IELM Newsletter, Issue No. 14

Abstract

IELM Newsletter ISSUE No . 14 4 1 For enquires: Tel: (852) 23587102 Email: ieug@ust.hk Web Site: http://www.ielm.ust.hk Creative Learning Modes Joint projects sponsored by Hong Kong companies and global enterprises Problem formulation and joint project meetings at Stanford and HKUST Interactions with senior executives Firm visits and site visits in the US, Hong Kong and Mainland China Teleconferencing, video-conferencing and web cam to assist remote coordination and management Stanford-HKUST Joint Global Manufacturing Course Stanford Tour Opens Eyes Jointly offered by Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and Stanford University every year in the Spring Semester since 1995, IELM 550 aims at providing a group of highly motivated students with an environment to solve industrial problems. This great opportunity is offered to IELM undergraduates. The course focuses on issues that are global in nature, and are related to Product Development, Strategic Planning and Design of Supply Chains. Three to four students from each institution work together as a team to tackle a defined problem sponsored by a company that has interests in North America and the Asia-Pacific region. Aspects of managing cross-border, cross-function, and cross-culture projects are also discussed. Messages from Alumni The course provided me the first opportunity to interact with Asian business after having studied and worked in the United Stated for 16 years. It is one of the events that prompted my decision to return to Asia. Since then, I have worked in engineering, business development, corporate finance, and direct investment, regionally and internationally - opportunities that I would not have gotten if I were to stay in the United States. Jack POON President Swiftpath When people talked about virtual team management on my first job as a consultant, I was (unexpectedly) able to share with them my experience! I knew exactly how the concern of different time zones could become a plus to the project by organizing project tasks to be done around the clock, how diverse cultural background could be the source of creative problem solving rather than hindering team dynamic, and how exceptionally important project schedule management is. Where else did I learn these from but the Stanford-HKUST global manufacturing course project I took as a final year student! Yip Man Hang Manager Supply Chain Management Department Esquel Enterprises Limited The G l o b a l Manu f a c t u r i n g c o u r s e provided me a great opportunity to gain the experience of working in a cross-country, cross - cultural project team. The experience of cultural exchange and knowledge sharing is unique and unforgettable. Jason Yien Manager Operations Design and Development Department Dai Sang Bank Ltd. Alumni Sharing - How IELM Benefited Their Career Benefits of the Program Strategy development and industrial problem solving for sponsors Network with business professionals and talented students across the pacific Hands-on experience to apply theoretical knowledge to practical problems faced by the industries Peer learning to enhance team work spirit Learn how to work effectively with people of different cultures Since the establishment of our department in 1993, we have had more than 1500 graduates receiving Bachelor's (BEng), Master's (MSc/MPhil), Doctoral (PhD) and Dual Degree Program (IEBGM and LMGBM) degrees. Our graduates are professional engineers who take up supervisory and managerial functions in consulting firms, banks, airlines, international couriers, container and aircargo terminals, freight forwarders, shipping companies, global manufacturers and retailers. Examples of these companies are Deloitte & Touche Consulting Group, DHL, Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd., Exel, OOCL, PCCW Ltd., Elec & Eltek Int’ l Co. Ltd., Fortis Bank, Hang Seng Bank, the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Esquel, etc. Below, some of our graduates share with us how they have benefited from IELM. 'Thanks to my life at HKUST for three years , it has opened my mind and is helpful to build up my logical thinking, problem solving techniques , independence, creativity and innovation, analytical reasoning, and quick response and adaptability to the demands of the dynamic, changing and complicated business market and environment. Coupled with the comprehensive and diversified technical trainings and programs offered by the department, I believe that our students would play key roles in the society' said Zoe Chow. (BEng 2004, Relation Manager in Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited - Merchant Solutions Private Ltd) Zoe Chow 'Having studied for three years at HKUST in IELM, I have received not only a superb academic education by the excellent faculty, but also the essential interpersonal skills and business knowledge for the intensive demand of today's competitive market. I have been polished to be an all-rounded person with the tailor-made academic curriculum. As well as receiving an outstanding academic education, the experience that I have gained from the Stanford course was invaluable to me. It helped me to be acquainted with people from different fields as well. These experiences were important to me as they certainly helped me to develop my career in Modern Terminals Limited, a leading container terminal operator in China and Hong Kong.' said Cheung Foo Loy. (BEng 2004, Operation Control Officer in Deutsche Bank Hong Kong) Cheung Foo Loy Raimond Chan 'IELM enhanced me with technical know-hows. I am impressed by the strong connection between principles and real-life practices. With support from the department, I was also able to step out of the university and interact with professional bodies and business. I fully enjoyed the student life in HKUST IELM. It brings me forward to the world in actions', said Chan Ka Kei Raimond. (BEng 2003, Supply Chain Quality Officer in Bausch & Lomb (HK) Ltd.) Lee Chun Lam Bill “When I was a freshman, I wondered what I would learn in the coming three years. During my three years of study, I developed my interest in logistics and supply chain management, and computer skills . I recognized that IELM is not only about transportation, but also about risk analysis, optimization, facility layout etc. These skills are very useful for my career, and have become my competitive edge. Also, IELM provided me with the opportunity for an internship in an electronics company. I place a high value on this real experience enabling me to apply my skills learnt from IELM to help the company achieve a better performance. I am now working in Dah Chong Hong Holdings Ltd. as a trainee. I have confidence that I can apply what I have learnt again and contribute to my company,” said Lee Chun Lam Bill. (BEng 2008, Trainee in Dah Chong Hong Holdings Ltd.) SPECIAL EDITION DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING AND LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT PTC-G14275 Printed on recycled paper 3 2 Besides the famous Mickey Mouse, what would pop into your mind when Disneyland is mentioned? It is now time to start thinking about Industrial Engineering! Indeed, the knowledge of Industrial Engineering has been one of the key elements used by Ms. Erin Wallace, the senior vice president of Walt Disney World Resort Operations, to climb up her career ladder in the magic kingdom, according to the magazine Industrial Engineer. Magic makers can hardly afford mistakes. Besides finances and strategies, guest services are critical to the impression guests have when they visit Disney World. Wallace proudly relies on her industrial engineering skills to make sure no guest is disappointed. 