned from Old Dominion University.

📊⚙️ With numerous peer-reviewed publications and presentations in Engineering, Project Management, Operations, IT, Healthcare, and Analytics, she continues to push the boundaries of knowledge and innovation in various fields.

🌍✈️ Beyond her professional accomplishments, Dr. Zahedi is an avid traveler with an impressive tally of 35 countries visited. Her ambitious goal is to explore every corner of the world.

🎉 Join us in celebrating Dr. Zahedi's exceptional achievements and wishing her continued success in her endeavors! 🎉

Graduating with an ABET accredited engineering Master's degree? Have an ABET accredited engineering Bachelor's degree plus 2 years of engineering work experience? This hiring event is for you!

is hosting a hiring event for experienced Engineers on June 1. The deadline to apply is May 24.

Qualified internal NNS employees will have the opportunity for an in-person interview, qualified external job seekers will be able to participate in a video interview.

To learn more about each position or to apply, visit http://ow.ly/I8uw50Okjlt or http://ow.ly/hk2X50Okjlq and search by division Newport News Shipbuilding for positions:

- Engineer Electrical 2: http://ow.ly/NJrg50Okjlu
- Engineer Electromechanical 2: http://ow.ly/rNNF50Okjlo
- Engineer Mechanical 2: http://ow.ly/vW9X50Okjlv
- Engineer Structural 2: http://ow.ly/kKEy50Okjls
- Engineer Systems Test 2: http://ow.ly/eGTG50Okjlp

🌟 Big news alert! 🌟 Let's give a thunderous round of applause to Francisco Cima Cohuo, our very own rockstar graduate student, who has been chosen as a distinguished member of the prestigious 2022-23 Future Faculty Fellow (3F) Program by the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers! 🎓🚀

🌠 Francisco has skyrocketed to the top of the first-ever cohort of fellows, securing this incredible honor through his exceptional research accomplishments and advisor nominations. 🏆 It's a testament to his outstanding dedication and talent in the field!

👏 Join us in celebrating Francisco's remarkable achievement as he receives well-deserved recognition at the upcoming IISE conference. 🎉 We couldn't be prouder of his accomplishments, and we know this is just the beginning of an extraordinary journey for him!

🌟 Keep shining, Francisco! Your success is an inspiration to us all! 💫