College of Engineering Student Attracts National Attention

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Lauren Chambers, a junior in industrial engineering, received one of only 105 fellowships from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security awarded through a national competition in all academic fields relevant to homeland security. This is the first and only such fellowship awarded to an industrial engineering student in the country and the first and only one awarded to a student in Arkansas.

The undergraduate fellowship includes full tuition and fees, a $1,000 monthly stipend for nine months and $500 weekly for a summer internship at a Department of Homeland Security-designated facility. Those facilities include the Coast Guard, Secret Service, Department of Energy labs and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, among others.
“I was so excited that I called my parents the minute I found out,” said Chambers. “Homeland security is such an important issue to me. We won’t ever stop building and making improvements to protect our country.”

Industrial engineers use risk assessment and risk management as well as computer simulation and models to analyze hypothetical situations: What would happen to the water supply if a power station were to be knocked out? How would damage to critical infrastructures affect commerce and transportation? That analysis extends beyond bricks and mortar to social and group networks:  Who is the leader of a certain terrorist group? How do they communicate? How would group dynamics shift with interpersonal changes?

“Industrial engineering as a discipline — and our department specifically — is ideally positioned to support the challenges of integrating the complex systems presented by homeland security issues,” said John English, head of the department. “We are all very proud of Lauren and the national attention she has brought to the College of Engineering at the University of Arkansas.”

Chambers said, “I really got interested and Dr. Cassady and Dr. Pohl encouraged me to pursue research, even as an undergraduate.” Richard Cassady and Ed Pohl, associate professors, industrial engineering, also advised and assisted her in seeking the scholarship.

Nearly 900 applications were reviewed by 65 science and technology experts. The scholarship program is designed to support, stimulate and tap into the intellectual capital in academia to address current and future homeland security challenges, while at the same time educating and inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers dedicated to improving homeland security.

“Lauren’s recognition from the Homeland Security Department underscores the high quality of the research performed by University of Arkansas undergraduates,” said Ashok Saxena, dean of the College of Engineering.