Cohort 26 Presents at the Fall 2017 QUEST Conference

Posted on by

Cohort 26 presented for the last time as QUEST students on December 7, 2017 at the QUEST Conference. The students led the audience through their 490H presentations that showed the culmination of all their hard work and talent. Parents, friends, QUEST alumni, and corporate partners all came to support the 490H students as they showcased a semester’s worth of work on their capstone projects.

The event started with an hour of flavorful hors d’oeuvres accompanied by great conversation. During this time, guests were invited to walk around and peruse all of the great posters. Old cohorts got to reunite while the newest cohorts got a taste of what is to come. Then, everyone was directed into two rooms where for the next hour great, thoughtful presentations were carried out. From nBD’s work with Becton Dickinson on “Designing an Imaging Device for Microbiological Automation” to Call Sign SkyLine’s work for Leidos on “Optimizing Training for International SkyLine Product Area,” the variety of projects was immense. It was clear that Q26 managed to process a lot of data and was able to produce great solutions worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Cohort 26

Being a member of Cohort 29 and only just finishing 190H, it was a great glimpse into the future. To get to envision myself and fellow peers presenting at the high level that we got to observe is very exciting. These projects are clearly high stakes with companies like Orbital ATK providing a million dollar budget, and BD expecting to make an additional 3.6 million dollars in revenue thanks to their QUEST team. I know that it seems intimidating now, but I also know that QUEST will continue to train and prepare us for our turn in 490H.

The final presentation to round out the night was the one to win the Most Outstanding Capstone Award. The Caterpillar Effect not only performed to the highest level but also achieved the Best Poster Award. The group members are Rohan Bajaj, Chloe Berman, Alyssa Hu, Sam Lewando, and Julia Lomakina, and they spoke about their work “Improving the User Experience of Authentication.”

The QUEST community had a blast celebrating Cohort 26’s accomplishments through their QUEST journeys. Students of Cohorts 27, 28, 29 and 30 admire the work Cohort 26 put into QUEST and hope to carry on the success as we each have a go at the 490H experience. Congrats on a successful night Q26, you made it!

Spirit of Maryland Award goes to QUEST’s own Cece Ukejianya!

Posted on by

Cece Ukejianya (Q26)

 

One thing is certain about Maryland Terps, we have A LOT of school pride! You can count on finding someone wearing red, black, or gold, and there is always a new sacrifice for our favorite turtle, Testudo! While we have a very spirited campus, QUEST is proud to say that Cece Ukejianya of Cohort 26 has the most Maryland pride! Yes, that’s right, Cece recently won the Spirit of Maryland Award!

Each year, faculty and administration nominate students who they feel best represent our university for the Spirit of Maryland award. After nomination, students are invited to apply for this award. Through this application, administration chooses ten finalists who participate in a series of interviews and events. Subsequently, two winners are chosen. Specifically for Cece, Dean Victor Mullins of the Smith Business School recognized her talents and recommended her for this prestigious honor.

The Spirit of Maryland Award not only celebrates who has the most Maryland pride, but also recognizes the student who best embodies our University’s goals in terms of academics, extracurriculars, and leadership. “I was in disbelief when I won just because there are so many great leaders on this campus who I look up to for a certain skill or character trait that I one day hope to embody,” expressed Cece.  While she said it was a nice surprise, Cece points out that “no leader does what he or she does for recognition, rather any true leader does what he or she does because of their passion, drive, and motivation to better a cause he or she believes in and finds enjoyment through benefiting.” Cece says that while it is great to see how you are impacting the community, you know you have truly touched others when they “recognize how you specifically contribute to society. That’s how you know what you did was real.”

Cece is part of the academic committee in the Deans Student Advisory Council (DSAC), the President of ABA, Vice President of the Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) Honors Fraternity, Sargent of Arms for Phi Chi Business Fraternity, and Chaplin of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated.

We are so proud of Cece for all that she has accomplished. We know that after her graduation this spring, she will continue to demonstrate quality leadership within her community, and we wish her good luck in her future endeavors.

