Problem Solved: The IISE Podcast

Latest Episodes:

AEC Keynote Bonus: Curiosity and the Future of Design with Cassini Nazir and Mike Courtney Mar 17, 2026

Show notes

Right after his keynote at the Applied Ergonomics Conference, we had a chance to sit down with Cassini Nazir, an interaction designer and professor at the University of North Texas. In his talk, Cassini encouraged ergonomics professionals to think more intentionally about curiosity and how asking better questions and designing with empathy can improve the systems and experiences people rely on every day.

And as it happened, his friend Mike Courtney was there too. Mike is a futurist who actually delivered the keynote at last year’s conference, so we talked with him about something many professionals are dealing with right now - the rapid pace of technological change and how to make decisions when things are evolving so quickly.

Two quick conversations, both recorded at the Applied Ergonomics Conference, about curiosity, design, and navigating a changing world.

This bonus episode was recorded live at the Applied Ergonomics Conference as part of Problem Solved LIVE.

Every great solution is a story worth telling.

Applied Ergonomics Conference sponsored by Applied Ergonomics Society
Learn more about The Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE)
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Problem Solved Executive Producer: Elizabeth Grimes
Interested in contributing to the podcast or sponsoring an episode? Email egrimes@iise.org

Trailer | AEC Keynote Spotlight: From Idea to Impact with Dr. Mark Benden Mar 10, 2026

Show notes

Have you streamed this episode yet?
In this special keynote spotlight episode of Problem Solved, IISE’s Frank Reddy sits down with Dr. Mark Benden, researcher, inventor of nearly 30 patents, and longtime leader in ergonomics innovation. With more than four decades of experience across military service, industry, and academia, Dr. Benden has helped generate over $2.5 billion in economic impact through human-centered design and workplace innovation.

In this conversation, he shares:

Join us for this inside look at one of AEC’s keynote voices. And don’t miss Problem Solved LIVE on-site at AEC, where we’ll be capturing insights from innovators shaping the future of ergonomics.

Problem Solved Executive Producer: Elizabeth Grimes
Interested in contributing to the podcast or sponsoring an episode? Email egrimes@iise.org

AEC Keynote Spotlight: From Idea to Impact with Dr. Mark Benden Mar 03, 2026

Show notes

In this special keynote spotlight episode of Problem Solved, IISE’s Frank Reddy sits down with Dr. Mark Benden, researcher, inventor of nearly 30 patents, and longtime leader in ergonomics innovation. With more than four decades of experience across military service, industry, and academia, Dr. Benden has helped generate over $2.5 billion in economic impact through human-centered design and workplace innovation.

In this conversation, he shares:

How everyday frustration becomes invention
Why “nuisance is the father of invention”
How AI, motion capture, and wearables are transforming worker health
The shift from injury response to real-time prevention
And how to take ergonomic improvements from idea, to protection, to commercialization

Problem Solved Executive Producer: Elizabeth Grimes
Interested in contributing to the podcast or sponsoring an episode? Email egrimes@iise.org

HSPI 2026 #QuickTakes Sessions Feb 24, 2026

Show notes

HSPI QuickTakes Sessions

This episode of Problem Solved was recorded live at the Healthcare Systems Process Improvement (HSPI) Conference, straight from the Problem Solved LIVE booth!

Throughout the week, we spoke with healthcare engineers, executives, students, researchers, exhibitors, and improvement leaders about what’s shaping the future of healthcare systems.

You’ll hear:

· Why AI dominated this year’s conversations

· How improvement professionals are bridging technology and human factors

· Why mentorship and student engagement matter more than ever

· How cross-industry thinking (manufacturing, energy, data science) is influencing healthcare

· What attendees are taking back to their organizations immediately

· And what’s already in motion for HSPI next year

One theme was clear:
Technology is accelerating. But people - leadership, trust, change management, human-centered design - remain at the core.

If you couldn’t attend HSPI this year, this episode brings the conference floor to you.
If you were there, you might just hear your own voice!

Subscribe so you never miss what’s next.

Every great solution is a story worth telling.

HSPI Conference sponsored by Society for Health Systems

Learn more about The Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE)
Problem Solved on LinkedIn
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Problem Solved Executive Producer: Elizabeth Grimes
Interested in contributing to the podcast or sponsoring an episode? Email egrimes@iise.org

Trailer | Optimizing for Meaning - Now Streaming Feb 20, 2026

Show notes

If you haven't streamed the full episode yet, make sure you don't miss it.

Optimizing for Meaning: What Industrial Engineering Teaches Us About Balance and Burnout

In this thoughtful and refreshingly honest conversation, Aly Kamel, an industrial and management engineering student at the Arab Academy for Science and Technology, explores how core industrial engineering principles like input-process-output, value-added analysis, and constraint management can be applied to something far more personal: balance, burnout, and sustainable ambition.

Aly challenges the idea that success means maximizing output at all costs. Instead, he reframes burnout not as a personal failure, but as a predictable system outcome, and one that can be redesigned.

Industrial engineering isn’t just about factories and supply chains. It’s a mindset for designing systems that last.

And the most important system you’ll ever design… might be yourself.

