History of the IE Department

1960s

In 1965, the College of Engineering started offering the degree of B.S. Industrial Engineering

Under the supervision of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Professors from the Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Mathematics Departments were among the first teachers of the first batch of industrial engineering students. Many of the first batches of IE students were shiftees from Mechanical Engineering.

Prof. Johnny Uy was one of the program’s first teachers.
Jose Ventura Gamatero, B.S. IE ’67

1967: The first batch of Industrial Engineers graduated.

Jose Ventura Gamatero, B.S. IE ’67

1967: The UP Industrial Engineering Club was founded.

1970s

1971: The Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research was officially established.

Becoming the newest department of the College of Engineering, and Dr. Luis Pascual became the new department’s first chairperson

Dr. Luis Pascual became the new department's first chairperson.

1976: The UP Society of Industrial Engineering Majors (now known as the UP Circle of Engineering Majors) was officially recognized.

A class during the late 1970s.

1980s

Members of UP IE Club performing during the Engineering Smoker’s Night in the early 1980s.

1981: The first summa cum laude of the department—Jesse O. Ang—graduated with a weighted average of 1.078.

During the late 1980s, the department initiated a series of colloquia facilitated by the faculty members and attended by members of both the industry and the academe.

1990s

A photo dated May 26, 1995 offers a glimpse of how it all started. The UP IE Alumni Association was incorporated in 2006—more than a decade after it was initially conceptualized.

Up until now, the students of the IE Department continue to excel in sports. The department has been a consistent placer in the Engineering Cup tournaments.

1998: The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) named the Department as the country’s sole Center of Excellence in the field of Industrial Engineering.

The faculty and staff of the department at the close of the last millennium.

2000s

2006: The UP IE Alumni Association was incorporated.

A jam-packed Engineering Theater during the First Lean Six Sigma Symposium last November 2008.

Prof. Amado San Mateo, ME ’56 received a lifetime achievement award in 2009 after decades of service in the university. Lolo Madz, as he is fondly called, is one of the first IE professors who taught to the first batch of IE students.

2009: The department completed its transfer from the first floor of Melchor Hall to the fourth floor vacated by the College of Architecture. The renovation of the Faculty Room was aided by the UPIEAA.

The UPIEAA led the inauguration of the newly renovated IE/OR Faculty Room last August 2009. During the occasion, a commemorative plaque for the First Hundred UPIEAA Lifetime Members was also unveiled.

2010s Present

2018: To align with the Philippines’ K-12 program, UP Diliman revised its BS IE program to a 4-year curriculum in 2018.

2022: The IE Department is thrilled to announce the exciting news that the Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research (IEORD) has officially moved to its new home in the IE/ME Building.

This relocation marks a significant milestone for IEORD, providing our students and faculty with:

  • Modernized learning spaces and laboratories for enhanced learning and research experiences.
  • Opportunities for increased collaboration with colleagues from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, fostering interdisciplinary innovation.
  • A platform for future growth and expansion to further our academic and research endeavors.
2023: Meet the dedicated faculty members guiding students in the ever-evolving field of Industrial Engineering at UP Diliman. (2023 Faculty Photo)