Dr. Robert Bordley, widely renowned for his pioneering work in systems engineering and design, was elected deputy chair of the 132-member INCOSE Corporate Advisory Board, a body that is the “Voice of the Customer” and offers strategic guidance to INCOSE’s technical leadership team. He will serve as a non-voting member of the Board of Directors.
INCOSE is the International Council on Systems Engineering, a not-for-profit membership organization founded to develop and disseminate the transdisciplinary principles and practices that enable the realization of successful systems.
Dr. Bordley, Professor and Program Director, Systems Engineering + Design, Integrative Systems + Design, recently earned the Michigan INCOSE Lifetime Achievement Award.
“Our advisory board contributes a lot to the larger organization,” he said. “It’s about building a field taking an interdisciplinary approach to solving complex problems. It’s about helping companies find qualified systems and engineering people and helping qualified students get fulfilling jobs.”
Deputy chair responsibilities include supporting and shadowing the chair, learning about the needs of the organization and universities involved, and being involved in meetings of the INCOSE Board of Directors.
“To his work, Bob, a Professor of Practice, will bring his understanding of the needs and capabilities of private sector companies, government contractors and universities ,” he said. “He wants INCOSE to be a forum which can help students and mid-career professionals find fulfilling jobs.”
Pride and Joy
INCOSE’s selection was built on the trust and belief in Dr. Bordley’s ability to steer this ship of innovation and learning in the right direction. Under his supervision, the board would work tirelessly to meet the needs of its CAB members and further the cause of education and advances in systems engineering.
Adding another feather to his cap, Dr. Bordley was appointed last year as an assistant director to the Academic Council, a branch of the CAB consisting of representatives from systems engineering educational institutions worldwide. The Academic Council meetings have now become a cornerstone in Dr. Bordley’s responsibilities, with monthly gatherings propelling further discourse in academic and systems engineering innovations.
Dr. Bordley’s tenure as the deputy chair will be a period of two years during which he, along with the other members of the board, would outline and implement strategies that would lay the foundation for the future of INCOSE.
The story will not end here.
After his fulfilling tenure as deputy chair, Dr. Bordley will ascend to the position of chair, joining the elite cadre of decision-making engineering leaders and further guiding the board with his profound knowledge and visionary foresight.
“My vision eventually is of an integrative field with the same level of rigor as other fields of engineering— although with tailored specializations to each of the various engineering specialties.
Honors Galore
Dr. Bordley was recently recognized with several prestigious honors:
- He received the Frank P. Ramsey Medal of Lifetime Achievement in Decision Analysis for his “enviable record of research contributions, many of them directly inspired by his industry experience.” His research includes a focus on incorporating important aspects of the decision environment into the decision analysis toolkit and on expanding the toolkit by developing alternative, theoretically equivalent decision analysis methods.
- He earned the Thomas M. Sawyer, Jr. Teaching Award for 2022-23 by the U-M College of Engineering for his many accomplishments, including creating a new course on developing and verifying requirements, overhauling the existing introductory course on systems engineering, and supporting the development of a third course on systems architecting.
- He was honored by the Engineering Society of Detroit with the ESD Gold Award, which recognizes outstanding accomplishments by an engineer in Southeast Michigan. This award takes more than 80 different disciplines into account in determining the recipient of the award. This is the first time the ESD Gold Award will recognize an integrative field of engineering.
He is also a fellow of both the Institute of Operations Research and Management Science, the American Statistical Association and the Society of Decision Professionals. He has also received major awards from General Motors, including the Chairman’s Award, the President’s Council Award, the UAW-GM Award, the Award of Excellence, etc.
Dr. Bordley continues to focus on bridging divisions within different disciplines and theory and practice with an emphasis on both rigor and relevance.
Finding inspiration in progress and driven by opportunity, Professor Bordley demonstrated his commitment to his field and the community he serves. ISD is proud to have Dr. Bordley as a shining example of dedication, innovation, and leadership. And as the years move ahead, his contribution in carving an impactful future in systems engineering will hold an undeniable impact.
“I was privileged to work with so many outstanding professionals over my career,” he said. “I am thankful and grateful to everyone who has helped me along the way.”