Nimbarte appointed chair of industrial and management systems engineering

Ashish Nimbarte is appointed chair of the industrial and management systems engineering department (WVU Photo/Paige Nesbit). 

Ashish Nimbarte, professor of industrial engineering at West Virginia University, has been named chair of the department, effective July 1, 2022.

Story by Tara Heffernan, Multi-Media Specialist

Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

“I am truly honored to take on the responsibility of the chair of industrial and management systems engineering department,” Nimbarte said. “I want to express my sincere gratitude for the support that I received from faculty and staff, students, alumni and especially Dean Mago over the past year in my role as the interim department chair. I look forward to receiving their continued support in the future as we work together to set a positive trajectory for the department for its sustained growth and expansion in the years to come.” 

Nimbarte stepped into the role as interim chair of the department in August 2021. Over the past year, he has worked on improving the visibility of industrial engineering capstone projects to a broader audience and developed a fully online master’s degree program in engineering management. 

“Going forward I would like to further improve the graduate education and research opportunities in the department and continue to strengthen our undergraduate industrial engineering program,” Nimbarte said. “I am also thrilled to be working with the five new faculty members that will work to expand research thrusts to address newer engineering research challenges.” 

The Benjamin M. Statler College Engineering and Mineral Resources professor received a bachelor’s degree in production engineering from Nagpur University in India, a master’s degree in industrial engineering from Louisiana State University and a doctorate in an interdisciplinary program in engineering science from Louisiana State University. 

Nimbarte’s research focuses on ergonomics, the study of work laws to identify the most efficient method for carrying out a given task. Ergonomics deals with the interaction of humans with the other elements of the system to enhance human well-being and overall system performance. 

In recent years Nimbarte has developed a novel ergonomics, energy, environment, and economics—E4 terminology by integrating various productivity improvement topics that complement ergonomics, such as energy efficiency, pollution prevention, Lean implementations and waste management under one umbrella. His E4 projects are funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the United States Department of Agriculture, the United States Department of Energy and the West Virginia Office of Energy.  

Since joining WVU in 2009, Nimbarte has worked on multiple research projects with a total funding of over $10 million as PI and Co-PI. 

Nimbarte serves as the graduate program coordinator of the industrial engineering program and assistant director of the Department of Energy funded Industrial Assessment Center since 2015.   

Nimbarte received the Statler College’s Educator of the Year award in 2021 and the Outstanding Teacher award in 2014 for his commitment to achieving and maintaining excellence in both teaching and mentoring at the College. He also received Statler College’s Outstanding Researcher award in 2020. Nimbarte serves on the editorial boards of four top-tier industrial engineering journals and as a senior editor for Ergonomics in Design.  

“I am delighted that Dr. Nimbarte has accepted the chair position in the industrial and management systems engineering department,” said Pedro Mago, Glen H. Hiner Dean of the Statler College. “This appointment represents a strong affirmation of the outstanding job that he has done as interim department chair. I am excited about Dr. Nimbarte’s enthusiasm, leadership and vision for the future of the IMSE Department.” 

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