Cece with President Loh after being awarded the Spirit of Maryland award

Interested in Web Development? A New QUEST Elective May Be Perfect For You

Posted on by

Danny Laurence (Q19)

Danny Laurence (Q19), a QUEST alumnus who was awarded one of the Outstanding Service Awards at this year’s QUEST Gala, will be offering a new QUEST elective for students interested in Web Development, beginning in Spring 2018. I was able to sit down and ask Danny about the inspiration behind the course and how it will help QUEST students in the future.

What new QUEST elective will you be offering, and what will the class focus on?

BMGT408C – Quality Web Development in Business. The class will focus on giving students the tools by which web development is achieved, without necessarily focusing on the coding itself. This class is designed to give students an understanding of what’s called the “full stack” – everything from database design to agile will be covered. Students will walk away with a solid understanding of how the internet works.

What inspired you to come up with the new elective?

A previous version of this course was offered by Dr. Bailey, Dr. Purtilo, Josh Kohn (Q18), and myself in Spring 2013 (I can’t believe it’s been 4 years). The inspiration for the course was a clamoring by business students for more technical content and a strong desire by me to get experience teaching a course. The students who took that course, to this day, will tell you how useful it was to their career searches. They were able to talk to parts of technology that their peers had never even heard of, let alone interacted with.

How does this new course fit the QUEST curriculum (cross-functional teams, hands-on learning, community of learning, etc.)?

Well, certainly everything you listed is represented in the course. Students are organized into teams, and class is largely about working through examples and hands-on learning. The community of learning aspect is relatively apparent – I’m an alumnus teaching this course. The class set up will likely have non-majors, so peer instruction on writing code is very important.

How will this class help students in the real world?

I’d postulate that most jobs now require you to understand technology, no matter what you are doing. Everyone has to deal with email, with web systems, and this class will give you the tools to understand what is going on. Simply demystifying the computer a bit is a very useful skill set, even if it seems like it wouldn’t be.

What is one message you have for any QUEST students who are interested in your class?

Do it. Not only are you going to have fun in class, you’re going to gain skills that will help you in your future endeavors.

Graduation: T-Minus Seven Months

Posted on by

Writing this article was hard. When I offered to do an article about taking 490H, on being a senior in general, I had no plans for it. But how hard could it be? It was just a reflection. I had thoughts every day, surely some of them were fit for public consumption. Needless to say, it wasn’t that easy.

When writing reflections about major life events the natural inclination is to ask: What has changed? What have I learned? What story can I tell that others will benefit from? It’s human nature to crave narrative, to want to wrap things up neatly with a bow. It’s also what made writing this article so difficult. Nothing about my senior year thus far, or even my undergraduate career, can be neatly summarized into a 400 word fable.

My college experience has not been a series of epiphanies. It’s been like drawing a map, but making it entirely from walking around and stumbling into things. Eventually, I got enough parts that I could start to pick out patterns, could start to guess what would be around the corner and how I would handle it. It’s the same confidence that seemed like sorcery to me when I was a freshman – the knowledge that if college hasn’t killed me yet it’s probably not going to, and that I’ve got a mean left hook if it wants to try. To all the underclassmen reading this, I am aware of how fake that sounds; I didn’t think I’d ever get here either.

The unfortunate thing about college, about life, is that sometimes the only way to learn is by doing. I can tell you about my map all day: go to office hours, never eat fish from the dining hall, and call your parents more and don’t lie to them, or yourself, about how many vegetables you’re eating. But, ultimately, college is a build your own adventure story – you can’t base it only off what other people tell you. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in college it’s this: your map, your wisdom, your internal best practices are never going to look like anyone else’s. Your goals and fears and idea of a good Thursday night are something you get to decide, and there’s no “right” answer. There’s no perfect job, no perfect education, just opportunities to do good work. The amount of time I’ve spent agonizing over what I “actually” want has never gotten me anywhere – so just take your best guess and keep doing to the work. The rest will come with time.

