Auburn University recently hosted faculty members from more than 30 universities and seven countries for the Material Handling Teachers Institute (MHTI), a professional development programme focused on strengthening education and research in logistics, supply chain management and material handling. Held from July 28 to 30 by Auburn’s Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, the biennial event brought together about 40 faculty participants and 10 speakers. The programme included technical sessions, laboratory demonstrations, industry and field visits, teaching exercises and discussions on research and education practices.
The institute is organised by the College Industry Council on Material Handling Education (CICMHE), an organisation established in 1952 and affiliated with Material Handling Industry (MHI). CICMHE works to connect universities and industry to advance research, education and workforce development across the material handling, logistics and supply chain sectors.
Daniel Silva, associate professor of industrial and systems engineering at Auburn, organised and hosted this year’s institute. Mr Silva became involved with CICMHE in 2024 after attending the 2022 MHTI, which was partly organised by Auburn Professor Emerita Alice Smith.
Mr Silva said he volunteered to bring the institute to Auburn because it provides an opportunity for educators from different types of institutions and academic programmes to exchange ideas. Participants included faculty from major research universities, smaller colleges, engineering technology programmes and supply chain programmes within business schools.
Auburn University has maintained a long association with CICMHE. Former industrial and systems engineering faculty members Alice Smith and Jeff Smith have previously served on the organisation’s leadership board. The board includes faculty members from universities in the United States and other countries, along with industry representatives.
The 2026 institute introduced a new micro-teaching activity designed to give every participant an opportunity to practise teaching. Mr Silva worked with Erin Garcia, senior lecturer in industrial and systems engineering, to develop the exercise. Participants were divided into small groups and each faculty member delivered a 10-minute teaching session. The activity encouraged educators to exchange teaching techniques and receive feedback from colleagues working in different academic environments.
The event also provided participants with an opportunity to visit Auburn’s industrial and systems engineering facilities. Tom Devall, director of the Tiger Motors lean education lab, conducted a demonstration of the facility and its capabilities. Researchers from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany also brought robots to Auburn for a technology demonstration.
The institute gave participants a closer look at Auburn’s teaching and research facilities while creating opportunities for collaboration across institutions. CICMHE organises the Material Handling Teachers Institute and a research conference on alternate years. Through these programmes, the organisation continues to promote collaboration between academia and industry and support the development of skilled professionals for the logistics and material handling sectors.