Learn more about The Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE)
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Optimizing for Meaning: What Industrial Engineering Teaches us About Balance and Burnout with Aly Kamel Feb 17, 2026

Show notes

Optimizing for Meaning: What Industrial Engineering Teaches Us About Balance and Burnout

We talk a lot on Problem Solved about optimizing systems, improving processes, and designing better organizations.

But what happens when the system you’re trying to design… is your own life?

Aly challenges the idea that success means maximizing output at all costs. Instead, he reframes burnout not as a personal failure, but as a predictable system outcome, and one that can be redesigned.

Together, we discuss:

Why high achievers are especially prone to burnout
How “value-added” thinking applies to your daily life
The difference between intensity and sustainability
Why constraints should be treated as design inputs, not weaknesses
And how to optimize for meaning — not just productivity

Industrial engineering isn’t just about factories and supply chains. It’s a mindset for designing systems that last.

And the most important system you’ll ever design… might be yourself.

Learn more about The Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE)
Problem Solved on LinkedIn
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Problem Solved Executive Producer: Elizabeth Grimes
Interested in contributing to the podcast or sponsoring an episode? Email egrimes@iise.org

Bonus | Upcoming: Problem Solved LIVE at HSPI Feb 10, 2026

Show notes

This week’s episode is a special bonus preview of what’s coming next on Problem Solved.

We’re heading to the Healthcare Systems Process Improvement Conference with Problem Solved LIVE, where we'll have an onsite booth. We'll be capturing real-time insights from attendees, speakers, and leaders across healthcare systems engineering.

Hear what’s coming up at HSPI, how you can get involved, and details about our live interviews and social media giveaway.

If you’re attending HSPI, stop by the Problem Solved LIVE booth and be part of the conversation. If you’re not, follow along as we bring the conference experience directly to you. Follow Problem Solved on Instagram and YouTube now!

📍 Feb 11–13 | Atlanta, GA
🎙️ Problem Solved LIVE

Learn more about The Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE)
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HSPI Keynote Spotlight: Inside Conversations with Dr. Patterson and Lennox Wildman Feb 03, 2026

Show notes

HSPI Keynote Spotlight: Inside conversations with Dr. Patterson and Lennox Wildman"
In this special HSPI Keynote Spotlight episode of Problem Solved, listeners are invited inside conversations with Dr. Emily Patterson and Lennox Wildman, two leaders shaping the future of healthcare systems improvement. The episode explores how technology, workflows, and people come together to drive safer, more effective care. Through practical insights and real-world examples, these thoughtful conversations highlight how industrial and systems engineering principles are being applied to strengthen healthcare delivery and support the professionals who make it possible. Don't miss the full keynotes talks from these professionals at the HSPI Conference sponsored by Society for Health Systems!

Learn more about The Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE)
Problem Solved on LinkedIn
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Problem Solved on Instagram
Problem Solved on TikTok

Problem Solved Executive Producer: Elizabeth Grimes
Interested in contributing to the podcast or sponsoring an episode? Email egrimes@iise.org

The Systems Behind the Ballots: How ISEs are Strengthening Elections with Dr. Natalie Scala Jan 27, 2026

Show notes

Elections are one of the most complex systems we rely on. They're decentralized, human-driven, time-critical, and under constant scrutiny. And while hundreds of decisions are made under the surface, most of us only see the final result.

In this episode of Problem Solved, IISE’s Keith Albertson sits down with Dr. Natalie Scala of Towson University to explore the systems behind the ballot and how industrial and systems engineers are strengthening elections.

From polling places to poll worker support, supply chains and trust in outcomes, Dr. Scala explains how classic ISE tools are being applied to one of the most consequential systems in society all while remaining nonpartisan.

This conversation goes beyond politics and into process, people, and design.

https://www.drnataliescala.com/

Natalie M. Scala, Ph.D., is a professor and professor and cyber fellow in the College of Business and Economics at Towson University and co-director of the Empowering Secure Elections research lab. She is a faculty affiliate at the University of Maryland Applied Research Lab for Intelligence and Security, and has shared her expertise, research and work regarding elections security in conference presentations, articles for ISE Magazine and a Season 1 episode of Problem Solved in 2020.

Learn more about The Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE)
Problem Solved on LinkedIn
Problem Solved on YouTube
Problem Solved on Instagram
Problem Solved on TikTok

Problem Solved Executive Producer: Elizabeth Grimes
Interested in contributing to the podcast or sponsoring an episode? Email egrimes@iise.org

Trailer | The Systems Behind the Ballots: How ISEs are Strengthening Elections Jan 20, 2026

Show notes

In this upcoming episode of Problem Solved, IISE’s Keith Albertson sits down with Dr. Natalie Scala of Towson University to explore the systems behind the ballot and how industrial and systems engineers are strengthening elections.

This conversation goes beyond politics and into process, people, and design.

https://www.drnataliescala.com/

Learn more about The Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE)
Problem Solved on LinkedIn
Problem Solved on YouTube
Problem Solved on Instagram
Problem Solved on TikTok

Problem Solved Executive Producer: Elizabeth Grimes
Interested in contributing to the podcast or sponsoring an episode? Email egrimes@iise.org

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