Join the Office of Graduate Admissions for a "masterclass" where Associate Professor in the Engineering Management & Systems Engineering (EMSE) Department, Erica Gralla, will present, "Using Simulation Modelling to Expand Processing Capacity."

About the Masterclass

During the COVID-19 pandemic, rapid testing was critical to slowing the rapid spread of the disease. However, testing capacity fell far short of the need in the United States and around the world. This talk describes a simulation modeling project that helped managers to scale up testing capacity in one U.S.-based laboratory. Specifically, discrete event simulation models were developed to represent the testing process. Virtual experiments identified key bottlenecks and demonstrated how to expand capacity with limited financial cost. The results spurred managers to switch to a new sample collection medium which enabled safe discarding of collection swabs, thus removing a key bottleneck, the “deswabbing” step, from the testing process and nearly doubling the laboratory’s testing capacity. The results also examine the ability of the laboratory to meet surges and variability in testing demand. This talk will show how a managerial problem was captured in a technical model, and how the results were shared with key managerial decision-makers to impact the laboratory’s critical operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Exclusive benefits for attendees include: 

1. Scholarships worth $1,24,500 for various Master's programs at the George Washington University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences through the $1.9M+ SEED Scholarships Fund.

2. Attendees secure an Application Fee Waiver to apply to various Master's programs at the George Washington University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.