The Innovation Engine: How Academia-Industry Partnerships Create Mutual Value
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EmailNSF’s INTERN Program Helps SPDC Ph.D. Graduate Find Industry Passion and an Innovative Professional Path Forward.
In September of 2018, Dr. Sinem Mollaoglu, professor of Construction Management at the School of Planning, Design and Construction (SPDC) and collaborators, received a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF)’s Engineering Design and Systems Engineering (EDSE) Program. Through this grant, the research team studied how team interactions in complex engineering projects impact project outcomes. A supplement to this grant, required that graduate students on the research team gain non-research, industry experience during the project.
To meet this requirement the MSU team collaborated with Granger Construction, a Michigan-based company and frequent supporter of SPDC. Then Ph.D. candidate (in 2023), Hasan Gokberk Bayhan, spent six months as an intern at Granger to fulfill the NSF requirements, but the experience blossomed further as the project – and Hasan’s doctoral studies – progressed.
After the initial six-month term, Hasan’s relationship with Granger grew into an hourly internship for the remainder of his studies at MSU. Inspired by what he learned during his internship and his interest in AI, Hasan focused part of his dissertation on how language models can improve performance tracking and written communications, such as emails and requests for information (RFIs), in construction projects involving multiple teams from different backgrounds.
Today, Hasan has graduated from MSU, earning his Ph.D. in Planning, Design and Construction, but his relationship with Granger isn’t over. Recognizing the need and evolution in the industry relating to automation, data analytics and the use of AI, Granger created a new position for Hasan, so they can tap onto his unique skillsets in construction engineering.
“Hasan’s research at SPDC aligned perfectly with Granger’s strategic direction toward innovation in construction technology. His ability to leverage advanced analytics and AI has already opened new avenues for our workflows and lessons learned. Our collaboration with SPDC continues to demonstrate the importance of bridging academia and industry for driving practical and lasting innovation.”
Ian Clutten – Vice President of Preconstruction Services, Granger Construction
“Throughout my Ph.D., I looked for ways to reduce the burden on both office and field teams, while focusing on useful trends in datasets. Language models opened a new horizon to apply best practices more easily and broadly, while giving everyone in the organization a clear view of the big picture, adapted to their own perspective and needs. Granger shares that vision. Their innovative mindset, and their habit of making decisions quickly while putting employees first, showed me I could keep pushing the limits of construction technology while working with a team that values the same goals. I am grateful to NSF, SPDC and of course, Granger Construction.”
Hasan Bayhan – Data Engineer, Granger Construction
Hasan’s journey from research assistant and doctoral candidate to full-time data engineer at a leading construction company shows what’s possible when academia and industry collaborate. To learn more about this research and team’s work, visit the team website and the NSF award page.