QUEST Spotlight: Catching up With Dr. Herrmann Before His Sabbatical

Posted on by

Dr. Jeffrey Herrmann has been a staple in the QUEST community for the past decade. Occupying a position as the Associate Director when he first joined and most recently, as the BMGT/ENES 490H instructor, he has changed the program in many ways.

He has a unique perspective that only comes with years of experience, so before leaving for his sabbatical, I made sure to sit down with him to better understand who he is and the impact he’s had on the QUEST program.

 

When did you join the QUEST program, and how were things different back then?

When I first joined, I was working with Dr. Suarez, who was the Executive Director at the time. I’d been a faculty advisor for a couple of projects before that, and in 2007, I got asked to serve as the Associate Director.

From my perspective, the mission of the program has stayed the same all these years. It’s an undergraduate program that gives students from three colleges the opportunity to learn timeless skills. Along with that, the core courses have stayed the same despite us adding new electives such as the data analysis, scoping, and study abroad courses.

If the core mission and structure have stayed the same, have the methods shifted during your time here?

We’ve always had an emphasis on active learning. Having said that, the nature of the projects, especially in 190H, has changed over the years with the introduction of atoms-, bits-based, and on-campus consulting projects. It’s safe to say these types of classes have become even more active as time has passed.

Thinking back on your time with the program, what would you say are your happiest moments?

The happiest moments come from being with the great people in QUEST. I’ve been fortunate to be the faculty advisor for numerous 490H projects in which I’ve been able to see the students go on site visits to clients, and their excitement for learning more is infectious. At the end of the project, the QUEST conference and client presentations are also amazing. To see them deliver value and solve difficult problems is a great feeling.

On the other hand, working with Dr. Bailey, Dr. Armstrong, Jessica Macklin, and everyone else who’s been involved with the program has been a great experience. Working with them in a professional context has been eye opening, but even the casual experiences, like making our cheer at QUEST camp, have been a lot of fun.

Which course do you think provides the most value to students?

The students are very different. Some will see 490H and the consulting project as the opportunity where they learned the most. For some, 390H was their favorite part of QUEST because it gives them a chance to explore new ideas and gain new techniques. For a lot of other students, 190H is the course they connect with the most. It’s difficult to pick one course because they’re designed in a sequence so that students learn more as they go through.

If you can’t pin one course, then is there one skill that you think all students should pick up from QUEST?

That skill would be the general skill of being able to talk to a client, understand their situation, and identify ways to make it better, then to do the analysis and evaluation needed to make an effective recommendation. It’s a skill that’s reinforced in every course and even some of the electives as well.

What is something that you hope to see change in the future of the QUEST program?

I believe the QUEST students will continue to find ways to make the QUEST community a better place to be based on their interests and skills. What makes QUEST so special is the support that students receive to pursue their ideas. I imagine students coming up with activities, events, and different structures to help each other learn and feel more connected to the program.

Shifting away from the program, what do you hope to accomplish during your sabbatical?

I’m looking forward to spending a lot of time working with engineers and researchers at the Naval Air Warfare Center at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River down in southern Maryland. They have a group that works on route planning for autonomous systems (unmanned aerial vehicles, unmanned surface ships, etc.) for different Navy missions. I’m very excited to learn more about what they’re doing in terms of their systems and their research.

I’ll be looking into difficult problems that occur when planning missions that involve unmanned vehicles, and I’ll be continuing the research I do here on campus. I’ll also be working on proposals for funding with different agencies and meeting a lot of new people during the process.

After the sabbatical, do you have plans on coming back to the program, and if so, what do you want to bring with you when you return?

Being a faculty advisor would be a fun thing to do again. In terms of how my sabbatical will impact things, I’ll be learning about new technologies and new techniques (data analysis and optimization) so maybe those techniques will be relevant to different project areas throughout the program.

Thanks Dr. Herrmann for your 10 years of service to QUEST!

QUEST & Constellation: Thoughts on the Site Visit

Posted on by

In early November, a group of QUEST students had the opportunity to visit Constellation in Baltimore and get a tour of the facility while talking to some higher ups in the organizations. The following is a short recap from some students who were on the visit and their thoughts about the entire experience.

