Michael Kwinn

Professor of Practice for Systems and Industrial Engineering
Director of Engineering Management
Member of the Graduate Faculty

Mike Kwinn is a professor of practice and the director of the engineering management program in the Department of Systems and Industrial Engineering at the University of Arizona. Before this position, Mike worked in various capacities at Raytheon Technologies in Tucson, Arizona and for over 30 years prior to that, Mike worked for the Army both as a civilian and as an active duty officer attaining the rank of lieutenant colonel. For over half that time, Mike was on the faculty in the Department of Systems Engineering at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point attaining the rank of professor of systems engineering. He has conducted research for a plethora of different agencies such as the Office of the Secretary of Defense, U.S. Army Acquisition, the Department of Homeland Security and other joint and combined military commands. He has deployed numerous times to Iraq and Afghanistan to lead research teams to support combat operations in those theaters. He holds a BS in general engineering from the U.S. Military Academy, an MS from the University of Arizona, an MA in national security affairs from the Naval War College and a PhD in management science from the University of Texas at Austin. He is a fellow of the Military Operations Research Society (MORS), life member of Phi Kappa Phi and a member of the American Society of Engineering Management (ASEM) and INCOSE.

Degrees

  • PhD Management Science
    • University of Texas at Austin
  • MA National Security Affairs
    • Naval War College
  • MS Systems Engineering
    • University of Arizona
  • BS General Engineering
    • United States Military Academy at West Point

Interests

Research

Strategic Management, systems thinking, business process improvement

Teaching

Engineering Management studies and methods, Probability and Statistics, optimization, decision analysis

Awards

  • 2013  Hollis Award, Best Capstone project at US Military Academy 
  • 2012  Fellow of the Society, Military Operations Research Society (MORS)
  • 2009  Second Place, MORS RIST Prize
  • 2008  Best Paper, Spring Simulation Multiconference
  • 2004  Best Paper, 72nd MORS Symposium best working group paper
  • 2004  Delegate, U.S. – South Korean Defense Analysis Seminar XII, Seoul, South Korea.  
  • 2003  Best Paper regional winner and national nominee, American Society for Engineering Education
  • 2003  Delegate, U.S.-German Operations Research and Simulation Symposium
  • 2001  Delegate, U.S.-Canadian Operations Research and Simulation Symposium
  • 2001  Finalist RIST prize, Military Operations Research Society (MORS)
  • 1999 Inducted into Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
Service
  • President, Friends4Michael Foundation
  • Board Member, Make-a-Wish of the Hudson Valley 
  • Panel Member, Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (2013-present)
  • MENSA Member, 2020-present
  • Fellow of the Society and Past President, Military Operations Research Society (MORS) 
  • Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society (Life member) and Chapter President
  • Army Science Board, Military Advisor, Modeling and Simulation Panel, 2004 and Panel group member, Logistics Panel, 2003.
  • American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), member 1999-present
  • Air Defense Artillery Association (Life member)