About SSQI
The mission of the Center for Services Science, Quality, and Innovation (SSQI) is to fulfill the research, outreach, and education needs of academia, industry, and government pertaining to the design, evaluation, and delivery of service systems. SSQI is the main point of contact at Virginia Tech for businesses and individuals who wish to improve the quality and innovation of services provided to industrial and consumer markets.
Research - The multidisciplinary nature of center participants results in research focused on a broad range of services related topics. The center's research agenda encompasses the fields of disaster recovery, healthcare, IT, e-government, security, hospitality, banking and financial services. SSQI research capabilities include knowledge management, data mining, visualization, customer relationship management, service quality, standards for outsourcing services, optimized service delivery, service contracts, cost structures for high-contact services; security, privacy, and risk; and innovations in service design. The center supports and conducts research that has practical relevance and value for the business community and theoretical significance for the academic community.
Outreach - Center members regularly make presentations on various aspects of service quality and innovation, both within the Virginia Tech community and to academics, organizations, and corporations at the regional, national, and international levels. Members are also available for customized seminars. An annual conference of service professionals and academics is planned.
Education -The Center promotes a curriculum that enhances graduate and undergraduate education in service systems, and brings together academia and industry to share the newest developments in services. Courses taught by members of the center provide a service focus to a diverse population of students from engineering, IT, and business disciplines. Students involved in center projects will emerge as potential employees who are both technically savvy and customer focused. Corporations, businesses and government alike need experienced workers who can simultaneously expand innovation and productivity; and can work successfully with both people and technology.