Call for Papers: Military and Government Systems Applications

IEEE Transactions on

ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

Special Issue:Military and Government Systems Applications
including Big Data Analysis and Visualization, Smart Infrastructure,  Sustainment and Reliability, and Systems Engineering Education and Skills

Lead Editors

Raed M Jaradat – Industrial and Systems Engineering Department, Mississippi State University

Matthew Tompkins – Office of Naval Research (ONR), Arlington, VA

CO-Editors

Simon R. Goerger – Institute for Systems Engineering Research, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center

Randy K. Buchanan – Institute for Systems Engineering Research, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center

Christina Rinaudo – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Michael Hamilton – Institute for Systems Engineering Research, Mississippi State University

Zuhal Tompkins – President and CEO of T.C. Defense, headquartered in Arlington, VA.

Megan Fillinich –Vice President of Engineering at L3 Technologies

Scope/Theme

Military and Government organizations seek to stay on the leading edge of warfare, communications development, smart infrastructure configuration, and efficient and effective service delivery through the design of complex systems.  These complex systems are referred to as System of Systems (SoS) and are defined by internal and external integration of individual systems and subsystems working together to create new capabilities that could not otherwise be achieved by individual systems (Jamshidi, 2009; Gorod, Sauser, and Boardman, 2008; Hitchins, 2003; Ramirez-Marquez, Sauser 2009). Due to advances in technology and engineering and the proliferation of available information, the complexity of systems continues to increase (Bondavalli, et al. 2016).

Engineering Managers and Systems Engineers are faced with having to integrate multiple complex systems, in which different constituents and configurations, both legacy and new, are integrated to accomplish emergent national security and humanitarian missions, as well as delivery of citizen-centered services (Buede and Miller, 2016; Flood and Jackson, 1991; Nam and Pardo, 2014). SoS employed by defense forces operate in environments and under conditions of uncertainty, including 1) incomplete knowledge casting doubt for decision/action consequences, ambiguity, 2) lack of clarity in understanding, emergence, 3) unpredictable events and system behaviors, complexity, 4) systems so intricate that complete understanding is not possible, and 5) evolutionary development or dynamically changing over time (Jaradat, Keating, and Bradley, 2018; Rai and Bolia, 2014). Because these conditions impose challenges for professionals and practitioners responsible for managing and designing complex systems, there is an apparent need for more systemic methods and techniques to enhance SoS (Krygiel, 1999;  Kossiako, Sweet, Seymour and Biemer, 2011). Complex systems or SoS have both technical (technology) and non-technical (culture, human/social, policy, politics, power, etc.) aspects and an attempt to address complex systems problems requires a set of tools and models that focus on both the technical as well as the full spectrum of nontechnical dimensions. This dimensional knowledge is necessary for the development of rigorous solutions to advance an organization’s capacity to deal with multidimensional complex problems (Parraguez,  Eppinger, and Maier 2015). Continued development of military and government systems’ capabilities is built on the application of innovative technologies to solve the challenges of complex systems problems (Ahram et al., 2017). Smart infrastructure systems require the selection of operating systems, platforms, and collaborative partners that enable monitoring, measuring, analysis, communication, and use of data to improve decision-making (Gang-Hoon et al., 2014).

The goal of the special issue is to advance the use of technology and engineering management in the Military and Government domain by exploring applications and novel approaches for addressing the following suggested topics:   

