Northeastern Team Places Third at Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Industrial Engineering Case Competition
Main photo: Daunte Pean, Lucas Kirma, and Karim Kane
Daunte Pean, E’25, Karim Kane, E’25, and Lucas Kirma, E’25, industrial engineering, won third place at Disney’s national Industrial Engineering Case Competition. As part of the case study competition, the team took on the role as outside consultants for the city of Dallas and gave their recommendation on what form of entertainment should be built. They were tasked to design a presentation to city planners and investors on whether an aquarium or waterpark would be best for the city while considering various internal and external factors such as visitor experience, environment, maintenance/operating costs, and potential revenue.
As a team, they focused on taking a unique and creative approach that would make the business stand out. With all factors taken into account, they concluded that the aquarium’s value proposition would provide a more prosperous effect than the waterpark’s, as their solution offered both enhanced profitability and unparalleled educational value for visitors. The aquarium didn’t just provide a service to the consumer, it provided an unforgettable experience that would make consumers of all ages want to return.
The competition was a great chance to enhance the students’ skills in problem-solving and communication while delivering an effective solution. As third-place winners, they have the opportunity to have a meeting with full-time Disney industrial engineering staff to discuss the field, career opportunities, and other areas of interest.