In addition to a diverse industry-connected faculty, the department operates ISEEM research labs where both faculty and student researchers do the hands-on work springing from program coursework. Many grants, fellowships, and research projects originate directly from the region’s aerospace and defense industry, but many more come from government sponsors of small- and large-scale university-based research. For instance:

  • Dr. L. Dale Thomas and student researchers are assisting the Marshall Space Flight Center with the transition to model based engineering in its’ Advanced Concepts Office, researching strategies to make the Space Launch System’s rocket engines more affordable, and researching the Nuclear Thermal Propulsion technology infusion into NASA exploration missions architectures.
  • Dr. Bryan Mesmer and two student researchers are working with the NASA Systems Engineering Consortium on executing preferences relative to rocket and space life-support systems in a collaborative lab space.Dr. Thomas with 2 students explaining a procedure with computer and screens in the background

The program offers many opportunities for students interested in exploring hypotheses in systems engineering, which itself is a vast field with countless applications across industries. To further illuminate all that the ISEEM program has to offer by way of hands-on laboratory research, please visit our laboratory pages: https://www.uah.edu/csil/research

  • Complex Systems Integration Lab (CSIL)

 

Digital X Lab – ISEEM Department in Tech Hall OKT N102


The Digital X Lab is directed by Dr. Ana Wooley and Dr. Cheng Chen, both assistant professors in the ISEEM department at UAH. This lab is equipped to support the development, integration, and validation of Digital Twin and Digital Thread solutions across the product lifecycle, providing a robust physical and digital testbed to execute the research on advanced manufacturing. This lab supports full-stack DT development, from sensor integration and protocol implementation to simulation modeling and decision-support tool creation. The Digital X Lab supports applied research in digital transformation through a variety of hardware and software assets, including:

  • An automated assembly line that is built around the Lucas Nuelle CBP 44 Variant Production with Ejection system and integrates Siemens Simatic S7-1500 PLCs, robot arms, and autonomous workstations. This system supports cyber-physical manufacturing research through real-time communication and modular reconfigurability. Workpieces are created based on cloud-based order input and follow a conveyor system through programmable stations for processing and quality checks.
  • A manual assembly line for drone manufacturing that includes two workstations and a conveyor system. It is currently being enhanced with load cell sensors (for inventory control) and proximity sensors (for process timestamping), supporting data collection for digital twin implementation, sensor connectivity, and data integration.
  • Capability to implement three core layers of DT architecture: Data Layer (Real-time sensor data of manufacturing process), Service layer (Open-source technologies such as MQTT (with secure TLS/SSL implementation), Node-RED, and InfluxDB support IIoT data transmission, storage, and visualization. Raspberry Pis, ESP32s, and LAN/Wi-Fi networks are used for secure, local deployment), and Model Layer (Simulation tools like Simio are used for discrete event modeling. This layer includes mechanisms for bidirectional communication between physical and digital systems and incorporates 2D/3D visual representations, data governance protocols, and system visualization dashboards (e.g., Grafana, Node red, ThingWorx). Unity 3D is also installed in the computers in the lab.

 

Decision-making for Operations and Job Outcomes (DOJO) Lab

Dr. Nicholas Loyd and his students research the principles of strategic planning, Lean systems, and leadership development, specifically in their applications for manufacturing and engineering management. In the Decision-making for Operations and Job Outcomes (DOJO) Lab, research focuses on workstation design for human factors, process improvement for Lean value streams, and team dynamics in problem-solving scenarios.