How did this visit change your opinion of Constellation?

Jeff Zhao (Q28)

I originally thought that Constellation was just an energy provider to commercial homes, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Constellation is actually the nation’s largest supplier of electricity to residential, commercial, and industrial customers. A huge part of their operations takes place in their trading group (where Ricky Wilson, our QUEST Alumni Board Chair works) that hedges against price fluctuations by selling and buying units of megawatts/hr. The parent company, Exelon, is the nation’s largest power generation company as well! This site visit really opened my eyes to understanding the size of Constellation and its parent company Exelon.

Brian Yuwen (Q28)

I didn’t really know what Constellation did prior to the visit. I knew that they provided energy, but I learned that they aren’t just an energy provider—they also provide risk assessments about the energy industry so that Exelon’s energy providers know when and where to supply energy. Also, the office is really nice.

Michael Vetter (Q28)

I originally thought that Constellation was just an energy producer and supplier. However, I did not realize that the company is only focused on wholesale and retail. Many of their employees just focus on trading and finance, which fit my career goals more closely. I now see them as a possible future employer.

 

How do you think the QUEST tools and mission align with the work that Constellation does?

Jeff Zhao

QUEST’s dedication to quality really mirrors Constellation’s mission to ensure quality and reliable energy to customers. The most prominent QUEST tool that I saw was “data-backed recommendations” where the trading group takes into account the root causes that affect electricity prices and aggregates large amounts of data to really be able to accurately send competitive prices to its consumers.

Brian Yuwen

Constellation’s work goes towards providing service, results, and recommendations for Exelon, which aligns with QUEST principles.

Michael Vetter

Constellation is constantly working in multi-disciplinary teams and combines quantifiable data with qualitative information as employees know how to speak both technically and conversationally with each other and with customers. Thus, they work very similarly to QUEST. Also, when they acquire new companies, they usually re-design their systems, which is one of the three pillars of QUEST.

 

In what ways do you think Constellation is an innovator in comparison to other players in their industry?

 Jeff Zhao

Constellation has a smaller “VC” group dedicated to up-and-coming companies in the energy business. We weren’t able to meet many people from that team, so I wasn’t able to really gleam anything else from that.

Brian Yuwen

I don’t know much about Constellation’s competition, but their trading floor is pretty neat. I think the general atmosphere of the office implies that they care about moving toward more collaborative spaces and innovative practices. I’m pretty sure we saw a group conducting a stand-up meeting when we got in that morning.

Michael Vetter

Constellation’s main source of innovation comes from its acquisitions. That is why their main innovative unit is their venture capital department that searches for disruptive start-ups that will change their systems and business model.

 

What other strategies do you think Constellation could employ to remain a leader in their industry?

Jeff Zhao

In order to remain competitive and continue to innovate, Constellation should continue to look into new energy generation methods outside coal and fossil fuels such as wind and solar as the world continues to move in a “greener” direction.

Thanks to Ricky Wilson (Q6) and Constellation for hosting QUEST!

Introducing— New QUESTPress Leadership

Posted on by

Each month, QUESTPress writers face a blank page and will themselves to fill it with the very best story they can find from the QUEST community. While on the surface this may seem simple, a quality article always requires a writer to express him or herself. The article serves as a proxy for the author’s skills, ideas, and emotions – and once published leaves him or her vulnerable to criticism. In addition, these articles often take a ton of time to produce and are written by students spread thin by academic obligations, clubs, and the career search process. However, despite the sacrifice required, there are a group of students in QUESTPress who do this semester after semester—since 2008.

While I cannot speak to why others in QUESTPress contribute, for me, I believe it is critical to connect the QUEST community. I believe in the vision of the program as a force for good in the world. Most importantly, I believe in the leadership of QUESTPress for the past five semesters—Andrew Jones (Q26), Chineme Obiefune (Q25), Sam Weaver (Q26), and Joseph Piscitelli (Q25). They’ve led by example and I wish, for their sake, they could stay students forever. However, they are passing their classes and securing jobs, and it is as good as a time as ever to introduce the next generation.

