CENG Faculty Spotlight: Megan Chan

Each week, the College of Engineering highlights an outstanding member of our engineering community. This week, we are introducing Megan Chan, an assistant professor of industrial and manufacturing engineering.

What brought you to Cal Poly College of Engineering?  

When I was in high school, one of my friends mentioned that her dream school was Cal Poly. This was the first time Cal Poly was on my radar. As I started applying for college, I searched for programs that offered technical rigor while allowing me to pursue a career where I could work with people. Cal Poly’s Industrial Engineering program fit the bill exactly. I loved being an undergraduate student at Cal Poly, and after a brief stint in consulting and earning my doctorate, I knew that Cal Poly would be the perfect fit for me as I returned to pursue my academic career.

Tell me about your research interests and why you are passionate about this topic.  

I study the science of teamwork! I’ve always been curious about how people work: What motivates an individual to succeed? Why is it that some people work well together, while others don’t? How can we make our lives better based on the relationships that we build and maintain? To study teams, I use tools from social network analysis, natural language processing and statistics to quantify and understand the building blocks of successful teams. Studying teamwork gives me the opportunity for me to explore my curiosity about people while applying fun computational methods to satisfy my analytical brain.  

What do you want others to know about your research?

Team science is engineering! Teams are complex, dynamic systems that follow predictable patterns that lead to success or failure. Plus, as engineers, we constantly work in teams. One of the biggest risks when it comes to executing a large engineering project is the risk of team failure. If an engineering team can’t work together, it doesn’t matter how technically competent each individual may be. Understanding and applying the science of teamwork allows us to build better, more resilient systems with happier people.

What are some of the upcoming projects or publications you’re working on?  

I’m fascinated by multitasking. In a publication that is in revision, I’m studying how teams work together when they aren’t sitting in the same room. For these teams to stay on the same page, they often end up having multiple conversations with different groups of people at the same time. This behavior is interesting because it’s often observed as having negative consequences for individuals, but it seems necessary for groups to succeed.

What is your favorite place in San Luis Obispo County and why?  

Behind the music building on campus, on the back side of the PAC. As an undergraduate student, I was an active member of the Cal Poly Lion Dance Team, the only one on the Central Coast. I have very fond memories of Saturday morning practice sessions with the crew.

How do you like to spend your free time?  

Lately, I’ve been into aerial arts, rock climbing and yoga. I also love cooking, eating and playing board games.  

What are you most looking forward to in the upcoming academic year?

I’m looking forward to building my community here in SLO, both personally and professionally. I’m excited to find fellow aerialists and yogis, and I will happily offer my services as a belay partner, although I boulder, too. On campus, I’m looking forward to connecting with fellow faculty members with similar interests, and to sharing my passions for engineering and teamwork with the incoming class of students.

What is the most helpful advice you’ve received?  

You can do everything, but not all at once. I love this thought because it is empowering — yes, I can do everything. But at the same time, it warns against trying to do too much at one time. It is a reminder that we have limited space and time to pursue our interests, so we need to prioritize things carefully.

How does engineering apply to your daily life?  

I think the fundamentals of industrial engineering apply to nearly all parts of my daily life. I’m a strong believer in the Pareto principle, also known as the 80/20 rule. I use a kanban, or visual task board, to manage my work tasks, and I think a lot about muda, or waste, when I’m cooking or doing chores. Am I overstocking my fridge and pantry? Probably. How do I organize the order of heating, chopping, cooking, cleaning and other tasks to minimize my waiting time? While it may seem like I’m spending a lot of effort trying to optimize my life, I actually find that these systems help me figure out what I should be paying attention to and how to set myself up for success with less overall effort.

How do you encourage engineering students to make an impact on the community?  

Doing good feels good. Giving students an experience where they feel the impact they have made on the community directly is the best way to spark that motivation. Then, it’s critical to give students the tools they need to build and maintain systems to make an impact independently.