  1. The intersection and relationships between Engineering Management and System Engineering.  As these two distinct fields of engineering have evolved there is overlap and lessons learned that can be applied within both disciplines.  It is critical to understand how these fields intersect in an effort to identify the most superior methods for the management of technology.
  2. The holistic nature of the SoS discipline. As systems engineering (SE) has evolved, so have the types of problems considered. SE has evolved to include consideration for not only the technical/technology aspects of complex problems, but also the organizational, managerial, human, social, policy, and political dimensions. In this sense, SE is truly evolving to be a holistic approach to addressing society’s most vexing problems and needs.
  3. Requirements engineering as an essential aspect of the SoS discipline. Requirements have emerged as an essential foundation for the SE discipline. This entails the creation of relevance to the problems/needs of those served by the application of SE. Regardless of the target for SE development, requirements have taken a central role in the formulation of affordable, reliable, sustainable, adaptable, and resilient system solution development.
  4. Sub-elements integration, design, and optimization. The drive to develop the optimal solution of a systems based problem has been a historical mainstay for the SE discipline. Inherent in this perspective is the notion that optimal solutions can be designed, and systems can be integrated such that optimal performance can be established.
  5. Big data analytics and augmented or virtual reality visualization to advance the SoS domain. Development of SoS models may include using different computationally tractable solution algorithms that apply a more systemic approach to execute the new capabilities generated by the SoS integration. The development of models can  help decision makers make more holistic decisions by treating the different individual systems, such as economy, education, government, mobility, health services, agriculture, and environment, as a whole unit or system. When a design is optimized, feasibility must then be analyzed. Considerations in the development of the algorithms include ensuring that the intersection of feasibility and optimal performance (a range of optimal solutions or satisficing solutions) is the best solution for the proposed model.
  6. Management is a central role in the SoS discipline deployment. There is an important role to be played by the managerial nature of the design, execution, and development of complex system solutions. Introduction of the management-based paradigm in relation to SE requires a different level of thinking and execution. This different level includes consideration for the planning, organization, coordination, controlling, and direction functions traditionally associated with management.
  7. Reliability Engineering to support sustainability key performance parameters. Sustainment is a systems and systems of systems performance attribute that is critical to the development of effective capability. Reliability is a key systems attribute that supports performance and sustainment without failure over a specified interval and contributes to successful systems of systems outcome-based strategies.
  8. Application of disruptive information technologies to complex systems problems.  Emerging technologies, such as cloud computing, mobile devices, the Internet of Things (IoT), and Blockchain have potential implications for solving complex systems’ problems by providing enhanced security, improved intelligence, and more cost-effective ways for sharing data across heterogeneous environments.  
  9. Development of Smart Infrastructure. Smart infrastructure entails the integration of sub-systems to produce complex systems with feedback loops that sense and channel information back to decision-makers to support planning and performance improvement. Smart infrastructure in military, transportation, health and energy sectors will require new protocols, methodologies and models to support implementation, management, and human-system integration.

In this special call, we invite scholars to explore how individuals and organizations can better manage and understand complex systems in particular SoS needs of the national security forces. We argue that while traditional systems engineering techniques are helpful in dealing with complex systems, more systemic and stochastic models are required.

Submission Process: Please prepare the manuscript according to IEEE-TEM’s guidelines (http://ieee-tmc.org/tem-guidelines) and submit to the journal’s Manuscript Central site (https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/tem-ieee). Please clearly state in the cover letter that the submission is for this special issue.

References

Ahram, T., Sargolzaei, A., Sargolzaei, S., Daniels, J., and Amaba, B.; “Blockchain Technology Innovations,” IEEE Technology and Engineering Management Conference, 2017.

Bondavalli, A., Ceccarelli, A., Lollini, A., Montecchi, L., and Mori, M. (2016). System-of-Systems to Support Mobile Safety Critical Applications: Open Challenges and Viable Solutions. IEEE Systems Journal 12 (1).

Buede, D.M., & Miller W.D. (2016). The engineering design of systems: models and methods. John Wiley & Sons.

Davies, A. and Mackenzie, I. (2014). Project Complexity and Systems Integration: Constructing the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics Games. International Journal of Project Management, 32(5): 773 –

Flood, R.L., & Jackson, M.C. (1991). Systems engineering coping with complexity. Wiley, 1991.

Gang-Hoon, K., Trimi, S., and Chung, J-H.; “Big Data Applications in the Government Sector,” Communications of the ACM, Vol. 57, No. 3, 2014.

