Malgorzata Rys

Malgorzata Rys is an Associate Professor in the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering at Kansas State University, College of Engineering. She holds a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from K-State (1989) and has served as Assistant Department Head since 2001, overseeing undergraduate recruitment, ABET accreditation, and departmental promotion. Her expertise spans human factors engineering, highway safety, and healthcare systems, with a focus on data-driven solutions.

Education:

• B.S. in Industrial Engineering, Technical University of Wrocław, Poland (1979)
• M.S. in Industrial Engineering, Kansas State University (1986)
• Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering, Kansas State University (1989)

Research: Rys’ work integrates human reliability analysis, advanced manufacturing, and systems engineering to address challenges in transportation safety (e.g., UAVs for DOT operations, roundabout optimization) and healthcare (e.g., CAUTI prediction, fall risk modeling). She employs complex data analytics and interdisciplinary collaboration, involving over 50 sponsored projects.

Awards: Recipient of IMSE teaching awards (1999, 2010, 2012), advising awards (1999, 2016), and the Charles H. Scholer Award (2014). Recognized as an outstanding adviser by the Institute of Industrial and System Engineers.

Advising & Grants: Directed 36 master’s theses and 3 doctoral dissertations. Principal/co-PI on 50+ projects funded by USDOD, FHWA, KDOT, and private entities. Her grants focus on transportation innovation, healthcare technology, and safety.

Labs/Teams: Leads multidisciplinary teams of undergraduate/graduate students in projects like patient health monitoring systems and intelligent transportation solutions. Collaborates with the Mack-Blackwell Transportation Center and Mid-America Transportation Center.