About Purdue System Thinkers (PurSysT)
PurSysT Mission
PurSysT endeavors to enhance the comprehension and implementation of systems thinking across multiple domains and foster interdisciplinary collaboration to develop innovative solutions that address pressing societal challenges.
PurSysT History
The Purdue System Thinkers is a student-led organization with a rich history dating back to its establishment as the Purdue INCOSE* Student Division in 2013. In 2019, the organization underwent a transformation and rebranding effort to better serve its mission and reach a wider audience. Our core focus is to advance interdisciplinary thinking and innovative solutions to complex problems across all scales. By bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise, we strive to develop and implement creative approaches to tackle real-world challenges.
*INCOSE stands for the International Council on Systems Engineering.
PurSysT Leadership
President: Dongyang Li
Dongyang Li is pursuing a Ph.D. degree in the School of Industrial Engineering at Purdue University, and serving as a Graduate Research Assistant in the Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Vice President: Giulia Murbach de Oliveira
Giulia Murbach de Oliveira is a Ph.D. Candidate at Purdue University Department of Chemistry.
Treasurer: Adam Mitrevski
Adam Mitrevski is a Ph.D. Candidate at Purdue University Department of Chemistry.
Since its inception, the Purdue System Thinkers student organization has been sustained by the efforts of a diverse range of students. The following is a roster of the dedicated individuals who have served as officers and played a pivotal role in advancing the goals of the club.
Ibukun Phillips is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering at Purdue University. During his tenure as President of the Purdue System Thinkers, from 2020 to 2022, he demonstrated exceptional leadership skills and a commitment to advancing the organization. Despite having completed his term as President, Mr. Phillips continues to be an active member and is currently focused on supporting the organization's communications efforts."
Robert Clark Stevens was a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering (MSIE) student at Purdue University's School of Industrial Engineering, where he enrolled from 2018 to 2020. During his time at the university, he served as the Founding President of a student organization.
Advisor: Prof. C. Robert Kenley
Professor Charles Robert Kenley is a Professor of Engineering Practice in Purdue’s School of Industrial Engineering, where has been developing courses and curricula to support the educational objectives of the Purdue Systems Collaboratory. He has over thirty years’ experience in industry, academia, and government as a practitioner, consultant, and researcher in systems engineering at Lockheed, the Idaho National Lab, MIT, and Purdue. He has a Ph.D. and M.S in Engineering-Economic Systems from Stanford, an M.S. in Statistics from Purdue, and an S.B. in Management from MIT. He has published papers on systems requirements, technology readiness assessment and forecasting, Bayes nets, applied meteorology, the impacts of nuclear power plants on employment, and model-based systems engineering, and agent-based modeling for systems of systems. He is an expert system engineering professional (ESEP) and a Fellow of INCOSE.
Research Experiences for Undergraduates at PurSysT
Hayter ranch: Genealogical Network Analysis
Graduate Research
Systems Fellows at Purdue Systems Collaboratory