Hello! My name is Jacob Seals, and I’m an Industrial and Systems Engineering major from Surgoinsville, TN. My main interests are in engineering management, process improvement, and finding ways to apply engineering non-traditionally (like creative fields). I am a proud first-generation college student. I love to drink coffee, read, and hangout with the friends I’ve made at the University of Tennessee (UT)! I will be working for PepsiCo at their headquarters in Chicago after I graduate this December.
I have done co-ops with 2 companies, totaling 4 rotations, and 1 internship. My first co-op was one rotation with DENSO Manufacturing in Maryville, TN. There, I found room for improvement in ergonomics and productivity, especially in an area where operators were stacking boxes. The box movement process created motions that caused aches and pains and lengthened the cycle time due to motion waste. The solution my team designed is a machine that combines a lift and a stacker/de-stacker, automating the stacking of boxes. The machine removes the strenuous motions, reducing ergonomic risk and cycle time.
I have also worked 3 co-op rotations with FedEx Supply Chain in their Project Engineering team. During my first rotation, I was able to travel and visit multiple distribution centers, observing how they operate, conducting time studies, and recommending improvements. I learned how the 3rd party logistics field functions and how they form their deliverables. In my second and third rotation, I focused on internal process improvement and engineering management. This past summer, I interned with PepsiCo in Chicago, where I worked on process improvement techniques that involved standardization of business reviews with 74 manufacturing sites and data visualization for key business decisions using Power BI.
Much of my time is spent in the Engineering Professional Practice (EPP) office, either helping students or having fun. EPP is an important office to me because we provide two of my favorite things: preparation and community. Nothing is more fulfilling than helping a student get a co-op, perfecting a resume, or simply just providing a social net for students. I believe empowering our students to communicate well and wield their strengths strategically is an invaluable part of the college experience.
I joined EPP as an Engineering Expo co-lead at a unique time in Fall 2023—when the Expo was completely changing. Not only were we changing our location from the Student Union to the Knoxville Convention Center, but we were also removing our legacy system in favor of a new one. It was a complete overhaul to help the Expo grow (which it has!). This, of course, came with a litany of growing pains: scheduling is challenging, the old processes don’t work anymore, did anyone check if the new system works? It took 1.5 years and 3 Expo’s to understand our shortcomings, iron out new processes, and get communication flowing. Many grueling hours were spent defining standards, future-proofing, and continuously improving. I learned more than I can explain about leadership and cultivating an engaged environment. Most of all, though, I got to see the endless dedication of our students to supporting one another and representing UT to the highest degree. I am extremely proud of the EPP office and its dedication to the students, and I can’t wait to see where it and the Expo go after I graduate.
ISE, EPP, and being a UT student have helped me find my identity and shaped who I am. Now, I’m ready to take on what’s next!
Go ISE! Go Vols!