FACULTY PROFILES

Arunkumar R. Pennathur

Director
Industrial Engineering Undergraduate Program

Associate Professor
Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering (IMSE)

Office Building: Engineering Building (Engineering and Sciences Complex)
Office Room: A240
Phone: (915) 747-8652
Email: apennathur@utep.edu

Bio

Dr. Arunkumar Pennathur is Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Industrial Engineering, and the Founding Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Applications and Practices in Engineering Education. He has won more than 3 million dollars in sponsored grants from NIH, NSF, and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, among others. He is the author/co-author of more than 100 technical publications and has presented in work in numerous national and international conferences.

Awards and Honors

Bronze Award - UTEP IIE Student Chapter (01/01/2003-12/31/2003)
2nd Prize Award for Poster - APICS Regional Manufacturing Conference (01/01/2001-12/31/2001)
Best Poster Award - Border Manufacturing Conference (01/01/2001-12/31/2001)
Best Industrial Engineering Senior Design Project Award (01/01/2000-12/31/2000)

Education

Ph D in Industrial Engineering , University of Cincinnati (1999)
MS in Industrial Engineering, Bradley University (1994)
BS in Mechanical Engineering, University of Madras (1991)

Publications

The future of office and administrative support occupations in the era of artificial intelligence: A state of the art review and future research directions International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 104 (2024), Priyadarshini R. Pennathur, Valerie Boksa, Arunkumar Pennathur, Andrew Kusiak, Beth A. Livingston.
Usability of an Active Hand Grip Strength Industrial Exoskeleton: A Heuristic Evaluation Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 68 1 (2024), Alejandra Martinez, Laura Tovar, Carla I. Amparan, Karen Gonzalez, Prajina Edayath, Priyadarshini Pennathur, Arunkumar Pennathur.
Board 127: Work in Progress: Strategizing the Integration of VR and AR in STEM Education: Aligning Educational, Organizational, and Technological Strategies ASEE Conferences (2024), Amirmasoud Momenipour, Priyadarshini Pennathur, Arunkumar Pennathur, Brian Boswell.
Board 129: Preparing Engineering Students for Designing and Managing the Future of Work and Work Systems ASEE Conferences (2024), Priyadarshini Pennathur, Arunkumar Pennathur, Amirmasoud Momenipour.
Evaluating accessibility conformance of state public health agencies' websites during the COVID-19 pandemic International Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics 11 3 (2024), Arunkumar Pennathur, Amirmasoud Momenipour, Brandon Murphy, Priyadarshini Pennathur.
Usability of Back Support, Shoulder Support and Sit-Stand Passive Occupational Exoskeletons: A Heuristic Evaluation of the Designs Elsevier BV (2024), Alejandra Martinez, Laura Tovar, Carla Irigoyen Amparan, Karen Gonzalez, Prajina Edayath, Priyadarshini Pennathur, Arunkumar Pennathur.
Incorporating Research Pedagogies for Teaching Work Systems Design and Measurement IISE Annual Conference & Expo 2024 (in press), Arunkumar Pennathur, Priyadarshini R. Pennathur, Amir Momenipour, Luis R. Contreras Sapien.
Sociotechnical Systems View of Catalysts that Enable Underrepresented Minority Student Success Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 66 1 (2022), Priyadarshini Pennathur, Brissa Quiroz, Ann Bisantz, Louis Everett, Arunkumar Pennathur.
Sociotechnical Systems View of Catalysts that Enable Underrepresented Minority Student Success Human Factors Ergonomics Society Conference (2022), Arunkumar Pennathur, B Quiroz, A Bisantz, Louis J. Everett.
Sociotechnical Systems View of Catalysts that Enable Underrepresented Minority Student Success Human Factors Ergonomics Society Conference (in press), Arunkumar Pennathur, B Quiroz, A Bisantz, Louis J. Everett.
Usability of state public health department websites for communication during a pandemic: A heuristic evaluation International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 86 (2021), Amirmasoud Momenipour, Salvador Rojas-Murillo, Brandon Murphy, Priyadarshini Pennathur, Arunkumar Pennathur.

Presentations

Integrating community engagement models and human-centered design in women’s health organizations: A framework for enhanced service delivery (2025), Volume Chicago, IL, Jessica Sanchez-Balandran, Naomi Fertman, Priyadarshini R. Pennathur, Arunkumar Pennathur.

Grants

No info available.

