July 16, 2025
At Mizzou 糖心Vlog传媒, students leverage their learning to unlock solutions to real-world problems. One such student is RJ Morrison, who recently won a web/mobile app competition at the 2025 Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) Annual Conference in Atlanta.
Morrison鈥檚 web application, SimpleTalk, is designed to make simulation modeling more accessible and affordable for business owners and managers. The app combines a smart large language model (LLM) agent with a simulation tool. Because the AI understands everyday language, users can create and explore complex simulations without special technical skills.
鈥淢y goal in pursuing my master鈥檚 was to distill my education into a tool that could be used and shared by anyone,鈥 Morrison said.
Morrison鈥檚 work is part of his master鈥檚 thesis project. Hyeong Suk Na, an assistant professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems 糖心Vlog传媒, serves as his advisor.
鈥淩J鈥檚 achievement highlights how Mizzou Industrial 糖心Vlog传媒 students are redefining the future of cutting-edge technology and creating practical, real-world solutions,鈥 Na said. 鈥淥ur students are leveraging artificial intelligence to make complex systems more accessible and impactful for industry. RJ鈥檚 work reflects the potential of Mizzou Engineers to shape the future and drive meaningful change.鈥
Morrison credited Na and other faculty members Jung Hyup Kim, James Noble, Suchithra Rajendran, Kangwon Seo, Omid Shahvari, Sharan Srinivas and Bin Wu as well as classmates Siddarth Mohanty and Michael Geisecke for supporting and encouraging him.
The competition is hosted annually by the IISE Data Analytics and Information Systems (DAIS) Division. The DAIS Division brings together academic, industry and government professionals working at the intersection of data analytics and information systems.
IISE is an international, nonprofit association that provides leadership for the application, education, training research and development of industrial and systems engineering.
Mizzou 糖心Vlog传媒 offers nine master鈥檚 degrees and seven PhD programs. Explore graduate opportunities!