Education

Ph.D., Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Some Approaches to Quality in the Presence of Inspection Error: With Application to Optimal Laboratory Cancer Screening Policies. Chairperson: Lawrence M. Seiford.

M.S., Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Statistical Control Charts Based on Geometric and Negative Binomial Distributions. Advisor: Frank C. Kaminsky.

B.A., Mathematics Major / English Literature Minor, Hamilton College, Clinton, NY.
 

Professional Activities :Top

Assistant Professor, Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering Department, Northeastern University, Boston MA, 1997 - present.

Senior Systems & Quality Engineer, Harvard Community Health Plan, Boston MA, 1992 - 1994.

Principal & Quality Consultant, Productivity Sciences Incorporated, Greenfield MA, 1989 - 1995.

Distribution Logistics / Quality Engineer, Digital Equipment Corporation, 1990 - 1991.

Industrial Engineer, International Business Machines, East Fishkill, NY, 1987.
 

Publications and Presentations :Top

“Number-Between g-type Statistical Control Charts for Monitoring Adverse Events”, to appear Health Care Management Science, 2001.

“Performance of Number-Between g-type Statistical Control Charts for Monitoring Adverse Events”, to appear Health Care Management Science, 2001.

"Use of Mathematical Programming in the Analysis of Constrained and Unconstrained Industrial Experiments", with P. Kraus, N. Mackertich, Quality Engineering, 12(3):395-406, 2000.

"Development of a Web-Based Multi-Facility Healthcare Surveillance Information System: Distributed Process Monitoring via the Internet", with Satz, D., Flowers, S, Journal of Healthcare Information Management, 14(3):19-26, 2000.

“Statistical and Economic Models for Analysis and Optimal Design of Laboratory Screening Policies for Cervical Cancer”, with F. Kaminsky, Annals of Operations Research, 67:235-285, 1996.

“Use and Interpretation of Statistical Quality Control Charts”, invited paper, International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 10(1):69-73, 1998.

"Statistical Quality Control Methods in Infection Control and Epidemiology. Part 1: Introduction and Basic Theory", invited series, Statistics for Hospital Epidemiology, Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology,19(3):194-214, 1998.

"Statistical Quality Control Methods in Epidemiology. Part 2: Chart Use, Statistical Properties, and Research Issues", invited series, Statistics for Hospital Epidemiology, Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 19(4):265-283, 1998.

“Mathematical Models for Evaluating Overall Process Sensitivity, Specificity, and Cost of Automated Rescreening in Cervical Cytology”, with F. Kaminsky, D. Mullins, Acta Cytologica, 41(1):209-223, 1997.

“Another View on How to Measure Health Care Quality”, invited paper, Quality Progress, 28(2):120-124, February 1995.

“An Introduction to Using Computer Simulation in Healthcare”, Journal of the Society of Health Systems, 5(3):1-15, 1997.

“SPC, Process Improvement, and Deming’s PDCA Cycle in Freight Administration”, with A. Chute, Production and Inventory Management Journal, 34(1):35-40, 1993.

“Examine Costs of System Quality via Perfect Process Analysis”, Industrial Management, 13-16, May/June 1992.

“Statistical Control Charts Based on a Geometric Distribution”, with R. Burke, R. Davis, F. Kaminsky, Journal of Quality Technology, 24(2):63-69, 1992.
 
 
 

Chapters: Top

Balancing Quality and Costs in Managed Care Settings, with V. Valdmanis, chapter in Managed Care Quality: A Practical Guide, A.A. Al-Assaf, ed., Delray FL: St. Lucie Press, 181-206, 1998.

Moment Generating Functions, chapter in Industrial Engineering Applications and Practice: User Encyclopedia, ISBN 0-9654599-0-X, accepted to be published by the International Journal of Industrial Engineering.

Measuring Health Care Quality: A Statistical Quality Management Viewpoint, in Total Quality: Creating Individual and Corporate Success, J.S. Ahluwalia, ed., New Delhi: Excel Books, 1996.
 
 

Reports and Other: Top

"Optimal Policies for Clinical Laboratory Quality Control”, internal report summarizing 4 years of research-to-date in this area, 1998.

"Cervical Cancer Screening Policies: Does the Federal Requirement Make Any Sense?", submitted for the INFORMS Nicholson dissertation paper competition, 1996.

Quality Assurance and Attribute Inspection Error: A Summary of Human Factors and Mathematical Approaches for Improving Outgoing Quality, research monograph, Industrial Engineering / Operations Research, University of Massachusetts, 1991.

“Participate in Coop”, IIE Student, letter to editor, with Stewart, A., Doughty, J., April 1999 issue, page 5.
 

Journal Letters and Reviews: Top
 
 

“Some Control Chart Caveats”, Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 20 (8), 526-527, 1999.