Gorod, A., Sauser B., & Boardman J. (2008). System-of-systems engineering management: A review of modern history and a path forward. IEEE Systems Journal, 2(4):484 – 499.

Hitchins, D.K. (2003). Advanced systems thinking, engineering, and management. Artech House.

Kostoff, R.N. (1987).  Evaluation of Proposed and Existing Accelerated Research Programs by the Office of Naval Research. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management

Jamshidi, M. (2009) (Ed.) System of systems engineering– principles and applications, John Wiley & Sons, New York.

Jaradat, R. M., Keating, C. B., & Bradley, J. M. (2018). Individual capacity and organizational competency for systems thinking. IEEE Systems Journal12(2), 1203-1210.

Krygiel, A.J. (1999).  Behind the wizard’s curtain. An integration environment for a system of

systems, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense Washington DC Command and Control Research Program (CCRP).

Kossiako, A., Sweet, W.N., Seymour, S.J, & Biemer, S.M. (2011). Systems engineering principles and practice. John Wiley & Sons.

 Nam, T. and Pardo, T.A. (2014). The Changing Face of a City Government: A Case Study of Philly311.  Government Information Quarterly 31(1).

Parraguez, P., Eppinger, S.D., & Maier, A.M.(2015). Information Flow Through Stages of Complex Engineering Design Projects:  A Dynamic Network Analysis Approach. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 62(4), 604-617.

Rai, R.N., & Bolia N.(2014). Optimal Decision Support for Air Power Potential.  IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 61(2), 310-322.

Ramirez-Marquez, J.E., & Sauser, B.J. (2009). System Development Planning via System Maturity Optimization. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 56(3), 533-548.

Stevens, R., & Brook, P. (1998). Systems engineering: coping with complexity. Pearson Education.

Schedule

Interested authors send 300-500 words abstracts by April 2019

Decisions on acceptance of abstracts by July 2019

Guest Editor Bios

Dr. Raed Jaradat is an Assistant Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering Department at Mississippi State University and a visiting research scientist working with the Institute for Systems Engineering Research/MSU/U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Dr. Jaradat received a PhD in Engineering Management and Systems Engineering from Old Dominion University in 2014. His main research interests include systems engineering and management systems, systems thinking and complex system exploration, system of systems, virtual reality and complex systems, systems simulation, risk, reliability and vulnerability in critical infrastructures with applications to diverse fields ranging from the military to industry. His publications appeared in several ranking journals including the IEEE Systems Journal, and the Computers & Industrial Engineering Journal. His total awarded projects exceed $ 4.2 M including National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Defense (DOD), Industry, and other Research Laboratories.

Dr. Simon R. Goerger is the Director for the Institute for Systems Engineering Research (ISER), U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC). He received his B.S. from the United States Military Academy (USMA), his M.S. National Security Strategy from the National War College, and his M.S. in Computer Science and his Ph.D. in Modeling and Simulation both from the Naval Postgraduate School. He is a Retired Colonel from the U.S. Army, where his appointments included Director of the Operations Research Center of Excellence in the Department of Systems Engineering at USMA as well as the Director of the Defense Readiness Reporting System (DRRS) Implementation Office. His publications include five book chapters and several journal articles.

Dr. Randy Buchanan is a Senior Research Analyst at the Institute for Systems Engineering Research (ISER) for the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC). He earned his Ph.D. in Engineering from Leeds Metropolitan University, England, and M.S in Physics and B.S. in Electronics from Pittsburg State. He worked as an electrical and biomedical engineer, and served in professorial and administrative roles at Pittsburg State, Kansas State, and Southern Mississippi Universities. He served as Assistant Director for the School of Computing and Director of the Instrumentation and Cryogenics Research Laboratory at Southern MS, and has directed research projects at multiple NASA centers. Areas of research include systems engineering, control systems, aerospace instrumentation, transducer/sensor development, acoustics, coatings/materials characterization, spectroscopy, cryogenics, and automated planetary & space simulation environmental systems.