'I look at industrial engineers as problem solvers, and truly when you think about all the things you learn as an IE, it's all for the aim and goal of solving problems in a multitude of different environments. I'm working to try to solve some of the largest kinds of problems in operations and then I also have the knowledge of how to utilize those support areas that enable operations to perform better,' said Ms. Wallace. (Extracted from Industrial Engineer) Industrial engineering at Walt Disney World began in 1971. By 1980, its role had expanded to support all divisions of the company and other special development projects. The work of the industrial engineering teams can be divided into the following categories: Capacity/demand planning and process improvement initiatives. The FastPass system that reduces customer waiting time for some of the Disney attractions is one of the latest innovations developed by the industrial engineering department; Flexible bus routing, which has increased the efficiency of the 234-bus fleet; Customers relationship management implementation; and New theme park development. For example, the IE teams have expended much effort in developing Hong Kong Disneyland. A lot of our third-year-students have finished their final year projects associated with Hong Kong Disneyland, with the following topics: Logistics Planning for Hong Kong Disneyland Warehouse Management for Hong Kong Disneyland Resort Services for Hong Kong Disneyland - 'internal vehicle and driver pool' Resort Services for Hong Kong Disneyland - 'the custodial service project' Optimizing the 'food and beverage' supply chains at Hong Kong Disneyland' The Emergency Evacuation Plan for Hong Kong Disneyland Industrial Engineering Magic Exchange increases students' competitiveness In today ’s dynamic globalized world economy, employers view candidates’ international experience as a positive quality. In 2011, about 65 students from our department participated in exchange programs in various universities, such as Georgia Institute of Technology and University of California, Berkeley in the United States, FH Steyr University of Applied Science in Austria, the University of Toronto and University of Waterloo in Canada, National University of Singapore, Tsinghua University and Shanghai Jiaotong University in China, etc. “I was very glad and lucky to be selected as an exchange student to Georgia Institute of Technology, in which IE has ranked No.1 in the world. In classes, I never fell asleep, because the interactions between professors and students would always keep me awake. Besides, you could never miss the exciting American soccer games there. Other than learning about the cultures of my housemates, I learned by experiencing too. I traveled a lot around the country during my year there. The trips were enjoyable and eye-opening. I learned a lot from this exchange experience,” said Xu Jiao Tina. “The semester I spent at Upper Austria University of Applied Science was inspiring and unforgettable! I visited a lot of places (13 countries) and made a lot of friends there. Besides, the Austrian environment is incredible and peaceful, which allowed me to have a very relaxing four months there. At the school, I had the great opportunity to study with students from Europe and the US. And I learnt a lot from my professors and classmates. Although I don’ t speak German, it was not a problem to communicate with them. This unique exchange experience broadened my vision a lot and it is certainly one of the best things in my life,“ enthused Wong Chiu Fai Jonathan. “Last semester I went on an exchange to Austria and I had an unforgettable time there. Steyr, the city in which I stayed, is a small and peaceful city. People are all very nice and helpful and I met a lot of new friends there, from different countries. We all had a good time. We cooked for each other, went out together, and shared our cultures. I learnt a lot from them and now we are good friends. In Austria, the learning style is very different from that in UST. Students are very active and they enjoyed sharing their views with us. Also, I learnt German there and it was really helpful for our daily life as Austria is a German-speaking country. These five months gave me a unique and memorable exchange experience and expanded my horizons. I won’ t forget it and I hope I can have a chance to go back,” said Chan Hoi Ki Amy. Ng Siu Wai Alan told us: “During these few months participating in the exchange program to Austria, I learnt so many things that are more than just academic and gained so many experiences that cannot be obtained easily through class study or travel. With the help of the school there, it was easier to get a better understanding of the local culture, especially with the chance to learn German in the course provided. Living in Austria was very enjoyable with its leisurely, peaceful and harmonic atmosphere. It was such a memorable and remarkable experience and I hope I can go back again!” . “I went on exchange to the University of Waterloo (UW). It is the one of the best memories in my life. In UW, life is relaxing and the workload is lower than in Hong Kong. This allowed me to go around and learn about a foreign culture and lifestyle. In HK, I sometimes questioned my ability to be a capable engineering student. Yet after my four months of studies in Waterloo and working with students there I have more confidence in myself,” said Choi Wing Yee Wendy. “Taking part in an exchange program is a learning through- experience process. I feel so fortunate for being enrolled in this program. It was really an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study in a foreign country and to explore around the world. In those few months fabulous memories were created which none of us will ever forget. We had a chance to experience a different style of teaching and learning. Through school life and daily life, we got along with schoolmates and the people living there and gained a better understanding of the cultures and habits of people from different parts of the world. Of course what excited me most was that I could learn a language other than Chinese or English while being in a German-speaking country. This is by far the most effective way to learn foreign languages. I would like to show my gratitude to our school and department for supporting us in broadening our horizons,” said Chiu Po Yee.