 

Celine Moarkech (Q29) 

Celine is a cell biology and genetics major from New Jersey planning on attending medical school. She joined QUEST out of a desire to learn about business. If you are having a potluck, make sure to give Celine a call (she’s a whiz in the kitchen). Also, give her a ring if you want to go on a hike (she crosses the line at sleeping outside though).

celinemm2008@gmail.com

 

 

 

Caitlin Thompson (Q28)

Caitlin is an economics major from West Virginia. She became interested in QUEST because she likes learning about different subjects, was interested in the three schools, wanted to learn how other people think, and loves to problem solve. She’s an Images tour guide so she is solid at walking backward (she downplays her skills, but I think she is just being modest). She also loves to play tennis.

cthomp15@terpmail.umd.edu

Annesha Goswami (Q29)

Annesha is an information systems and operations management major from Maryland. She has a ton of interests including animal welfare, book club, and business IT. For her 190H project, her team created an “Oasis Mobile Market” solution to combat food deserts. Annesha is originally from Assam, India, a land which has been continuously occupied since the stone ages and is known for its silk and tea.

annesha.goswami@gmail.com

 

 

Kara Eppel (Q29)

Kara is a bioengineering major from Maryland. She’s always been involved in English, even working in the county executive office of tourism and communication. There, she wrote a lot of declarations and citations for honors, blogs from the county executive, and advertisements. She also had the distinct honor of being the editor for her high school literary magazine, The Shalshelet (if that name looks familiar it is because I mentioned being the editor for the same magazine in my last article!).

karaeppel@gmail.com

Matthew Masison (Q27)

 

Mathew is a mechanical engineering major from Maryland. In his spare time, he works as a CAD technician for a professor on campus working on UAV’s. He is also involved in Terps Racing and is a huge Maryland sports fan. If you want to socialize with Matthew, you may have to meet him at the top of the Epply rock wall – he can often be found hanging out there.

mmmasison@gmail.com

 

 

Jacob King (Q27)

Jacob is an operations management and business analytics information systems major from Maryland. He is super busy between his academics, QUEST, AKPSI, and Army-ROTC. However, with all of his commitments, Jacob still manages to keep the real priority in perspective—food. Jacob dreams of one day, after he retires, opening a restaurant. Last I heard, he was leaning towards Spanish tapas.

kingjacob1515@gmail.com

We’ve got a great group of new students in QUESTPress, carrying on a tradition of almost nine years now. It’s exciting to meet new faces, and I can’t wait to read the stories they capture from the QUEST community. For those looking to share their stories or the stories of others, you know who to reach out to.

Spring Fever: QUEST Electives Edition

Posted on by

The three required QUEST courses allow students to work in multidisciplinary teams to apply quality management tools, develop products that address real-world problems, and use the conflict negotiation and business etiquette skills needed to consult clients. However, these core courses alone will not ensure that QUEST students have a well-rounded outlook on process improvement, system design, and quality management.

Each QUEST student has his or her own individual interests, ambitions, and motives. QUEST’s five-course curriculum includes two elective courses, which gives students the freedom to pick two classes out of a comprehensive list with over 25 options. This allows students to take classes that intrigue them while simultaneously incorporating their passions into their QUEST experience. Many of you may wish to take an elective this coming spring 2018 semester, so it is important to understand your options and how the electives help you pursue your career goals.

There are several quality courses this spring that are QUEST-specific and are taught by QUEST professors. These courses include BMGT/ENES 397 and BMGT/ENES 491, as well as several classes that revolve around visits to places like Silicon Valley and Spain. These are well-worth looking into if you wish to get closer with QUEST students across cohorts or get to know the QUEST faculty better.

 

QUEST-Specific Electives

1) BMGT/ENES 397 is an engaging class that allows students to leave an impact on QUEST by guiding new QUEST students through the process of 190H and by doing a semester-long project for QUEST that requires a thorough knowledge of design and quality techniques.

