A scaled model of the solar system, VOSS was created by an Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) team and supported by the Indiana Space Grant Consortium (INSGC) to “excite and inspire people of all ages to learn more about the solar system,” according to Tatara. It was named for Purdue alumna and NASA astronaut Janice Voss, dedicated in April 2015, and is an interactive field trip destination for elementary and middle school students.

“Students are entranced by walking through the solar system and physically wrapping their arms around the planets,” says Tatara.

After writing the information that now appears on the plaques at the model site, Tatara worked with graduate students to make the plaques more interactive and visually appealing. Then she became the Design Lead for the VOSS website. “The goal here was to create a website that could be accessed by anyone who had heard of or seen the model,” she explains. “I worked to create the website from scratch. I also worked a lot to provide information for all levels. Our team even did visits to local schools to have the students give feedback on the website.”

How does Tatara think her IE skills helped the project? “Industrial Engineering is very people-focused,” she says. “Being a design lead for the team really forced me to use these skills to ensure that all of our tasks were being completed as efficiently and effectively as possible.”

Tatara originally chose IE because she enjoys challenges and defining solutions. “Once somebody described an Industrial Engineer as a systems engineer whose primary subsystem is people,” she says. “That is exactly what I am interested in. I want to be able to define solutions and make change, but on the people level. I love making impacts that positively affect peoples' lives.”

Tatara has this advice for IE students: “Take pride in what you do and don't be afraid to bite off more than you can chew. Getting involved in Industrial Engineering as well as outside of it gives you great perspective and learning experiences. Challenging yourself to do something outside of your comfort zone makes you not only a better student, but overall, a more well-rounded person.”

This summer she will work at Procter and Gamble in Kansas City, plans to graduate in December 2016, and wants to start a master's degree at Purdue IE in Operations Research. “After my master's degree, I want to work in industry doing something that betters the lives of others,” she says. “Someday, I would love to do industrial engineering work abroad.”

Visit the VOSS model at Purdue University’s Discovery Park!

EPICS (Engineering Projects in Community Service) program brings together teams of undergraduate students to design, build and deploy real systems to solve engineering-based problems for local community service and education organizations. 

INSGC (Indiana Space Grant Consortium) has worked as a project partner for the Purdue University EPICS team, VOSS, providing support, funding, and outreach opportunities.

Writer: DeEtte Starr, starrd@purdue.edu