The Systems, Decisions, and Objectives (SDO) Lab is a research lab in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at NC State. The lab’s mission is to advance the science of engineered systems designed to adapt, evolve, and deliver long-term value within deeply uncertain environments.
As modern systems face unprecedented and unexpected disruptions in sectors such as national infrastructure, defense, aerospace, mobility, and healthcare, the SDO Lab addresses a critical guiding question: How should engineers architect today’s systems to meet immediate requirements while ensuring resilience against unpredictable future shifts?
Why is this research important?
Engineering complex systems requires the incorporation of interdisciplinary perspectives, creating solutions by synthesizing various components, dealing with uncertainty, and considering the unintended consequences of design decisions.
Our work synthesizes systems architecting, decision science, and digital engineering to bridge the gap between computational intelligence and human judgment. By developing rigorous decision-making frameworks and digital tools, we empower engineers to manage complexity and make confident, explainable choices that balance immediate performance with long-term adaptability.
The SDO Lab’s research program is organized into four core areas:
- Designing systems for change: Enabling systems to evolve, adapt, and remain resilient over time
- Decision-making under deep uncertainty: Ensuring explainability, traceability, and transparency in AI-supported workflows
- Portfolio-level strategy: Framing small-world engineering problems to balance risk, value, and adaptability
- Educating the next generation: Training the next generation to tackle ill-structured, complex problems using systems thinking, computational intelligence, and critical reasoning
What tools do we use?
To address these challenges, we draw upon research advances in design automation, multiobjective / multidisciplinary optimization, customer preference modeling techniques (such as conjoint analysis and discrete choice theory), data analytics (including AI/ML), product customization, requirements definition, system architecture modeling, and change propagation techniques.
Who has sponsored our research?
The SDO Lab actively collaborates with industry leaders, government agencies, and academic institutions to solve high-impact challenges at the intersection of complexity and long-term performance. Our goal is to provide the theoretical foundations and practical capabilities necessary to sustain critical functions in an increasingly uncertain world.
Who we are
The Systems, Decisions, and Objectives Lab was founded by Dr. Scott Ferguson in 2008 when he arrived at NC State. Originally, our group was called the System Design Optimization Lab with a focus on integrating optimization approaches and design automation tools. In 2023, we found our interests shifting toward the engineering decision-making challenges created by unresolvable uncertainties.
Members of our group work to foster a collaborative, productive research environment. Where possible, Dr. Ferguson works with his students to identify research projects that fit within the lab vision and match their interest and passion.
Opportunities for new students
The SDO lab is always interested in finding motivated, ambitious PhD students who are interested in conducting research in the area of engineering design theory and design automation. Please contact Dr. Ferguson for further inquiries.