Mr. E. Alex Baylot serves as the Deputy Director of the U.S. Army ERDC Institute of Systems Engineering Research (ISER).  He has 32 years of experience as an engineer working research fields including sensor/vehicle modeling, decision support systems, and engineering resilient systems. He obtained his Master and Bachelor of Science degrees in Industrial Engineering from Mississippi State University, a SE Certificate from the Naval Post Graduate School. He is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Mississippi and an INCOSE CSEP.  He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Science in SE at the University of South Alabama.

LCDR Tompkins’ role at ONR is to develop Information Technology and Data Analytics Roadmaps to help Align, Allocate, and Accelerate ONR’s business operations.  Immediately prior to serving on Active Duty at ONR, LCDR Tompkins was the Chief Operating Officer for T.C. Defense, where he led a variety of programs that deliver Systems Engineering capability for the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC.  He is a graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY and is a licensed marine engineer. His experience in the Maritime and Defense domain spans across 18 years having spent time in both the operational sector as well as the design and development of products.  He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in SE at The George Washington University. His research areas include design, development, integration, and test of naval ship systems.

Dr. Zuhal Tompkins serves as President and CEO of T.C. Defense, headquartered in Arlington, VA.  Dr. Tompkins and her firm consult on a broad range of defense and commercial projects delivering program management and systems engineering services. Dr. Tompkins received a Ph.D. in Systems Engineering from George Washington University where she also completed her MS in Systems Engineering.  Her recent published works focuses on System Readiness Levels for Naval Ship Weapon Systems.  She is a current member of the IEEE Society, American Society of Naval Engineers, and Surface Navy Association.

Dr. Michael A. Hamilton is an Associate Director at Mississippi State Institute for System Engineering Research (ISER) in Vicksburg, MS. He received his Doctorate, Master and Bachelor degrees in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Mississippi State University and has a graduate certificate in Modeling, Simulation, and Visualization Engineering from Old Dominion University. He also received two certifications in Big Data Analytics from University of California, San Diego and Data Science from John Hopkins University. He worked several years in the printing manufacturing industry where he served in numerous positions such as a Manufacturing Engineer, Global Expansion Engineer, and the Manager of Production Operations for the Memphis Division at Mimeo.com.

Dr. Megan Fillinich recently joined the Space & Sensors Sector as Vice President of Engineering at L3 Technologies. Megan holds a Ph.D. from George Washington University in Systems Engineering with a research focus in Information Theory. She also has a Master’s of Science in Information Theory from John Hopkins University, an MBA from MIT, and is the President of MIT Sloan Club of Washington, DC. Megan completed her undergraduate degree from Emory University. Dr. Fillinich joins L3 from the Department of the Navy where she spent the last 12 years. Her most recent position was that of Chief Technology Officer at the Naval Surface Warfare Center. In her distinguished career, Megan has received honors such as the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award and has been published by institutions ranging from SPIE to MIT Executive Insights. As a leader in the technical and academic community, Megan serves as the President of the MIT Sloan Club of Washington, DC and a member of the Board of Directors of the MIT Club of Washington, DC. Megan also formed the “Lean In Circle” at NAVSEA to mentor young Women Engineers to advance network/career goals.

IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management is journal of the Technology and Engineering Management Society of IEEE, published quarterly since 1954. It is dedicated to the publication of peer-reviewed original contributions, by researchers and practitioners, regarding the theory and practice of engineering, technology, and innovation management.

 

Editor in Chief

Tugrul U Daim, PhD PICMET Fellow

Professor and Director

Technology Management Doctoral Program

Department of Engineering and Technology Management

Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science

Portland State University, Portland OR

United States

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Identifying and Implementing Successful Projects, and Systems

Integrating Technology for Capability and Productivity

Developing from Engineer to Leader

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