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Industrial Engineering: University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering

Faculty Mary E. Besterfield-Sacre - Associate Professor

  • Education: Ph.D. (Industrial Engineering): University of Pittsburgh
  • Areas of Expertise: Total Quality Management, Statistical Process Control, Engineering Management, Engineering Education Assessment/Evaluation Methodologies
Mary E. Besterfield-Sacre

Dr. Sacre joined the department in 1999. She received her B.S. in Engineering Management from the University of Missouri - Rolla, her M.S. in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University, and a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Sacre was an assistant professor at the University of Texas - El Paso, and has worked as an Industrial Engineer with ALCOA and with the U.S. Army Human Engineering Laboratory. Dr. Sacre's teaching interests are in the area of Human Factors Engineering, Decision Modeling, Statistics, and Total Quality Management. She is a co-author of the book Total Quality Management, 3rd Edition (Prentice Hall, 2003).

Her principal research interests are in empirical and cost modeling applications for quality improvement in manufacturing and service organizations, and in engineering education evaluation methodologies. In the area of assessment and evaluation, Mary has written numerous conference and journal papers and has given many workshops and presentations. Her research in this area is being funded by the Engineering Information Foundation, the National Science Foundation, Sloan Foundation, the National Collegiate and Innovators Alliance, and the Department of Education.

Dr. Sacre is an active member of ASEE, APICS, IIE, HFES, and Informs. She is the faculty advisor for the University of Pittsburgh Alpha Pi Mu Honor Society and is the new co-advisor for the Student Chapter of IIE.

Recent Publications

  • Golish, B., M. Besterfield-Sacre, L. Shuman, "Comparing the Innovation Processes in Academic and Corporate Settings," in press Journal of Product Innovation Management, 25 (1), 2008, pp. 47-62.
  • Besterfield-Sacre, M, and LJ Shuman, "The Future of Assessment," Spurlin, J., Rajala, S., & Lavelle, J., editors (2008) in Designing Better Engineering Education Through Assessment: A Practical Resource for Faculty and Department Chairs on Using Assessment and ABET Criteria to Improve Student Learning. Sterling, Va: Stylus Publishing.
  • Besterfield-Sacre, M., L.J. Shuman, H. Wolfe, R.M. Clark, and T.P. Yildirim, "Development of a Work Sampling Methodology for behavioral Observations: Application to Teamwork," Journal of Engineering Education, 96(4), 2007, pp. 335-346.
  • Resnick, L.R, M. Besterfield-Sacre, M.M. Mehalik, J.Z. Sherer, and E.R. Halverson, "A Framework for Effective Management of School System Performance", P.A. Moss, editor (2007), in National Society for the Study of Education (NSSE) Yearbook on Evidence and Decision Making, 106 (1), 2007, pp. 155-185.
  • Murphy, T.J., R.L. Shehab, T. Reed-Rhoads, C.E. Foor, B.J. Harris, B.J., D.A. Trytten, S.E. Walden, M. Besterfield-Sacre, M.S. Hallbeck, and W.C. Moor, "Achieving Parity of the Sexes at the Undergraduate Level: A Study of Success," Journal of Engineering Education, 96(3), 2007, pp. 241-252.
  • Nicholls, G. M., H. Wolfe, M. Besterfield-Sacre, L. J. Shuman, & S. Larpkiattaworn, "A Method for Identifying Variables for STEM Intervention", Journal of Engineering Education, 96(1), 2007, pp. 33-44.
  • Shuman, L.J., M. Besterfield-Sacre, and J. McGourty, "The ABET 'Professional Skills' - Can they be Taught? Can they be Assessed?", Journal of Engineering Education, 94(1), 2005, pp. 41 - 55.
  • Besterfield-Sacre, M., J. Gerchak, M. Lyons, L.J. Shuman, and H. Wolfe, "Scoring Concept Maps: Development of an Integrated Rubric for Assessing Engineering Education," accepted for publication for the April 2004 issue of the Journal of Engineering Education (manuscript number JEE-2003-3135).
  • Shuman, L.J., M. Besterfield-Sacre, and J. McGourty, "The ABET 'Professional Skills'--Can they be Taught? Can they be Assessed?", Journal of Engineering Education, 94(1), 2005, pp. 41-55.
  • Shuman, L.J., M.E. Besterfield-Sacre, and B.M. Olds, "Ethics Assessment Rubrics," to be published in the Mitcham, C., L. Arnhart, D. Johnson, and R. Spiers, editors, the Encyclopedia of Science, Technology, and Ethics, Macmilliam, Spring 2005
  • Larpkiattaworn, S., O. Muogboh, M. Besterfield-Sacre, L. J. Shuman, and H. Wolfe, "Special Considerations When Using Statistical Analysis In Engineering Education Assessment And Evaluation," Journal of Engineering Education, 92(3), July 2003, pp. 207-216.
  • Hoare, R., M.E. Besterfield-Sacre, L.J. Shuman, R. Shields, J. Gerchak, D. Eartman, and T. Johnson "Cross-Institutional Assessment: Development and Implementation of the On-Line Student Survey System," Computer Applications in Engineering Education, 10(2), September 2002, pp. 88-97.
  • Besterfield-Sacre, M.E., L.J. Shuman, and H. Wolfe, "Modeling Undergraduate Engineering Outcomes," International Journal of Engineering Education, 18(2), March/April 2002, pp. 128-139.
  • McGourty, J.M., L.J. Shuman, M. Besterfield-Sacre, C.J. Atman, R. Miller, B. Olds, G. Rogers, and H. Wolfe, "Preparing for ABET EC 2000: Research-Based Assessment Methods and Processes," International Journal of Engineering Education, 18(2), March/April 2002, pp. 157-167.
  • Besterfield-Sacre, M.E., M. Moreno, L.J. Shuman, and C.J. Atman, "Gender and Ethnicity Differences in Freshmen Engineering Student Attitudes: A Cross-Institutional Study," Journal of Engineering Education, 90(4), October 2001, pp. 477 - 489.
  • Besterfield-Sacre, M.E., L.J. Shuman, H. Wolfe, C.J. Atman, J. McGourty, R.L. Miller, B.M. Olds, and G.M. Rogers, "Defining the Outcomes: A Framework for EC 2000," IEEE Transactions on Engineering Education, 43(2), April 2000, pp. 100-110.
  • Besterfield-Sacre, ME, Atman, CJ, and Shuman, LJ, "Engineering Student Attitudes Assessment," Journal of Engineering Education, 87(2), April 1998, pp. 133-141.
  • Besterfield-Sacre, M.E., C.J. Atman and L.J. Shuman, "Characteristics of Freshman Engineering Students: Models for Determining Student Attrition and Success in Engineering," Journal of Engineering Education, 86(2), April 1997, pp. 139-149.

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