Profile
Dr. Rys’ research interests include the human element in transportation systems, visibility and retro-reflectivity, rumble strips design and performance, roundabouts design and performance, modeling and simulation of natural disasters, transportation logistics, experimental design, and benefit-cost analysis. She teaches courses in human factors engineering/ergonomics, design of experiments and engineering economy. Dr. Rys joined the faculty in 1989. Research area: Human Factors
Education
Ph.D., Kansas State University, 1989
M.S. Kansas State University, 1986
B.S., Technical University of Wroclaw, Poland, 1979
Honors and Awards
The IMSE Department Outstanding Teacher of the Year (1999, 2010)
Outstanding IIE Faculty Advisor for the South Central Region by the Institute of Industrial Engineers (2009)
The Mortar Board Senior Honor Society Outstanding Professor/Advisor for the College of Engineering (2005)
Advisor of the Year, College of Engineering 1999
“Data Collection to Support NBAF Risk Assessment.” M. Vanier, M. Rys, L. Zurek and J. Harrington, Gryphon Scientific, March 2010 – December 2010, ($33,841).
“Data Collection to Support NBAF Risk Assessment.” M. Vanier, M. Rys, and J. Harrington, Signature Science, LLC, March 2010 – December 2010, ($36,837.48).
“A Review of KDOT Overhead Guide Sign Lighting Policy.” M. Rys, A. Rys and E. Russell, Kansas Department of Transportation, November 2010 – June 2012, ($89,000).
Graduate Student Support, M. Rys, January 1, 2010 – May, 2011, University Transportation Center, Kansas State University, ($5,000/Kathryn Davis and $5,000/Daniel Karkle).
“Keeping Vehicles on the Roadway in Rural Areas: Analysis of Run-off-the-Road Crashes, S. Dissanayake, E. Russell, M. Rys and R. Stokes, University Transportation Center, ($119,972).
“Study of KDOT Policy on Lane and Shoulder Minimum Width for Application of CLRS,” M. Rys and E. Russell, Kansas Department of Transportation, July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2011, ($59,000).
“Promoting Center Line Rumble Strips to Increase Rural, Two-lane Highway Safety,” M. Rys and E. Russell, Kansas Department of Transportation and UTC, July 1, 2007 – May 2009, ($79,000).
Teaching
IMSE 050 Industrial Plant Studies
IMSE 580 Manufacturing Systems Design and Analysis
IMSE 625 Work Environments
Research Interests
Human element in transportation systems
Visibility and retro-reflectivity
Rumble strips design and performance
Roundabouts design and performance
Modeling and simulation of natural disasters
Transportation logistics
Experimental design
Benefit-cost analysis
Memberships
Human Factors and Ergonomics Society
Institute of Industrial Engineers
Women in Engineering Programs & Advocates Network
Selected Publications
D.E. Karkle, Margaret J. Rys, and E.R. Russell, “Centerline Rumble Strips: A Study of External Noise” Journal of Transportation Engineering. Posted ahead of print 30 September 2010 http://scitation.aip.org/getabs/servlet/GetabsServlet?prog=normal&id=JTPEXX000001000001000162000001&idtyp e=cvips&gifs=yes
Margaret J. Rys and Romal S. Jacob, “Pilot Car Wait Time Notification System,” Journal of Transportation Engineering, Vol. 135, No. 11, November 2009
Margaret J. Rys, Harshit D. Shah and Eugene Russell “Study of Driver’s Behavior at Passive Railroad-Highway Grade Crossings,” Journal of Transportation Research Forum, Vol. 48, No. 2, pp. 39-50, 2009.
Margaret J. Rys, Lucas Gardner, and Eugene R. Russell, “Evaluation of Football Shaped Rumble Strips versus Rectangular Rumble Strips,” Journal of Transportation Research Forum, Volume 47, No 2, pp. 41-54, 2008.
S. Mandavilli, Margaret J. Rys and E. Russell, “Environmental Impact of Modern Roundabouts,” International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, Vol.37, Issue 2, 2008.
G. Nahate and Margaret J. Rys, “3D Calculation of Stopping Sight Distance from GPS Data,” Journal of Transportation Engineering, Vol.132, No. 9, pp. 691–698, September 1, 2006.
K. Chen, Margaret J. Rys and E. S. Lee, “Modeling of Thermal Comfort in Air Conditioned Rooms by Fuzzy Regression Analysis,” International Journal of Mathematical and Computer Modeling, Vol. 43, Issues 7-8, pp. 809-819, April 2006.