Industrial Engineering and Operations Research

Industry 4.0, or the Fourth Industrial Revolution, describes the ongoing trend of using advanced
digital technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things
(IoT), to create smart, connected, and autonomous factories and industrial processes. This
revolution aims to achieve highly efficient and flexible production by enabling machines to
self-monitor, diagnose, and optimize operations through real-time data analysis and
human-machine collaboration.
Oregon has a relatively high level of manufacturing per capita compared to other states in the
US. According to the latest Oregon Business Plan, Oregon’s major industries include NATURAL
RESOURCES (Agriculture, Food Processing, Forestry and Wood Products, etc), TECH
DEVELOPMENT & MANUFACTURING (computers, semiconductors, electronic instruments,
software, clean energy, and aviation), and TEXTILES, WEARABLES, & APPAREL.
To a greater or lesser degree, all organizations in these regional industries are currently
undergoing a transition to Industry 4.0. Our degree program aims to provide students with the
broad set of skills required to provide value to these organizations in transition.

Willamette College