Two Virginia Tech students win James W. Barany Awards from Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers

Jordi Shelton

22 Aug 2024

Aziz Malouche and Eileen Van Aken — Eileen Van Aken (at left), head of Virginia Tech Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering and past president of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, presents the James W. Barany Student Award for Excellence to Aziz Malouche '24 during the 2024 annual conference in Montreal. Malouche is one of three students who received the award, and one of two from Virginia Tech. Photo courtesy of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers.

Aziz Malouche and Katy Sloan, both 2024 graduates from the College of Engineering received first and third place respectively in the James W. Barany Student Award for Excellence from the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE).

Only three students from across the country receive this award each year during the IISE national conference, which was held in May in Montreal.

“This highly prestigious award recognizes students who have distinguished themselves as leaders and scholars at their universities,” said Eileen Van Aken, former IISE president and head of the Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. “I am thrilled two incredible Virginia Tech students received the Barany award this year. It is an exciting time for our department and we look forward to seeing what Aziz and Katy accomplish in their careers.”

First place Barany Award winner: Aziz Malouche

Graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in industrial and systems engineering and a minor in computer science in 2024
Active member of multiple organizations, including serving as president IISE’s Virginia Tech chapter, Hokie Ambassadors, the "Hokie Talk" podcast, and the Consulting Group at Virginia Tech
Recipient of the Don Taylor Senior Leadership Award, awarded annually to a graduating industrial and systems engineering senior by the department’s advisory board

Malouche is pursuing a master’s degree in business analytics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He credits Virginia Tech's industrial and systems engineering (ISE) department for deepening his interest in operations research and gaining valuable experiences across multiple engineering disciplines.

"Winning the Barany Award is a culmination of my academic journey at Virginia Tech, combining intensive ISE coursework, research, and leadership in IISE as the Torgersen Leadership Summit chair and then as president,” Malouche said. “Serving as a student leader in IISE has been an enriching experience, and I’m honored to have been recognized with this award."

Kathryn Sloan — Katy Slaon '24 received third place in the James W. Barany Student Award for Excellence at the 2024 IISE conference. Photo courtesy of Katy Sloan.

Third place Barany Award winner: Katy Sloan

Graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in industrial and systems engineering in 2024
Active member of multiple organizations, including IISE Virginia Tech chapter, ISE ambassadors, Alpha Pi Mu Honor Society, Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers, Student Success Center, and Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Diversity
Performed undergraduate research with Mike Madigan’s Occupational Ergonomics and Biomechanics Laboratories and Myounghoon Jeon’s Mind Music Machine Lab
Recipient of the 2023 Outstanding Junior Award and 2024 Outstanding Service Award from the industrial and systems engineering department.

After graduating in May, Sloan moved to Melbourne, Florida, and began working as a systems engineer for Northrop Grumman. She is grateful for the influence of faculty, staff, and alumni of the industrial and systems engineering department, including Van Aken and Associate Professor Kimberly Ellis, who encouraged her to apply for the Barany Award.

“Virginia Tech ISE is an incredible community to be part of. The people — faculty, alumni, and students — were motivating and encouraging throughout my collegiate career. I believe the different opportunities presented to me during my time with ISE prepared me well for the workforce,” Sloan said. “Being a recipient of this prestigious award is truly an honor, and I can't thank my family and Virginia Tech ISE enough for their support.”