A software industry leader will be on campus this week to discuss the future of business applications.

Raj Nathan, an ISU alumnus, will meet with students, faculty and staff in the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems and present a seminar titled “Application Software Infrastructure: The Road Ahead.”

Nathan will be speaking at 2:10 p.m. Thursday in Room 1134 of Sweeney Hall. The seminar is free and open to the public.

The seminar is a part of the Executive-In-Residence program, which runs April 17 to 21. It will cover issues such as n-teir architecture, enterprise portals, worldwide software development organizations and software-licensing models for the future.

“I want to give people a flavor for what is needed and kind of technology we are looking at for the future of business application,” Nathan said.

Nathan is currently the senior vice president and general manager, Internet applications division at Sybase Inc., in Emeryville, Calif. Sybase is the sixth-largest software company in the world.

In his presentation, Nathan will focus on the changes in the information technology field and how they have affected the software industry at various levels.

Pius Egbelu, professor and chairman of industrial and manufacturing systems engineering, said having Nathan on campus is an opportunity to examine fine points of the industry and its leadership roles.

“We look at [Nathan] as an ambassador of the industry. The students will have ample opportunity to receive inside information to determine if what they are doing is OK and what they can do differently in the future,” Egbelu said.

During his stay, Nathan also will be visiting industrial engineering and computer engineering classes.

“I will be teaching a few classes and visiting with students, faculty and staff as well,” Nathan said.

Egbelu said Nathan will also be speaking at the annual Senior Banquet addressing the graduating seniors as well as faculty and staff. The banquet will be in the Memorial Union at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

Nathan received his doctorate in engineering valuation from Iowa State in 1981 and since has served as president and division director of two leading information systems companies and as a faculty member at Kansas State University.

“Nathan uses his degree quite handsomely to grow in the industry. By interacting with students, they will gain additional information about how they, too, can become successful,” Egbelu said. “He is someone students can aspire to be and learn from.”

Nathan has received the Outstanding Manufacturing Engineer Award from the Society of Manufacturing Engineering in 1985 and the Distinguished Young Alumnus Award from Iowa State in 1988.