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Illinois students Sara Ziaja and Tushar Jain built Beacon, an AI-powered documentation tool for first responders, in just 24 hours at the Keywords AI Hackathon. Inspired by Sara’s experience as an EMT and powered by Tushar’s systems and computer science background, Beacon helps reduce administrative burden and improve patient care through real-time, structured reporting. The team is now exploring real-world testing with Carle Health to scale the platform’s impact.

Professor Avinash Gupta reframes AI in engineering education as a tool for cultivating curiosity and deeper inquiry, arguing that when thoughtfully designed, AI supports reflection, questioning and meaningful learning rather than simply efficiency. Through his work in ISE, including a KEEN faculty workshop and research in the HXRI Lab, he demonstrates how structured, curiosity-driven activities using AI and XR can transform both teaching practice and learner engagement. Gupta envisions a future where AI and extended reality converge to create adaptive, human-centered learning environments that make education more exploratory, reflective, and impactful.

In the latest episode of InControl - the first podcast on control theory - ISE Department Head, Jeff Shamma,  talks everything from his PhD years to game theory to multi-agent learning and even divulges some life advice that we can all take note of.

In Fall 2025, Industrial & Enterprise Systems Engineering (ISE) students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign partnered with Innovo Markets through the Senior Design program to tackle challenges in renewable energy certificate (REC) data reporting. Working alongside industry mentors and Illinois alumni, the team developed design solutions to help transform complex registry data into clear, auditable, compliance-ready insights. The collaboration highlights ISE’s strong foundation in applied systems thinking and real-world, industry-driven problem solving.

ISE alumnus Joseph Hartman has been named the seventh president of Western New England University. Previously serving as provost and vice chancellor at UMass Lowell, Hartman brings a strong background in academic leadership, student success and institutional strategy—built on the systems thinking and leadership foundations he developed in ISE.