Welcome to the GEN Keith Memorial Capstone Conference Site

Hello from the Department of Systems Engineering (DSE) at West Point!

   The 2023 General Donald R. Keith Memorial Capstone Conference (GDRKMCC-23) provided a forum for undergraduate students of systems engineering and related disciplines to present their capstone work to professionals, scholars, clients, and fellow students from other colleges and universities. The conference included 63 presentations from Cadets from the United States Military Academy and United States Air Force Academy, Midshipmen from the United States Naval Academy, and students from George Mason University and SUNY Binghamton University. This year’s conference showed that we have, and are developing, some of the most consequential thinkers in the Army, and in the world.  DSE is continually involved in solving difficult problems, and the capstone conference provided an opportunity for our faculty and cadets to showcase their important research in support of that effort. 

   This conference served as a Regional Conference of the Society for Industrial and Systems Engineering (SISE) who published the conference proceedings containing 57 conference papers (Proceedings of the 2023 GDRKMCC). This is the 9th year SISE members have served as judges at the capstone conference and published conference proceedings.

    Every team that participated did a tremendous job in preparing their presentations and engaging during the question and answer sessions. We are proud to share the winners of each track presentations, track papers, and the SISE best paper awards with you below.

2024 Capstone Conference

    The 2024 General Donald R. Keith Memorial Capstone Conference will be held in person at the United States Military Academy on 2 May 2024. This is a regional conference of the Society for Industrial and Systems Engineering (SISE), which published the Proceedings of the 2023 General Donald R. Keith Memorial Capstone Conference. Top papers will be published in the Society's scholarly journal, the Industrial and Systems Engineering Review. Details for the 2024 Capstone Conference will be posted in the 2024 Fall academic semester.

Projected 2024 Conference Deadlines

  • Papers due:                                     22 March 2024
  • Reviews back to authors:        5 April 2024
  • Registration deadline:               19 April 2024
  • Final papers due:                          19 April 2024
  • Capstone Conference:                2 May 2024

    We welcome papers that describe the authors' work in a senior capstone project in the fields of systems or industrial engineering, engineering management, systems and decision sciences, data science, or operations research, with special emphasis on novel approaches, new discoveries, and innovative applications. Authors with accepted papers will present in one of the following tracks: Decision Analysis, Modeling and Simulation, Modeling and Simulation for Defense Applications, Process Modeling and Analysis, Project and Engineering Management, Systems Design, Systems Design for Defense Applications, General Engineering, and Honors (designated for individual student honors thesis research). Each conference track will include a panel of professional judges to select the best-in-track papers and presentations.

2023 Conference Awardees

2023 General Donald R. Keith Memorial Capstone Conference Awardees

 

Decision Analysis Track

Best Presentation

Risk Evaluation for Command Operating Networks (RECON) for US Army Special Operations

Natalya Milian, Jonathan Parent, Joshua Thombleson, Ashley Ulricson, Tyler Vratny, Adah Spain, and Julia Coxen

United States Military Academy

Best Paper

An Analytic Framework for Assessing Artificial Intelligence and Assistive Automation Enabled Command and Control Decision Aids for Mission Effectiveness

Thomas Mitchell, Noah Sheffield, Darius Richardson, Benjamin Jensen, Emily Nack, Iain Cruickshank, Robert Thomson, and Nathaniel Bastian

United States Military Academy

General Engineering Track

Best Presentation

Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) a Ghost Robotics Vision 60 Q-UGV for Future Power Systems and Emerging Military Requirements

Hunter Hughes, Cameryn McKinnell, Tory Bartlett, Leslie Cunamay, Justin Harmon, Micah Treptau, Chad Tossell, and James Walliser

United States Air Force Academy

Best Paper

Improving Infrastructure Budget Allocation with Lean Six Sigma

Justin Evenson, Christian Rieger, Cole Truex, Liam Wilderoter, and Nathan Hedgecock

United States Military Academy

Honors Track

Best Presentation

Assessing Risk with Cadet Candidates and USMA Admissions

Daniel Lee, Andrew Lee, Eric Reder, and Anna Tucker 

United States Military Academy

Best Paper

Feeding the Needy through Feedback – A Systems Dynamics Analysis of New Jersey’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

Natalya Milian, Matthew Dabkowski, Jonathan Mellon

United States Military Academy

Modeling and Simulation Track

Best Presentation

Design of a Climate Related Financial Risk Tool

Joseph Privitera, Ovidio Castillo, Mikeal Lockard

George Mason University

Best Paper

Optimizing Undergraduate Pilot Training 2.5 at Vance Air Force Base

Allie Dyer, Laurel Klawes, Skyler Royse, Keane Singleton, John Miller, and Colby Shufeldt

United States Air Force Academy

Modeling and Simulation for Defense Applications Track

Best Presentation and Paper

Measuring the Reach and Impact of Information Warfare

Eda Hopkins, Jemel Jones, Joshua Mettling, Spencer Weisgram, Oliver Wood, and David Beskow

United States Military Academy

Project and Engineering Management Track

Best Presentation

Lean Six Sigma: AN/ASM-146 Electronic Shelter Vans, Tobyhanna

Brett Abdelnour, Andrew Dent, James Fenn, Colin Gray, Nathaniel Smith, and Jeremy Schlegel

United States Military Academy

Best Paper

An Assessment of Vehicle Electrification within the United States Army

Paul Budoff, Gregory Langone, Benjamin West, Noah Lozano, Kyle Kass, Jake Lueders, Frederick Davidson, and Bret Vanpoppel

