Dr. Walter Rautenstrauch (1880-1951) took the Chair of Columbia University's Department of Industrial Engineering in the 1930s. He was instrumental in the creation of this department which is said to be the first such department in the United States. One of his most important students and colleagues was Seymour Melman

Seymour Melman

Seymour Melman was an American professor emeritus of industrial engineering and operations research at Columbia University's Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science....

 who went on to be a Professor in this department.

Rautenstrauch, together with Howard Scott

Howard Scott

Howard Scott was a controversial engineer who had an interest in technocracy, and helped to form the Technical Alliance, Committee on Technocracy, and Technocracy Incorporated.-Early life:...

, formed the Committee on Technocracy in 1932, which advocated a more rational and productive society headed by technical experts. In 1933, the Committee disbanded, largely because of different views held by the two men.