Erin Garcia
Industrial and Systems Engineering
Senior Lecturer

At 12 years old, Erin Garcia didn’t just visit a Honda plant — she found a path that would shape her future.

Years later, that same clarity guides Garcia, now a senior lecturer in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. But engineering was only one part of her path. She always wanted to teach — a goal she’s held since second grade — just not in a K-12 classroom.

By the time she earned her bachelor’s degree at Georgia Tech, she realized she didn’t have to choose. A career in higher education allows her to combine engineering with teaching at the collegiate level.

“I get to solve fun puzzles and help other people see why they’re fun too,” Garcia said.

That balance defines her classroom. 

She says industrial engineering is about modeling complex problems and adapting them to practical constraints. 

For Garcia, the most rewarding part is guiding students from frustration to understanding.

“In office hours, you can see the moment it clicks,” she said. “They go from ‘I don’t get this’ to being excited about it.”

Garcia has taught more than a dozen different courses at Auburn and developed new ones, including a healthcare-focused class shaped by industry input.

“I get to do things that I love and help other people see why they should love it too,” she said.