“397 is a great opportunity to see 190H from the other side, and it comes with the added bonus of going to QUEST camp again!” – Akshay Guthal (Q27)

 

2) BMGT/ENES 491 is a course in which students play a role in finding the various consulting and innovation projects for 190H and 490H students. This course gives students a great opportunity to make connections with some of QUEST’s corporate partners and prepare for 490H. 491 is the class where students conduct site visits and talk to various departments on campus in order to scope out potential consulting projects new QUEST students can work on in their 190H class. Michael Vetter from Cohort 28 enjoyed his time in 491 and wants students deciding on electives to know:

“[Scoping is] a great opportunity to develop your professional skills and learn more about real businesses and how QUEST connects with them.” – Michael Vetter (Q28)

3) The QUEST immersion courses are amazing ways to spend your winter and spring semesters. Look into BMGT438G/ENES489Q if you’re interested in going to the Silicon Valley with Dr. Bailey and learning about design, innovation, and quality through various site visits and company research. BMGT438G/ENES489Q is a great way to network with professionals in your field and get the nitty gritty on what really goes on behind the scenes in successful tech companies.

“Exploring the technological culture that defines Silicon Valley, ranging from their start-ups to the Big 4 Tech, provided insight that can’t be paralleled in a classroom setting.” – Andrew Jones (Q26)

 

BMGT438M will allow students to visit Barcelona and Madrid this January to see how things like culture and architecture have an impact on innovation. Recent study abroad trips included QUEST2Japan and QUEST2China, where students were able to go on site visits to companies such as Toyota and Nikon in order to see how business cultures abroad differ from those in the United States.

“[QUEST2Japan was] literally the best trip I’ve ever taken in my life… QUEST study abroad trips are super unique experiences that everyone should take advantage of.” – Akshay Guthal (Q27)

Outside-of-QUEST Electives

1) BMGT 332 is just one of the many classes that teaches students topics such as project management, systems analysis and design, operations management, and managing for innovation and quality.

“Optimization based on data is extremely important, since proper data analysis prevents resources from being wasted, which would be tremendously detrimental to an organization.” – Roger Mao (Q29)

If you’re interested to see what electives can double as one of your major requirements or upper level electives, you can visit the electives guide here.

2) ENME 466 is one of the most popular electives, as it teaches students how to use Lean Six Sigma and how to apply the Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control (DMAIC) strategy in projects with corporate partners.

Even with the plethora of possible electives one can choose from, QUEST students do not have to be limited to these options. You can always nominate an elective to be considered for the program curriculum! Just email Dr. Herrmann at jwh2@umd.edu to see if you can get one of your favorite classes to count as a QUEST elective. The Curriculum Review Committee will review all requests and see if any can be approved. This is just one of the ways QUEST takes input from its students to continuously improve its program and keep its community curious, engaged in critical thinking, and fascinated with what QUEST has to offer.

 

 

 

Soon-to-be Alumni Feature: Julia Lomakina and Rohan Bajaj

Posted on by

As the semester approaches the stage when students are completing projects and beginning to start studying for finals, for many, it’s a time when they are thinking about the soon-approaching winter break. While some people will be using this as a time to rest up for the upcoming spring semester, some students will be celebrating an important milestone: graduation.

Recently, I was able to catch up with two Q26 students/soon-to-be-alumni, Julia Lomakina and Rohan Bajaj. Both students are graduating a semester early compared to their peers and also have exciting plans in store for after they graduate next month.

 

Rohan Bajaj (Q26)

Julia Lomakina (Q26)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What’s something that you cherish from your time at UMD?

Julia:

I cherish all of the wonderful humans I have met during my time at UMD. From rampaging around College Park bars with friends to pulling all nighters for projects, I’ve loved every moment of it. This school also gives you incredible opportunities whether educational, career, or social. I️ am so happy I️ decided to come to UMD – no regrets!

Rohan:

I cherish the people I met here. Fellow students, faculty, and friends have all had a great influence on my interests and goals. I have gotten the opportunity to teach, experiment majors, and work professionally all because of the people that surrounded me.

 

Favorite QUEST memory?

Julia:

1) Getting run over at QUEST camp within the first 30 minutes during an ice breaker resulting in a nice head gash. Haha!

