Sinan Onal
Project: A Cross-IIN Faculty Development Initiative on AI-Enhanced, Competency-Based Teaching
Research Interests:
- Academic research
- Engineering education
- GenAI in engineering
- Student and workforce development
- industry–academia collaboration
Sinan Onal, Ph.D., is a Professor and Chair in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE). His work focuses on how AI and machine learning can be designed and deployed as part of real operational systems, with an emphasis on reliability, accountability, and measurable outcomes. His research interests include human-centered AI in healthcare operations and data-driven decision support for early identification and follow-up pathways. A key application area in his group is gait-based analysis (iGAIT) as a scalable signal to support earlier screening and referral workflows, especially when stakeholders extend beyond the clinic to include families, schools, payers, and public agencies. He also works on AI-enabled quality and inspection systems, applying computer vision and statistical learning to improve process performance and product quality in industrial settings.
Dr. Onal has been active in the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE), serving as President of the Data Analytics & Information Systems (DAIS) Division, as a Board Director, and as Chairperson for DAIS-related activities at the IISE Annual Conference. His recognitions include the SIUE Teaching Excellence Award, the SIU System Collaboration Award, the SIU Faculty Collaborations Award, the Hoppe Research Professor Award, Outstanding IE Teaching Awards, the IISE Energy Systems Division Best Paper Award, an invited speaker role for the Service-Learning Workshop at Arizona State University, and selection for the Frontiers of Engineering Education Symposium at the National Academies’ Beckman Center.