"Stat::Fit Probability Distribution Fitting Software", invited review, OR/MS Today, February 1998, 25(1):38-41, 1998.

“Analysis of Pap Smear Rescreening Policies”, Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), submitted 1998.

"Review of 'Measuring Quality Improvement in Healthcare' (by R. Carey and R. Lloyd)", International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 9(5):387-388, 1997.

"Review of 'Quality Management in Health Care' (by L. Wilson and P. Goldschmidt)", International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 8(4):390-391, 1996.

"Reply - A Perspective on Modern Quality Control Methods", with R. Burke, K. Haberle, F. Kaminsky, D. Mullins, Acta Cytologica, 40(4):839-846, 1996.

“Answers Regarding Process Capability Index C_pk”, Industrial Engineering, with F. Kaminsky, p. 8, July 1995.

“Author’s Reply” to a letter to the editor on our paper in the "Statistics Corner" column, Quality Progress, with F. Kaminsky, 28(6):6-8, June 1995.
 

Recent Referred Conference Papers: Top
 
 

“Mathematical Analysis of Cervical Cancer Screening Policies”, Industry, Engineering, and Management Systems International 2000 Conference Proceedings, 1-7, 2000.

"Geometric Based g-Type Statistical Control Charts for Infrequent Adverse Events: New Quality Control Charts for Hospital Infections", Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) Society for Health Systems Conference Proceedings, 175-186, 1999.

“Design and Use of g Statistical Control Charts in Industry and Health Care”, Industry, Engineering, and Management Systems International 1999 Conference Proceedings, 442-447, 1999.

“Towards the Development of an Internet-Based Epidemiology and Healthcare Surveillance Information System”, with D. Satz, S. Flowers, Industry, Engineering, and Management Systems International Conference Proceedings, 211-216, 1998.

"Successfully Using Statistical Quality Management and SPC to Measure and Improve Healthcare", 8th Annual Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) Quest for Quality and Productivity in Health Services Conf Proc, 143-150, 1996.

"Improving Healthcare Systems Using SPC and Quality Engineering: Billing and Laboratory Case Studies", Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Conf Trans, (2):31-40, 1996.

"Improved Lab Testing of Pap Smears for Cervical Cancer: Summary and Results of Some Quality Models", with F. Kaminsky, 49th North East ASQC Conf Trans, 123-129, 1995.

"Applications of Statistical Process Control (SPC) To Improve Health Care", Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Conf Trans, (2):289-301, 1995.

"The Importance of Modeling Discrete Data in Statistical Process Control", Proceedings of the Tenth International Conference of the Israel Society for Quality, 640-646, 1994.

"Modeling Discrete Data in SPC: The g and h Control Charts", with F. Kaminsky, American Society for Quality Control Annual Quality Congress Trans, 32-42, 1994.

"Using Computer Simulation to Help Reduce Patient Waits", with M. Horowitz, M.D., M. Terciero, MPH, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Conf Trans, (1):323-342, 1994.
 

Presentations (Abstracts Only): Top
 
 

"Design and Performance of Number-Between Type Control Charts for Low Defect Processes", Industrial Engineering Research Conference, May 2000.

"New Control Charts for Monitoring Infrequent Adverse Events", European Forum on Healthcare Improvement, invited paper, Amsterdam, March 2000.

“New Number-Between g-type Control Charts for Monitoring Infrequent Adverse Events”, Institute for Healthcare Improvement Annual Forum, (published abstracts only), December 1999.

"Employing statistical process control (SPC) charts as an adjunct to catheter related blood stream surveillance in the ITU”, with Curran, E.T., Booth M., Weinhardt B., Hood, J, Society of Hospital Epidemiology of America (SHEA) Annual Meeting, (poster session, published abstracts only) March 2000.

“Preliminary Design of an Internet-Based Graphical Surveillance Information System”, with D. Satz, S. Flowers, American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA), 1999.

"Design and Use of g Statistical Control Charts in Infection Control”, invited paper, Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences, May 1999.

"Discussant: Some Comments on the Use of Statistical Control Charts in Health Care”, Industry, Engineering, and Management Systems 1999 International Conference Proceedings, March 1999.

“Measuring Performance and Improvement from a Statistical Quality Management Perspective”, 15th International Society for Quality in Health Care Conference, (abstract only), October 1998.

“Use of Industrial Quality Control and Internet Technology for Monitoring Healthcare System Performance”, Sixteenth Annual International Nursing Computer and Technology Conference Proceedings, (abstract only), with Satz, D., and Flowers, S., April 28, 1998.

“Analysis of FDA-Approved Automated Pap Smear Screening Policies for Cervical Cancer”, invited paper, Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences, with F. Kaminsky, May 1997.