2) I got to ride around in a tractor and meet the Cataraptasaurus during a client visit to a Caterpillar Dealer.

3) A few QUESTees went to play laser tag and my greatest mistake was wearing a grey shirt because that was the most intense workout I had all semester.

Rohan:

My favorite QUEST memory was just one month ago, when we went to our BMGT490H client Caterpillar’s Equipment Sale and Expo at their Alban CAT dealership. From an academic perspective, it was great to personally communicate with clients and observe the business opportunity real-time. From a fun perspective, we were treated to award-winning Chaps Pit Beef, free ice cream, and, best of all, got to drive tractors. It was a blast.

 

What are you plans after graduation?

Julia:

First, I will be traveling after graduation. I will spend a few weeks in Texas and Florida around the holidays. Then, I will travel to India and backpack around Southeast Asia for a few months. After scampering around the world, I am buying a few rain jackets and will work at Microsoft as a Program Manager in Seattle, Washington.

Rohan:

I plan to take a long break and start working at least past June. My plans are very much in the air, but I will try to volunteer. I am thinking of volunteering as a part of Habitat for Humanity or the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster for the many recent natural disasters. If that falls through, I plan on travelling as much as I can.

 

Any other parting words you want to give to your peers?

Julia:

Things I wish I told myself as a freshman: First, do random stuff on campus and around the area. Sounds interesting? Go. Don’t have a friend to go with? Still go. People are friendlier than you think. Second, use all of your resources/network (like the QUEST directory). Don’t be afraid to contact random people and ask them for advice. Third, exams are easier when you pay attention in class.

To the QUEST Community: I am extremely lucky to have you guys. Thank you to the Quality Guild who make it all happen and the students who make the program what it is. I learned and laughed so much with all of you. You are all so exceptional and I am proud to be a part of QUEST. I thank you for your part in my journey.

Final Farewell: I genuinely hope our paths cross again. Keep in touch!

Rohan:

People often get stuck and fixated on wanting and “achieving” more. Don’t try to say yes to everything, but instead say yes to things that make sense for you. Take a step back, put things in perspective, and live your best life!

 

Congratulations to all of our seniors graduating this December:

  • Rohan Bajaj (Q26)
  • Angelina Bingei (Q25)
  • Pete Dziki (Q25)
  • Eric Huang (Q23)
  • Julia Lomakina (Q26)
  • Max Samuels (Q26)
  • Janae Savoy (Q23)
  • Derien Scott (Q24)
  • Gabe Vostal (Q24)

On behalf of the QUEST student and faculty community, we’ll all genuinely miss your presence on campus; we hope that you’ll be able to visit sometime soon, and wish you the best of luck with your careers and post-UMD life!

What is QUEST?

Posted on by

1. What is QUEST?

2. What do you get after 5 years of casual research, months of false promises to your editor that you’ll write an article, and a 3 hour train ride to the QUEST 25th Anniversary Conference?

I attempt to answer the former and certainly answer the latter in my latest article.

Spring semester of my sophomore year marked an important turning point in the manner in which I daydreamed and procrastinated. Distractions were critical to me at that time as I faced a very real dilemma—I hated studying accounting and I was an accounting major. I’m sure you can imagine the severity of the situation. Every day I sat in front of a book for hours about nonsense like bond amortization and the double-declining method of depreciation. So like any sane individual driven insane by the pressures of carving out a reasonable career for himself/herself, I decided to escape the reality in front of me and took a trip upstairs to the third floor of Van Munching to speak with Dr. King (then Kylie Goodell and the Quality Guild member in charge of QUESTPress).

Getting involved in QUESTPress was just as much a retreat from my studies as a return to something familiar (in high school I ran my school’s literary magazine, The Shalshelet [“The Messenger” in Hebrew]). On one of my trips upstairs to visit Kylie, Dr. Bailey was outside his office and we had a conversation. I don’t remember 99% of what we said, but I certainly remember a question The Doctor posed—“What is QUEST?” So here is what I’ve got so far.

