This three year REU site program at the University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez (UPRM) provides research experiences for undergraduate students focused in the area of industrial and systems engineering. Students from US universities are expected to participate in a six-week summer program over summer. Students from the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez participate in a fifteen week program during the academic year.

This REU site takes advantage of the unique location of Puerto Rico with a distinct Hispanic Caribbean culture and a highly industrialized manufacturing environment to expose the participants to some of the challenges of working in a global economy. The group of planned research, cultural and professional activities is aimed at providing students with an opportunity for developing culturally sensitive management skills most needed to excel in today's business world. Students will work on inter-cultural work teams on research problems that require a more profound understanding of society and the environment as a complex system. Students will learn to use IE analytical techniques in non-traditional and non-structured very complex societal problems, service-delivery systems, manufacturing facilities and complex mathematical modeling.

In addition to the hands-on research experience, the students will participate in the following educational activities: