Northern Illinois University
College of Engineering and Engineering Technology

Education

• B.E. in mechanical engineering, PSG College of Technology, India (1996)
• M.S in industrial engineering, Northern Illinois University (1998)
• Ph.D. in industrial and systems engineering, State University of New York at Binghamton (2009)

Research Interests

• Heuristic optimization
• Logistics
• Facilities planning
• Work measurement
• Project management
• Simulation

Selected Projects

• Patients discharge process optimization, funded by Edward Elmhurst hospitals 
• Case-Based eLearning for Six Sigma, funded by Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center
• Analyzing K-Series Wheel Loader Assembly Lines, funded by Caterpillar Inc.
• Analyzing process flow for an HVAC, plumbing and sprinkler system design company, funded by RTM & Associates
• Optimizing process flow for an intelligent assembly division that designs and assembles ultrasonic and laser welding machines, funded by DuKane Precast Inc.

Awards and Honors

• David W. Raymond Grant for the Use of Technology in Teaching, Northern Illinois University, 2020.
• Vice President of the College Industry Council for Material Handling Education (CICMHE), 2020
• Wilma D. Stricklin award for exemplary leadership/service to improve campus climate for women, Northern Illinois University, 2019.
• Top 10 finalist of the global award - Airbus GEDC Diversity Award for engineering education, 2018.
• Faculty of the year award for excellence in undergraduate education, College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, Northern Illinois University, 2016.
• Excellence in Innovation award, Northern Illinois University, 2015.

Professional Associations

• Member - Alpha Pi Mu, Industrial Engineering Honor Society
• Member - Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE)
• Member - Society of Women Engineers (SWE)

Selected Publications

• Mohammadi, M., Koli, V., Gentili, M^., and Muthuswamy, S. 2020, "An Optimization Framework to Determine an Optimal Local Sharing Variance for Organ Allocation," Operations Research for Health Care, Vol. 24, 100242.
• Rojas-Santiago, M., Muthuswamy, S., Hulett, M., 2020, "An ACO Algorithm for Scheduling a Flow Shop with Setup Times" International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering, DOI:1504/IJISE.2020.10023650.
• Rojas-Santiago, M., Muthuswamy, S., Damodaran, P., and Velez-Gallego, M.C. 2017, "Scheduling Batch Processing Machines in a No-Wait Flow Shop Using ACO to Minimize the Makespan, "International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering, 27(3), 390 - 411.
• Kanaganayagam, K., Muthuswamy, S., and Damodaran, P. 2015, "Lean methodologies to improve assembly line efficiencies: An industrial application, "International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Vol. 20(1) 104 - 116.
• Maya, J., Muthuswamy, S., Velez-Gallego, M.C., and Santiago, M.R. 2014, "Minimizing makespan in a no-wait flow shop with two batch processing machines: A GRASP Algorithm," International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Vol. 17(2), 152 - 169.
• Santiago, M.R., Damodaran, P., Muthuswamy, S., and Velez-Gallego, M.C. 2013, "Makespan minimization in a job shop with a BPM using simulated annealing, "International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Vol. 68(9-12), 2383-2391.

Conferences

• Rojas-Santiago, M., Muthuswamy, S., and Hulett, M., "Scheduling a HFS with Identical Machines and Setup Times," Proceedings of the 2020 Industrial and Systems Engineering Research Conference, New Orleans, LA, November 2020.
• Rojas-Santiago, M., Muthuswamy, S., Hulett, M., and Velez-Gallego, M.C., "An approach for printing the maximum possible number of images," Proceedings of the 2017 Industrial and Systems Engineering Research Conference, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, May 2017.
• Rojas-Santiago, M., Hulett, M., Muthuswamy, S., and Damodaran. P., "Scheduling a Flow Shop with Setup Times in a Food Processing Industry." Proceedings of the 2016 Industrial and Systems Engineering Research Conference, Anaheim, California, May 2016.
• Rojas-Santiago, M., Hulett, M., Muthuswamy, S., and Niebles, F., "An Approach for Scheduling a Bi-Objective Flexible Flowshop," Proceedings of the 2015 Industrial and Systems Engineering Research Conference, Nashville, Tennessee, May 2015.
• Rojas-Santiago, M., Muthuswamy, S., Velez-Gallego, M.C., and Montoya-Torres, J., "Combining LR and 2-opt for scheduling a single machine subject to job ready times and sequence dependent setup times," Proceedings of the 2014 Industrial and Systems Engineering Research Conference, Montreal, Cananda, May 2014.

Work Experience

• Department of Technology, NIU (2010-present)
• i2 Technologies Inc. (2000-2002)
• Sabre Inc. (1998-2000)