IISE Recognizes Pitt Professor Karen Bursic with Fellow Award
Pittsburgh,
01
April
2026
14:41 PM
Europe/Amsterdam
IISE Recognizes Pitt Professor Karen Bursic with Fellow Award
Professor
Karen Bursic
first joined the
Institute of Industrial & Systems Engineers
(IISE) as an undergraduate engineering student at the University of Pittsburgh in the early 1980s. She has been an active member every year since, no matter if she was working at General Motors, pursuing her PhD, or teaching the next generation of industrial engineers at the Swanson School of Engineering.
This month, IISE recognized Bursic with a
Fellow Award
, its highest distinction for membership. The honor recognizes “outstanding leaders of the profession who have made significant, nationally recognized contributions to industrial and systems engineering.”
“When I joined IISE as an undergraduate student, I found a community,” said Bursic, who also serves as the Undergraduate Program Director for the
Department of Industrial Engineering
. “I got involved in the local chapter and have been active ever since, even when I took time to raise my children. I always look forward to conferences to connect with collaborators from around the world.”
Bursic_Classroom
Bursic, who earned a BS, MS, and PhD in industrial engineering at Pitt, has been active in IISE at the local and international level. She has served as program chair for the Pittsburgh chapter and faculty liaison, connecting with Pitt’s IISE student chapter. Beyond Pittsburgh, Bursic has written and reviewed papers, moderated panels, served as a track chair for the various tracks at IISE conferences, and presented her research into the efficacy of teaching techniques in engineering education.
The IISE Fellow Award is one of many honors Bursic has received for her scholarship, teaching, and service. IISE has also recognized her with its
Engineering Economy Wellington Award
and Engineering Economy Division Outstanding Teaching Award, while the Swanson School named her its 2014 Outstanding Educator. She is also a
Fellow of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE)
, where she has earned the Engineering Economy Division’s Eugene L. Grant Award for the Best Paper in
The Engineering Economist
in 2020.
“Karen is a tremendous representative for our department,” said
Lisa Maillart
, Leighton E. and Mary N. Orr Professor and department chair of industrial engineering. “
Her research in engineering education, her teaching, and her mentorship have rippled far beyond the tenth floor of Benedum Hall, and her engagement in IISE reflects her dedication to the field and the community of industrial and systems engineers
.”
“IISE has always been so important to me,” Bursic said. “I always wanted to be a part of this organization, and now I feel like I've reached the pinnacle.”
IISE will recognize Bursic at its
2026 IISE Annual Conference
in Arlington, Texas, in May 2026.
Contact
Steinur Bell
Communications Writer
Swanson School of Engineering
scb175@pitt.edu
Newsroom
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IISE Recognizes Pitt Professor Karen Bursic with Fellow Award
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