Bringing Innovation — and Construction Management — to Life

There is no normal day at the Oracle Industries Innovation Lab. Located in the Chicago suburb of Deerfield, Illinois, it brings together Oracle customers and technology partners to incubate and demonstrate new solutions to complex business challenges. By embedding new technologies into hands-on, simulated industry settings, Oracle can help customers experiment, learn, and innovate to stay ahead. The lab opened initially on a smaller site in 2018, then expanded in 2020 to a 20,000 square foot building with 30-foot high ceilings, giving industries room to operate when designing or testing their innovations.  

Overseeing it all is Burcin Kaplanoglu, vice president and co-founder of the lab. Kaplanoglu believes that workspaces such as Oracle's are beneficial to the future of many industries, including construction and engineering. So too is furthering the education opportunities for people in those fields, which is why Kaplanoglu helped to shape the curriculum for Northwestern Engineering’s Master of Science in Executive Management for Design and Construction (EMDC) program. He wanted people with knowledge of the industry to be able to work their way up to management positions. Just like how the Oracle lab provides innovators a place to advance their ideas, he views EMDC as a place for managers to learn how to advance their careers. 

Kaplanoglu sees clear differences between the construction and engineering industries compared with other fields, which is why he feels that a program like EMDC is necessary for the future of the industry. While an MBA teaches students how to be effective leaders, it doesn't provide the same lessons needed to manage some of the intricacies found in the construction and engineering industries.

"Construction is a very different beast compared to other industries, and that requires different management skills and aptitudes," Kaplanoglu said. "As an example, manufacturing is typically a repetitive process performed at a fixed location, making it easier to implement automation." 

In contrast, projects in engineering and construction, whether a bridge, building, airport, or port facility, are one-of-a-kind and normally located in the open environment. Therefore, the methods for managing productivity are very different.  

Kaplanoglu sees these differences firsthand at Oracle, where he helps accelerate innovations in a wide variety of industries, from construction and engineering to utilities, communications, and food and beverage. The Oracle lab is a place to test, validate, and explore how technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning move the innovation process forward.

“In the past we didn’t have a place to try different things,” he said. “Now when somebody says they are a startup company with a new technology, we say, 'Come and show us.' So it’s a place to actually make things happen. That’s the difference, and the result is a very immersive experience." 

Kaplanoglu began his relationship with Northwestern Engineering in 2008 as an adjunct lecturer in the Master of Project Management (MPM) program. It was through MPM that he began collaborating with faculty to help develop the foundation for what would ultimately become the EMDC program. While he does not teach in EMDC, he continues to advocate on its behalf. He recognizes the value of how the curriculum is structured and appreciates that faculty members are industry professionals who have decades of experience in the construction and engineering fields. 

"EMDC is uniquely designed for the specific needs of the industry," Kaplanoglu said. "You could get a different management degree, but EMDC is very specific to engineering and construction and the needs of executives who run those companies."