Maghsoodloo Assistantship awarded to doctoral student

Industrial and systems engineering doctoral student Mehmet Kurt has been awarded the annual Dr. Saeed Maghsoodloo Assistantship. The assistantship is accompanied by a monetary award and acknowledges and rewards the valuable role that teaching assistants play in the Auburn University Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering.

Kurt, who is originally from Turkey, earned a Bachelor of Science in systems engineering from the Turkish Military Academy in 1995 and a Master of Science in industrial engineering from the University of Pittsburgh in 1999.

“I am interested in optimization, planning and modeling,” Kurt explained. “After earning my master’s degree, I worked in the Army as an operations research analyst for a long time and learned that industrial engineers could make huge differences in an organization and could also contribute a lot to its effectiveness and profitability.”

Since starting work towards his doctoral degree in 2019, Kurt has worked as a teaching assistant for Joe W. Forehand/Accenture Distinguished Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering Alice Smith for three semesters. He has been an instructor for Probability and Statistics for an additional three semesters.

“I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep appreciation for all of Dr. Alice Smith’s invaluable support, encouragement, guidance, help and advice throughout my education and teaching,” Kurt said.

Kurt enjoys teaching and his goal is to one day work as a professor. He is also interested in military-related industrial engineering jobs.

LuAnn Carpenter, director of student program assessment and administration for industrial and systems engineering, said Kurt is deserving of the award.

“Mehmet has served the department as both a teaching assistant and an instructor of record and has done an outstanding job,” Carpenter added.

Being awarded the Maghsoodloo Assistantship was a great surprise for Kurt and his family.

“I was extremely gratified about this award,” he said. “It is clearly a great honor for me to attain this special award. It is not possible for me to show my thankfulness in words. Even my self-belief will be improved by this award and help and encourage me to attain success in the future. I feel that to be selected for this honor is a great privilege.”