Current/Future Courses

Term	Course	Section	Syllabus
Spring 2026	IE 5391 - Individual Studies	25480
Spring 2026	IE 4266 - Senior Design	27106	Syllabus
Spring 2026	IE 5398 - Thesis	24409
Spring 2026	IE 5399 - Thesis	25374
Spring 2026	RSRC 4033 - Undergraduate Research	24749

Past Courses

Select Term:

Term	Course	Section	Syllabus
Fall 2025	IE 4266 - Senior Design	18137	Syllabus
Fall 2025	IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr	17861	Syllabus
Fall 2025	RSRC 4033 - Undergraduate Research	14970
Summer 2025	RSRC 4033 - Undergraduate Research	32920
Spring 2025	MFG 5390 - Special Topics	22644	Syllabus
Spring 2025	MFG 5390 - Special Topics	25912	Syllabus
Spring 2025	IE 4395 - Special Topics Industrial Engr	24582	Syllabus
Spring 2025	IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr	24149	Syllabus
Spring 2025	IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr	25909	Syllabus
Spring 2025	RSRC 4033 - Undergraduate Research	25402
Summer 2024	IE 5399 - Thesis	33079
Spring 2024	IE 5391 - Individual Studies	28225
Spring 2024	MFG 5390 - Special Topics	22960	Syllabus
Spring 2024	MFG 5390 - Special Topics	27361	Syllabus
Spring 2024	IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr	24783	Syllabus
Spring 2024	IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr	27356	Syllabus
Spring 2024	SE 5390 - Systems Engr Special Topics	25279	Syllabus
Spring 2024	IE 5398 - Thesis	25939
Spring 2024	IE 5399 - Thesis	28012
Fall 2023	IE 3390 - Oper Research I: Deter Models	13981	Syllabus
Fall 2023	IE 4395 - Special Topics Industrial Engr	17051	Syllabus
Fall 2023	IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr	13856	Syllabus
Fall 2023	SE 5390 - Systems Engr Special Topics	14415	Syllabus
Fall 2023	IE 5398 - Thesis	15835
Summer 2023	RSRC 4033 - Undergraduate Research	36186
Spring 2023	MFG 5390 - Special Topics	27054	Syllabus
Spring 2023	IE 4395 - Special Topics Industrial Engr	27053
Spring 2023	IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr	27052	Syllabus
Spring 2023	SE 5390 - Systems Engr Special Topics	27055	Syllabus

Course Evaluations

Term	Course	Section	Evaluation
Fall 2025	IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr	17861	Evaluation
Spring 2025	MFG 5390 - Special Topics	22644	Evaluation
Spring 2025	MFG 5390 - Special Topics	25912	Evaluation
Spring 2025	IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr	24149	Evaluation
Spring 2025	IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr	25909	Evaluation
Spring 2024	IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr	24783	Evaluation
Spring 2024	IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr	27356	Evaluation
Fall 2023	IE 3390 - Oper Research I: Deter Models	13981	Evaluation
Spring 2023	MFG 5390 - Special Topics	27054	Evaluation
Spring 2023	IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr	27052	Evaluation

Bio

Awards and Honors

Bronze Award - UTEP IIE Student Chapter (01/01/2003-12/31/2003)
2nd Prize Award for Poster - APICS Regional Manufacturing Conference (01/01/2001-12/31/2001)
Best Poster Award - Border Manufacturing Conference (01/01/2001-12/31/2001)
Best Industrial Engineering Senior Design Project Award (01/01/2000-12/31/2000)

Ph D in Industrial Engineering , University of Cincinnati (1999)
MS in Industrial Engineering, Bradley University (1994)
BS in Mechanical Engineering, University of Madras (1991)

Publications

The future of office and administrative support occupations in the era of artificial intelligence: A state of the art review and future research directions International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 104 (2024), Priyadarshini R. Pennathur, Valerie Boksa, Arunkumar Pennathur, Andrew Kusiak, Beth A. Livingston.
Usability of an Active Hand Grip Strength Industrial Exoskeleton: A Heuristic Evaluation Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 68 1 (2024), Alejandra Martinez, Laura Tovar, Carla I. Amparan, Karen Gonzalez, Prajina Edayath, Priyadarshini Pennathur, Arunkumar Pennathur.
Board 127: Work in Progress: Strategizing the Integration of VR and AR in STEM Education: Aligning Educational, Organizational, and Technological Strategies ASEE Conferences (2024), Amirmasoud Momenipour, Priyadarshini Pennathur, Arunkumar Pennathur, Brian Boswell.
Board 129: Preparing Engineering Students for Designing and Managing the Future of Work and Work Systems ASEE Conferences (2024), Priyadarshini Pennathur, Arunkumar Pennathur, Amirmasoud Momenipour.
Evaluating accessibility conformance of state public health agencies' websites during the COVID-19 pandemic International Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics 11 3 (2024), Arunkumar Pennathur, Amirmasoud Momenipour, Brandon Murphy, Priyadarshini Pennathur.

