ISE doctoral student honored for excellence in teaching

Auburn University industrial and systems engineering doctoral student Daniela Granados Rivera has been awarded the annual Dr. Saeed Maghsoodloo Assistantship, recognizing outstanding graduate teaching assistants in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering.

Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, Granados Rivera said she was drawn to industrial and systems engineering because of its versatility and problem-solving potential.

After beginning her studies, she developed a strong interest in operations research.

“I was fascinated by the operations research area, where I could use mathematical tools for decision-making processes in any field,” she said. “It’s amazing how ISE can model any system and optimize it to improve its performance.”

Granados Rivera’s current research focuses on optimizing supply chains that incorporate mobile production units and drone delivery systems. Her work involves developing mathematical models to determine optimal facility locations, production levels and delivery methods.

“The goal is to minimize costs while enabling faster and more flexible responses in complex or remote environments,” she said.

After completing her doctoral degree, she hopes to continue her work in an applied setting.

“I would like to work in a research lab in industry, where I can continue developing optimization solutions and see the real-world impact of those methods,” she said.

As a graduate teaching assistant, Granados Rivera has supported engineering economy courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and served as the instructor of record for the undergraduate course.

She said working with students has been one of the most rewarding aspects of her Auburn experience.

“I really enjoy helping students see the logic behind concepts or calculations,” she said. “Finding simple ways for them to understand and seeing that understanding click is very rewarding.”

Granados Rivera said receiving the Maghsoodloo Assistantship is especially meaningful.

“I feel truly honored,” she said. “My journey as a TA has been very enjoyable, and I have learned so much from the students. Receiving recognition for that has been especially rewarding.”