"Diagnostic Accuracy and Optimal Clinical Laboratory Screening Policies", invited paper, Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences, May 1996.

"Total Quality Management and Statistical Process Control in Clinical Laboratories, with Applications to EIA Testing for HIV Antibodies", with C. Andrzewski, MD, F. Kaminsky, American Association of Blood Banks, 1995.

"Alternate Inspection Policies in Pap Smear Testing for the Detection of Cervical Cancer", with F. Kaminsky, International Applied Statistics in Medicine Conf, Dallas 1995.

"Design of Statistical g Control Charts for Nosocomial Infection: Number of Events Between Infections and Other Alternatives", International Applied Statistics in Medicine Conf, Dallas 1995.
 

Seminars and Workshops Presented: Top

"Effective Use of Statistical Process Control in Infection Control and Epidemiology", invited all-day workshop to be conducted at the annual conference of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, June 2000.

"Introduction to Continuous Quality Improvement and Statistical Process Control", a half-day workshop at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society annual conference, Dallas TX, April 2000.

“The Application of Industrial Quality Control Methods to Hospital Infections and Adverse Events”, a multi-day workshop requested by leading national infection control researchers at the Children’s Hospital in Boston, June 1999. Resulted in joint funding proposal to NSF.

“Some Discrete Modeling Problems in Industrial Quality Control”, seminar presentation to Spring Research Colloquia, Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering Department, Northeastern University, April 9, 1999.

“Using Control Charts in Epidemiology and Infection Control”, invited workshop for the Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) Annual Conference, April 1999. Over 60 attendees, including representatives from the Center for Disease Control and the Joint Commission of Healthcare Accreditation.

“Engineering Project Management and Statistical Process Control Workshop”, half-day workshop, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Conference, February 1998.

“Using Data and SPC to Measure and Improve Healthcare Quality”, half-day workshop at the Institute of Industrial Engineers’ Society of Health Systems Annual Conference, September 1998.

Two-day workshop for Mercy Health Systems and Clark Hospital (Des Moines) on the use of statistical quality control in healthcare, January 1998.

“The Role of Management Engineering in Improving Process Quality”, half-day workshop, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Conference, February 1997.

“SPC (Statistical Process Control) Workshop”, half-day workshop, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Conference, February 1997.
 
 
 

External Reviews: Top

National Science Foundation, October, December 1997, January, March, April, May, August, December 1998, January 2000.

Journal of Quality Technology, 1993, 1994, 2000.

International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 1996-2000.

OR/MS Today, 1997.

Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, 1994-1997.

International Conference on Industry, Engineering, & Management Systems, 1998, 1999, 2000.

Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization Symposium, February 1998.

Health Care Management Science, June, October, December 1998, February, November 1999, March 2000.

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, February, February, October, October 1999.

American Journal of Infection Control, December/January 2000, June 2000.

International Thomson Publishing Incorporated, 1995.

Duxbury Press, July 2000.

John Wiley and Sons, October 2000.
 
 
 

Professional Societies,Memberships,Service and Advising: Top

Professional Affiliations

Institute for Operations Research and Management Science (Health Applications Section)

American Society for Quality (senior member, Statistics division and Healthcare division),

Institute of Industrial Engineers

Society of Health Systems (board member)

Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (senior member)

Decision Sciences Institute

Phi Kappa Phi (lifetime member)

Alpha Pi Mu
 
 

Committees and Advising: Top

Industrial Engineering Curriculum committee, 1998-present

Cooperative Education committee, 1998-present

Doctoral Examination committee, 1997-present

Awards and Nominations committee, 1999-present

Outreach Task Force committee (high school outreach, recruitment, open houses, "building bridges" program, freshman forum, et cetera), 1999-present

Faculty Advisor to Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) student chapter, 1998-present

Academic advisor to Mechanical, Industrial, & Manufacturing Engineering freshman, 1998 - present

Program Director and Faculty Advisor to University FIRST engineering program, 1998-present
 

Honors and Awards: Top

Vice President Gore 1998 “Hammer Award” for joint work with the United States Air Force Surgeon General’s Office to design web-based statistical monitoring technology.

Alpha Pi Mu teaching award in recognition of teaching excellence in and out of the classroom and work with Industrial Engineering and FIRST student groups, presented by the Northeastern University chapter of Alpha Pi Mu, May 2000.

Dean's Merit Award for student orientation in teaching, in work with the student chapter of the Institute of Industrial Engineers, and in volunteer work as director of Northeastern's FIRST program, received June 2000.

National School Board Association Recognition Award for volunteer outreach work with Boston schools and FIRST robotics program. Presented to myself and industry partner, Textron Systems, October 1999.

Nominated for Woody Flowers Award, national FIRST annual award presented to an outstanding individual demonstrating commitment to engineering education and outreach principles, April 2000.

