Amid the 130 undergraduate researchers that presented at the Ninth annual Undergraduate Research Day on October 10, construction management student Eric Talley won one of the outstanding poster awards for his exemplary display and presentation.
Talley’s research, Look-Ahead Scheduling for Electrical Contractors, Best Practice Design and Field Case Study, focused on developing and implementing a look-ahead scheduling model that specifically addresses the challenges faced by electrical contractors. “The SURF-UH program and Undergraduate Research Day were very positive experiences. It was nice to have a chance to show off our hard work,” said Talley.
His research tackles electrical construction issues due to the lack of collaborative planning, constraint management, work packaging and look-ahead scheduling. With the collaboration of Pfeiffer and Son, LTD as his field case study, Talley raised awareness of how the poor management of long lead materials and equipment, trade stacking, and schedule acceleration affected productivity and job performance. Due to the improved efficiency of electrical contractors, his research proved the viability of this scheduling model.
Dr. Lingguang Song, associate professor in construction management, served as advisor for Talley’s research. “Eric's research showcased of applied construction research, which is researchers working closely with the industry to improve practices, one step at a time,” Dr. Song said.
When further asked about his experience, Talley remarked that the best part of this experience was sharing the award with Dr. Song and Earl Ritchie, who earned his M.S. in Construction Management last spring. “This truly was a team project and I am very grateful for their leadership,” he said.