1) Managing for Quality a History

  • “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning–the sixth day.” – Genesis 1:31
    • First recorded instance of quality control
  • From ancient Chinese regulation of the handiwork industry to Nordic shipbuilding, history is littered with examples of managing for quality
  • Read: “A History of Managing for Quality” by Joseph M. Juran

2) The Fathers of Quality

  • Joseph M. Juran (Born 1904, Romania)
  • E Deming (Born 1900, Iowa)
    • Read: “Out of the Crisis” by W. E Deming
      • I don’t have all the reports I read about him archived, but just read a few biographies all accessible on the interweb
    • Kaoru Ishikawa (Born 1915, Japan)
    • Each of these individuals plays a critical role as the developers and proselytizers of TQM in the US and Japan, then globally
      • Others not to be overlooked—Armand V. Feinbaum, Genichi Taguchi, Phillip Crosby, etc.
    • If you follow these individuals careers you gain a real appreciation for the foundation of TQM— “revolutions are the long shadows of great men and women”

3) The Keeper of the Gate

  • Walter E. Shewhart
    • May 16, 1924, Hawthorne Works (Western Electric): Dr. Shewhart prepares a one page memo laying the foundation for statistical quality control.
  • Juran and Deming each spend time interacting with Shewhart at Hawthorne and absorb his philosophy, leading many to dub Shewhart the grandfather of quality
    • These developments all occur during the height of the Bell Labs era (Hawthorn Works was a partner with AT&T Bell Labs)
      • Read: “The Idea Factory: Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation” by Jon Gertner
      • Read: Early SQC: A Historical Supplement by Joseph M. Juran

4) Failure in America

  • Although Shewhart, Juran, and Deming develop TQM in the US, no one cares and they are largely ignored.
    • Reference 2). The careers of Juran and Deming are littered with examples of neglect stateside

5) War and Defeat

  • WWII devastates Japan and General McArthur is assigned as Supreme Allied Commander of the nation.
  • McArthur rebuilds the country and brings in TQM experts (Juran and Deming, among other) to rebuild the telecommunication system. [Hawthorn Works (AT&T) > rebuilding Japanese telecommunication system]
    • Read: “Embracing Defeat” by John W. Dower
    • Read: “Hirohito And The Making of Modern Japan” by Herbert P. Bix
      • Both books won the Pulitzer

6) The Japanese Economic Miracle

  • Japan, long known for terrible quality, becomes the world leader in Quality and second largest economy in the world
    • Back to the Future III
      • Doc: “No wonder this circuit failed; it says ‘Made in Japan’.”
      • Marty: “What do you mean, Doc? All the best stuff is made in Japan.”
        • Doc and Marty in 1955, while fixing the time circuits
  • Americans, long supportive of their steadfast ally in the Pacific, begin fear that they will all work for Japan someday (Japan’s rise is that dramatic).
    • Japanese competitiveness strikes fear in the heart of corporate America, especially those in the automotive and electronics industries

7) If Japan Can, Why Can’t We? (June 24, 1980)

8) Adoption of TQM in the US and Globally (especially IBM)

9) TQM Leadership by Dean Kirwan and Dr. Judy Olian

  • State budgets requires the University of Maryland to do more with less

10) The IBM-TQM Grants

  • Total Quality at the University of Maryland at College Park: Proposal Submission to the IBM Total Quality Management Competition

11) Only One Remains

  • Read: The IBM-TQM Partnership With Colleges and Universities– A Report: A baseline report of the initial activities and future plans of the nine Partnership institutions by Daniel Seymour

It’s hard to imagine that after five years I still haven’t found an answer. Every time I read a new book on Juran, Deming, Japan, TQM, or IBM I find another loose thread in the story. If someone in the community asked me “What is QUEST?” today, I wouldn’t have an answer. I actually prefer it that way. Every time I have the opportunity to peak down the rabbit hole I end up in another adventure. QUEST is the story of eras, of people facing insurmountable obstacles, of geniuses in labs, and societies clashing. If I have an answer, all that ends. Maybe it’s better to live in the questions?