Ohio University mourns the passing of industrial and systems engineering professor

Dr. Gürsel Süer, professor of industrial and systems engineering at Ohio University’s Russ College of Engineering and Technology, passed away suddenly on Wednesday, July 14. A faculty member at OHIO for 20 years, he was born on May 20, 1960, in Turkey.

“July 14, 2021, was a very sad day for the Russ College. We lost a good colleague and a dear friend. Gürsel was an outstanding scholar, an excellent teacher and a great human being. We will miss him deeply,” Russ College of Engineering and Technology Dean Mei Wei said.

Dale Masel, chair of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE), said Süer was a demanding yet dedicated instructor. “He very much wanted to see his students succeed and he spent many hours outside the classroom with his students and advisees. He had a tremendous impact on his students and we’re really going to miss him,” he said.

In 2018, the IEOM Society International bestowed its Teaching Excellence Award upon Süer, who reflected on an educator’s role. “Teaching is the most important part of our job. It is broader than the subject itself. It is our responsibility to teach students about ownership, attention to detail, being proactive, being creative, and to think about the potential use of the subject in the field,” he said at the time.

In addition to his success in teaching, Süer advised more than 40 graduate students during his career.

“Dr. Süer was an amazing human being and an amazing mentor who always motivated me to give my best,” Russ College Ph.D. Candidate Farah Al-Ogaili said about her adviser. “I will always remember our endless research discussions for my thesis and dissertation and his great sense of humor.”

“Dr. Süer was a true educator,” said Jenna Knisley, who earned her B.S. at OHIO and later her M.S., with Süer serving as her advisor. “He spent countless hours mentoring his students and pushing them to be the best engineers they could be. Without him, I know that I would not be the engineer I am today. Dr. Süer also taught me how to be a good person in addition to a good engineer. I am honored to have had him as a professor, mentor and friend.”

Süer was an active researcher with interests in a variety of areas. His greatest contributions were in the area of cellular manufacturing design, management and scheduling. Süer produced more than 100 publications in journals, books and conference proceedings, organized several conferences and symposia, and held editorial positions in respected journals in the field. In 2019, Süer was named to the board of the International Foundation for Production Research, which oversees the organization’s conferences, journal and other activities.

Outside of his work, Süer was a devoted soccer fan, player and coach, taking pride in usually being the oldest on the field. 

“If you had the opportunity to meet Dr. Süer, you would be greeted by his gentle smile, kind voice and calm demeanor,” recalled Paul Barina, B.S. and M.S. graduate in ISE. “If you sat in one of his classes, you would hear countless life stories and lessons given in small bite sizes to understand and take with you into your future career and life.”

Before teaching and advising hundreds of students at OHIO, Süer taught at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez for 12 years. He earned a Ph.D. in industrial engineering at Wichita State University, and master’s and bachelor’s degrees in industrial engineering at Middle East Technical University in Turkey.

A celebration of Dr. Süer’s life will be held at the First Presbyterian Church of Athens, on Saturday, July 24, at 2 p.m.