Graduate student awarded for research in sustainability

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Esther Forson, a Western Michigan University master’s student studying engineering management, is already making an impact with her research pursuits. With the guidance of Dr. Ying Thaviphoke, assistant professor of industrial and entrepreneurial engineering and engineering management, Forson was selected as a winner of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) Society for Engineering and Management Systems (SEMS) Best Student Paper Competition.

The award recognizes student members whose papers represent the highest level of excellence. Forson’s paper is titled “Stakeholder Analysis Using a Problem Structuring Method (PSM) to Enhance Stakeholder Management in Ghana’s Artisanal Mining Problem.”

“My professor, Dr. Thaviphoke, and I submitted this paper for the conference to contribute to the discourse on sustainable mining practices and to share our findings with broader academic and professional communities interested in sustainable development and systems engineering,” says Forson. Their paper explores the dynamics and challenges of Artisanal and Small-scale mining (ASM) in Ghana, captures diverse stakeholder perspectives and promotes sustainable mining practices.

Forson presented her award-winning paper at the IISE Annual Conference held May 18-21 in Montreal, Canada, to discuss its impact and significance to the engineering management field.

“The paper provides a comprehensive analysis of ASM’s complex socio-economic and environmental landscape, offering insights that are crucial for policy-making and sustainable development in mining sectors globally,” explains Forson.

The SEMS Best Student Paper Competition, open to both undergraduate and graduate students, recognizes academic work that aims to improve productivity and quality through effective and economical managerial techniques and philosophies.

Forson hold a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana and has more than 10 years of engineering experience with Orica, one of the world’s leading mining and infrastructure solutions providers. Learn more about SEMS.

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