New faculty role supports ISE’s growth in systems engineering education
Published: Oct 6, 2025 1:00 PM
By Carla Nelson
The Auburn University Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) recently welcomed Christian Zamiela as an assistant professor, following a successful year serving as a research professor in the department.
Zamiela, a Florida native, earned a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics and business administration from Millsaps College in 2019, where he also played soccer for four years. He later completed both his master’s (2021) and doctorate (2024) in industrial engineering at Mississippi State University. His doctoral research focused on artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled quality assurance in additive manufacturing, exploring the relationship between process, structural characteristics and material properties.
At Auburn, Zamiela has shifted his focus toward systems design and implementation, helping expand the department’s model-based systems engineering initiatives while continuing to connect his background in AI to manufacturing research.
“This past year, it was great to integrate into the faculty life here, and everybody's been very welcoming and wanting me to succeed and find my place,” Zamiela said. “I gained a lot of experience in that first year that helped me with the transition to assistant professor.”
In his first year, Zamiela taught systems engineering courses, gained grant-writing experience, and helped Edward Huang, associate professor of industrial and systems engineering, earn official recognition by the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) through its Associate Systems Engineering Professional (ASEP) Academic Equivalency program.
This distinction places Auburn among a select group of universities worldwide whose systems engineering curriculum meets the rigorous academic standards set by INCOSE, a leading global organization in the field of systems engineering. Students who complete Auburn’s Systems Engineering I and Life Cycle Engineering courses with a qualifying grade can now bypass the ASEP exam.
“This is such a great opportunity for students, and that was a good way for me to initially get involved in the department,” Zamiela said.
Beyond the classroom, he has contributed to the department’s manufacturing model-based systems engineering initiatives and stayed active in intramural and recreational soccer, helping his city league team win a championship.
“The students have been great, both academically and socially,” Zamiela said. “They’re so well-spoken and informative. They have been great to interact with.”
Looking ahead, Zamiela is eager to establish his research program and work directly with graduate students.
“My former role gave me some good experience on what to expect from the new role,” he said. “The transition from student to professor can be hard, so having a first-year experience as a research professor gave me time to ease into it. Now, I’ll get to supervise Ph.D. students directly and develop a research program focusing on systems engineering and advanced manufacturing, which I’m excited to do.”
Greg Harris, industrial and systems engineering chair, said Zamiela has already proven himself to be a valuable addition to the faculty.
“He brings some needed capabilities to the team in manufacturing systems, with a particular emphasis on model-based systems engineering and metrology,” he said. “He is filling a significant role in our systems engineering program plan and growth.”
Media Contact: , carla@auburn.edu, 3347400221
The Auburn University Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering recently welcomed Christian Zamiela as an assistant professor, following a successful year serving as a research professor in the department.
