IISE Northeastern University Chapter, home IISE Northeastern

Semester Projects

Real clients. Real systems.

Each semester, our members team up to solve a real operations problem for a Boston-area nonprofit.

This semester

Current project

Fall 2026 In progress

The Food Project

A Greater Boston nonprofit that runs farms, gardens, farmers markets, and youth programs. It has grown more than 5 million pounds of produce and built over 1,400 raised-bed gardens.

The challenge

Much of TFP's operational knowledge lives with individual staff, not in documented systems. It also has no long-term plan for its facilities, including whether to sell its 5,000 sq. ft. headquarters.

What we're doing

  • Process standardization: process maps, SOPs, and recommendations for digitizing resources.
  • Capital planning: a building assessment, maintenance roadmap, and decision matrix for future investments.

Why join

Why join a project

  • Real impact

    Your recommendations go to Boston nonprofits that put them to use.

  • Hands-on IE

    Use DMAIC, process mapping, decision matrices, and cost models on real problems.

  • Client experience

    Present your work to leadership and get a story to tell in co-op interviews.

  • Mentorship

    Each team is led by an upperclassman Project Manager.

We take on a new project every semester. Keep an eye out for the next one!

Follow for updates

Our track record

Past projects

Spring 2026

Cradles to Crayons

A nonprofit working to end clothing insecurity for children.

The challenge

Its 36,663 sq. ft. warehouse was on track to exceed Boston's BERDO emissions caps by 2035, and inventory was tracked by hand in a way that couldn't scale.

What we did

  • A phased emissions roadmap with three upgrades to meet the 2035 and 2040 targets, each paired with rebates and incentives.
  • A phone-based inventory app and Excel dashboard that takes volunteers under 5 minutes a day.

Fall 2025

St. Francis House

A Boston day shelter serving about 435 guests a day.

The challenge

It was renovating its building while keeping full service running for its guests.

What we did

  • Redesigned the kitchen and serving line into fixed stations so volunteers never cross paths.
  • Planned guest flow for the new space and built a cost model for a new 24-hour to-go station.

Spring 2025

211th Military Police Battalion

A Department of Defense military police battalion.

The challenge

Equipment audits were slow and tedious, items were hard to find quickly in an emergency, and newly purchased shipping containers sat unused.

What we did

  • Mapped the building's current state and proposed a new layout that groups high-priority items for faster access and puts empty containers and lockers to use.
  • Combined scattered monthly Excel files into one master sheet that links each item's serial number to its location, ready for audits.

Spring 2025

Boston Duck Tours

A Boston sightseeing company that runs tours by land and water.

The challenge

Tours regularly ran past their 80–90 minute target, pushing back later departures and lengthening shifts for drivers and guides.

What we did

  • Analyzed tour data from all three departure points and traffic along the routes, showing that only a shorter route would save time.
  • Recommended ways to use Samsara, the company's existing fleet software, to track stop times and anticipate delays.