Nominated for Northeastern University Aspiration Award for efforts beyond the normal level of service in contributing to the achievement of Northeastern's Aspiration to be a nationally recognized, student-centered, practice-oriented, urban university. Nominated for work with FIRST program by Dean Allen Soyster, May 2000.

Promoted to Senior Member of HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society), Winter 1998/99.
 

External Activities and Appointments:Top

Board of Directors, Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) Society for Health Systems, 1999-2000 (1^st term), 2001-present (2^nd term).

Track chair for 1999 and 2000 International Conference on Industry, Engineering, & Management Systems Conference, Applied Statistics & Health Care Applications tracks (26 papers in 9 sessions).

Technical Advisor, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Boston MA, 2000 - present.

Academic Advisor, FIRST Foundation, Manchester NH, 1999 - present.

Teaching Activities

Northeastern University, Boston MA.

Graduate Probability & Statistics (G) (43 students F/97, 10 W/98, 43 F/98, 27 F/00))

Probabilistic Analysis for Engineers (U) (36 students Sp/98, 27 students Su/98)

Probability & Statistics I (U) (65 students Sp/99, 24 students Su/99, 87 students Sp/00)

Introduction to Engineering (U) (30 students F/98, 20 students Sp/99, 35 students F/99)

Industrial Statistics Independent Study (G) (4 students, W/98, Su/98, Sp/99, Sp/99)

Special Topics in Industrial Engineering (U) (5 students, W/99, Su/99, W/00)

Senior Capstone Design (U) (30 students F/W/S 00-01)

Engineering Design Process Management (U) - New course developed

Industrial Engineering curriculum committee, Coop liaison committee, Doctoral examination committee, Awards and nominations committee, Outreach Task Force Committee,

Faculty Advisor to Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) student chapter, Faculty Advisor to 1998 and 1999 freshman classes, Program Director and Faculty Advisor to University FIRST program.

University of Massachusetts, Amherst MA.

Lecturer in undergraduate IE422 Statistical Quality Control; Teaching Assistant for graduate statistical quality control and experimental design courses (IE655, IE755, and IE591T).

Trainer and research assistant on state research grant for 34 local machine shops and plastic molding companies in statistical quality control and experimental design.

Greenfield Community College, Greenfield MA.

Visiting Instructor (Quality, Statistics), 1990 - 1992.
 
 

Directly Advised

“Optimal Design of Geometric-Based g and h Statistical Quality Control Methods”, masters thesis (Alp Gumus, summer 1999).

“Performance of Alternate Dispersion Measures in Replicated Factorial Experiments”, masters project (Sukhjinder Dhaliwal, summer 1999).

“Some Data Aggregation Problems in Statistical Quality Control”, masters project (Dong-Kyo Kim, summer 1999).

"Some Statistical Quality Control Models in Printed Circuit Board Manufacture", masters project (Tom Allard, anticipated spring 2000).

"Some Process Capability Estimation Problems", masters thesis (Pinar Koc, anticipated spring 2001).

"Simulation Analysis of the Bias and Variability in estimating C_p and C_pk Process Capability Indices", senior independent project (Harry Cagnetto, 1999).

"Simulation Analysis of ER Patient Flow at Boston Medical Center", Mustafa Yuzukirmizi, masters project, 1999.

“Experimental Design for Optimal Configuration of Ball Grid Array (BGA) Component Replacement in Printed Circuit Assemblies”, masters project (Oscar Monarrez, summer 1998).

“Exploration of Two New Types of Statistical Quality Control Charts, with Application to Manu-facturing Defects and Heart Surgery Complications”, masters project (Emre Ergun, winter 1998).

"A Simulation Tool for Investigating the Performance of Nonconforming Parts per Million as an Estimator of Process Capability", masters project (Amy Petcen, spring 1997).

"Quality Control of Semi-Conductor Contamination Particles: Comparison and Application of Alternate Statistical Distributions in SPC and Process Capability Analysis", masters project (Ramchander Sukumar, anticipated spring 1997).

"Preliminary Investigation of Appropriate Discrete Probability Distributions for Describing Integrated Circuit Nonconformities", senior independent study project (Anish Patel, fall 1995).

Committee Member

“Effects of Sensory Input Level on Cognitive and Motoric Operator Performance in Actual and Computer-Generated Virtual Environments”, Ph.D. committee member (Bevery Jaeger, aniticpated fall 2000, Ron Mourant advisor).

"In-Process Surface Roughness Estimation in Finish Turning From Acoustis Emission Generated by Sliding Friction Process", Ph.D. committee member (Piroj Wongsiripatanakul, Sagar Kamarthi advisor).

Adriana Diaz-Triana, topic to-be-determined (Jacqueline Isaccs advisor).