37 years of service: IMSE celebrates the retirement of Margaret Rys

July 20, 2026

After nearly four decades of teaching, research and leadership, Malgorzata "Margaret" Rys, associate professor of industrial and manufacturing systems engineering leaves behind a remarkable legacy.

The Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering is deeply grateful for the 37 years Rys dedicated to its students, programs and people. Over nearly four decades, she helped shape the department through her teaching, service and dedication to students — recruiting undergraduates, leading ABET accreditation, mentoring graduate students and sponsoring the student organizations that give future engineers their professional footing.

Brad Kramer, interim dean of the Carl R. Ice College of Engineering and long-term IMSE department head, reflected on her legacy.

“Dr. Rys' connection with students was legendary," he said. "Her servant's heart shaped the culture of our department and transformed countless lives. Her legacy — in our department and in the generations of students she inspired — is truly immeasurable.”

Rys retired at the end of the spring 2026 semester, closing a career that left a lasting mark on the students, colleagues and programs she served.

Rys' journey to K-State began in Wroclaw, Poland, where she earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from the Wroclaw University of Science and Technology. In 1986, she came to K-State to pursue graduate studies in industrial engineering, earning her master's degree that same year and her doctorate in 1989. She joined the department as a part-time instructor teaching quality control, engineering economy and management. She became an assistant professor in 1995 and was promoted to associate professor in 1998. Since 2001, she has served as assistant department head — overseeing undergraduate recruiting and retention, the ABET accreditation process and efforts to promote the department.

Rys' research in human factors engineering spans highway safety and healthcare. On the transportation side, her studies of roundabouts, traffic safety, sign design and unmanned aerial systems helped advance the science of keeping roads safer. In healthcare, she applied human reliability techniques to predict and reduce catheter-associated urinary tract infections in research partially sponsored by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and developed approaches to predicting patient falls using individualized health data including gait, daily activity and cognitive assessments.

Her commitment to students extended well beyond the classroom. Rys received teaching awards from the IMSE department and the College of Engineering in 1999, 2010 and 2012, and advising awards in 1999 and 2016. She was recognized as an Outstanding Adviser by the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers for the South-Central Region and received both the Charles H. Scholer Award and the Dean's Award of Excellence in 2014. Throughout her career, she served as faculty sponsor for the Society of Women Engineers and the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers student chapters, supervised master's theses and doctoral dissertations, organized departmental assemblies, coordinated course scheduling and presented her research at conferences across the country and around the world. The following statement is from Paige Dittrich, BSIE, 2026, last IISE student chapter president under her guidance.

“Dr. Rys was one of the most influential people in my K-State experience. As a professor, IISE advisor, mentor and trusted source of guidance, she played an important role in my growth as both a student and a leader. I am incredibly grateful for her mentorship and support, and I hope her retirement is filled with the same joy, fulfillment and positive impact that she brought to so many students throughout her career.”

The true measure of her impact is also reflected in the countless students whose lives and careers she has influenced. Daniel Karkle, assistant professor of industrial and manufacturing systems engineering, was one of her former doctoral students.

"Dr. Rys was an exceptional Ph.D. advisor — the best I could have hoped for," he said. "She believed in me even before I could speak a full sentence in English, and her confidence in me made a lasting difference. She trusted me, gave me space to be creative in my research and helped me grow with confidence and independence. Dr. Rys also played an important role in my return to the department as a faculty member, and for that I will always be grateful."

Jessica Heier Stamm, associate professor of industrial and manufacturing systems engineering, credits Rys with helping launch her career in academia.

“Dr. Rys was my first research mentor," she said. "She provided an opportunity for me to engage in research as an undergraduate student, and that opened the door to graduate school and a rewarding academic career. Throughout her career, she created conditions that made it possible for students to grow into engineers. That work continues to inspire and guide me. It’s been a great privilege to be her colleague, and I am grateful for all that she has done for me and for IMSE.”

Rys also reflected on her own career.

“As I retire, one of the greatest privileges of my career has been working with students," she said. "Their curiosity, energy and determination continually inspired me and reminded me why education matters. Watching students grow, succeed and achieve their goals has been one of the most rewarding parts of my professional life. Seeing former students build successful careers, contribute to their communities and return to share their experiences has brought me immense pride and satisfaction.”

Rys was deeply committed to a wide range of administrative responsibilities within the department. She regularly invited distinguished speakers for undergraduate assemblies by leveraging her strong connections with the IMSE alumni network. She coordinated IMSE course offerings, organized and led student plant tours, contributed to ABET assessment reports, and actively participated in scholarship selection decisions. In addition to teaching her core areas of ergonomics, safety and work design, Rys was actively engaged in multidisciplinary research, particularly in healthcare applications. For example, she collaborated with Shing Chang, interim head and professor of the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, on projects involving the prediction of catheter-associated infections and the assessment of fall risk among older adults.

Chang, reflected on his collaboration with Rys and her contributions to IMSE.

“Dr. Rys is a great collaborator with exceptional professionalism and research integrity," he said. "She cares for both current and graduated students. I don’t know how she remembers students’ names and keeps track of their status years after graduation. I owe her a great deal of gratitude for her support while I served as interim department head. She was the glue that enabled IMSE to function smoothly during my tenure.”

In retirement, Rys looks forward to spending time with family in Colorado, Texas and Poland, traveling internationally, exploring new places and enjoying the outdoors. She is married to Andrew Rys, an electrical engineering professor at Kansas State University.

The faculty, staff and students of the department extend their deepest gratitude to Rys for her decades of exceptional service, leadership and mentorship — and wish her all the best in a well-earned retirement.