United States Military Academy

Process Modeling and Analysis Track

Best Presentation and Paper

Effectively Using Lean Six Sigma and the DMAIC Methodology for Process/System Improvement for Tobyhanna’s Small Component Paint Branch

Adam Bazan, Noah Wilson, Spencer Knudsen, Joseph Stillings, Stephen Grabher, and James Enos

United States Military Academy

Systems Design Track

Best Presentation

Design of a Portable and Renewable EV Battery Charing System

Michael Riggi, Amir Abrari, Nancy Reyes, and Jojo Taylor

George Mason University

Best Paper

Reinforcement Learning in Cyber Wargaming Defense 

D’Andre Tobias, Joseph Chedzoy, Joseph Miller, Max Hwang, and Trent Geisler

United States Military Academy

Systems Design for Defense Applications Track

Best Presentation

Improving Candidate Selection using a Combination Model: A Special Operations Aviation US Army Case Study 

Peyton Hampton, Ryan Jackovic, Benjamin Lopez, Natalie Rhine, Reed Chandler, and Isabella Sanders

United States Military Academy

Best Paper

Evaluating Different Power Solutions for Medium Caliber, Counter-Drone Rounds 

Ryan Aguilar, John Carpenter, Christopher Mann, Andrew Woodman and Vikram Mittal

United States Military Academy

The Hollis Award

Best Presentation and Paper

Strategic Competition and Crisis Wargame: Integrating a Dynamic Reputation Model to Enhance the Strategic Competition and Crisis Wargame for the Center for Army Analysis

Mary Bell, Luke Braun, Thomas Lake, Chaney Lieberman, Ruganzu Mulisa, William Schreck, Matthew McClary, and Rich Morales

United States Military Academy

SISE Best Paper

Detecting Global Events with Bayesian Changepoint Detection on Flight Data

Alec Jacobs and Ian Kloo

United States Military Academy

SISE Second Best Paper

Strategic Competition and Crisis Wargame: Integrating a Dynamic Reputation Model to Enhance Strategic Competition and Crisis Wargame for the Center for Army Analysis

Mary Bell, Luke Braun, Thomas Lake, Chaney Lieberman, Ruganzu Mulisa, William Schreck, Matthew McClary, and Ricardo Morales

United States Military Academy

SISE Third Best Paper

A Predictive Decision Analysis Tool for Risk Informed, Capital Investment Planning within the Department of Veterans Affairs

Henry Carroll, Peter Digenan, Scharl du Toit, Nathan Jose, Brook Mitchell, and James Schreiner

United States Military Academy

Conference Subject Area Presentation Schedule

Conference tracks (subject area). 

Decision Analysis (DA)

  • Projects that evaluate complex non-repetitive decision opportunities by examining values, uncertain variables, preferences, and alternatives

Modeling and Simulation (MS): 

  • Modeling methods and applications for representing static or dynamic characteristics of systems in order to support effective systems design or improvement.

Modeling and Simulation for Defense Applications (MSDA): 

  • Modeling methods and applications for representing static or dynamic characteristics of systems in order to support effective systems design or improvement, specifically for military applications.

Process Modeling and Analysis (PMA): 

  • Projects that use methods and applications addressing the modeling of partially ordered activities to achieve a goal for systems existing in the real world (process analysis) or not (processing engineering), to support effective design or systems improvement.

Project and Engineering Management (PEM): 

  • Applications of engineering principles to operations, project management, and business practice. Presentations include engineering surrounding product development, manufacturing, construction design engineering, industrial engineering, technology, production, or any other field that employs personnel who perform an engineering function.

Systems Design (SD): 

  • Projects from engineering and problem solving that feature significant levels of systems design. This includes notable examples of requirements specification, functional analysis, systems architecture, model-based systems engineering, or the use of modeling and simulation in the design process.

Systems Design for Defense Applications (SDDA): 

  • Defense-related projects that feature significant levels of systems design. This includes notable examples of requirements specification, functional analysis, systems architecture, model-based systems engineering, or the use of modeling and simulation in the design process.

General Engineering (GE): 

  • Projects that apply general engineering principles and processes to meeting operational needs and solving problems. Emphasis is on correctly defining requirements and then applying engineering principles to solve them.

Honors (H): 

  • Research performed in the pursuit of an honors degree at the United States Military Academy. This includes a presentation by a single cadet as well as review of an honors thesis.

Hollis Award: 

  • Presenters in this track will compete for the coveted Hollis Award for excellence in Operations Research. All submitted papers will be evaluated for the opportunity to compete for the Hollis Award.

Conference Papers by Study Area

This is a regional conference of the Society for Industrial and Systems Engineering.  Papers and abstracts are published in the conference proceedings at the link below:

About the Conference

 

The General Donald R. Keith Memorial Capstone Conference (GDRKMCC-23) is a forum for undergraduate students of systems engineering and related disciplines to present their capstone work to professionals, scholars, clients, and fellow students from other colleges and universities. The conference invites and attracts undergraduates to compete for conference presentation awards along with cadets from the Department of Systems Engineering at the United States Military Academy. This is a regional conference of the Society for Industrial and Systems Engineering (SISE), which publishes the conference proceedings. Top papers are also published in the Society's scholarly journal, the Industrial and Systems Engineering Review.

 

Conference Point of Contact

Colonel Brandon Thompson

brandon.thompson@westpoint.edu