Presentations

Integrating community engagement models and human-centered design in women’s health organizations: A framework for enhanced service delivery (2025), Volume Chicago, IL, Jessica Sanchez-Balandran, Naomi Fertman, Priyadarshini R. Pennathur, Arunkumar Pennathur.

No info available.

Current/Future Courses

Term

Spring 2026

Course

IE 5391 - Individual Studies

Section

25480

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2026

Course

IE 4266 - Senior Design

Section

27106

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2026

Course

IE 5398 - Thesis

Section

24409

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2026

Course

IE 5399 - Thesis

Section

25374

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2026

Course

RSRC 4033 - Undergraduate Research

Section

24749

Syllabus

Past Courses

Select Term:

Term

Fall 2025

Course

IE 4266 - Senior Design

Section

18137

Syllabus

Term

Fall 2025

Course

IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr

Section

17861

Syllabus

Term

Fall 2025

Course

RSRC 4033 - Undergraduate Research

Section

14970

Syllabus

Term

Summer 2025

Course

RSRC 4033 - Undergraduate Research

Section

32920

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2025

Course

MFG 5390 - Special Topics

Section

22644

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2025

Course

MFG 5390 - Special Topics

Section

25912

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2025

Course

IE 4395 - Special Topics Industrial Engr

Section

24582

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2025

Course

IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr

Section

24149

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2025

Course

IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr

Section

25909

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2025

Course

RSRC 4033 - Undergraduate Research

Section

25402

Syllabus

Term

Summer 2024

Course

IE 5399 - Thesis

Section

33079

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2024

Course

IE 5391 - Individual Studies

Section

28225

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2024

Course

MFG 5390 - Special Topics

Section

22960

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2024

Course

MFG 5390 - Special Topics

Section

27361

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2024

Course

IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr

Section

24783

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2024

Course

IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr

Section

27356

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2024

Course

SE 5390 - Systems Engr Special Topics

Section

25279

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2024

Course

IE 5398 - Thesis

Section

25939

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2024

Course

IE 5399 - Thesis

Section

28012

Syllabus

Term

Fall 2023

Course

IE 3390 - Oper Research I: Deter Models

Section

13981

Syllabus

Term

Fall 2023

Course

IE 4395 - Special Topics Industrial Engr

Section

17051

Syllabus

Term

Fall 2023

Course

IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr

Section

13856

Syllabus

Term

Fall 2023

Course

SE 5390 - Systems Engr Special Topics

Section

14415

Syllabus

Term

Fall 2023

Course

IE 5398 - Thesis

Section

15835

Syllabus

Term

Summer 2023

Course

RSRC 4033 - Undergraduate Research

Section

36186

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2023

Course

MFG 5390 - Special Topics

Section

27054

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2023

Course

IE 4395 - Special Topics Industrial Engr

Section

27053

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2023

Course

IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr

Section

27052

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2023

Course

SE 5390 - Systems Engr Special Topics

Section

27055

Syllabus

Term

Fall 2025

Course

IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr

Section

17861

Evaluation

Term

Spring 2025

Course

MFG 5390 - Special Topics

Section

22644

Evaluation

Term

Spring 2025

Course

MFG 5390 - Special Topics

Section

25912

Evaluation

Term

Spring 2025

Course

IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr

Section

24149

Evaluation

Term

Spring 2025

Course

IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr

Section

25909

Evaluation

Term

Spring 2024

Course

IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr

Section

24783

Evaluation

Term

Spring 2024

Course

IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr

Section

27356

Evaluation

Term

Fall 2023

Course

IE 3390 - Oper Research I: Deter Models

Section

13981

Evaluation

Term

Spring 2023

Course

MFG 5390 - Special Topics

Section

27054

Evaluation

Term

Spring 2023

Course

IE 5390 - Special Topics Industrial Engr

Section

27052

Evaluation

Arunkumar R. Pennathur

Bio

Education

Scholarly and Creative Activity

Grants

Courses

Course Evaluations