Affinity Groups provide mutual support and a sense of community to further the non-political, affinity-related interests of those engaged in human factors/ergonomics. These groups could be related to gender, ethnicity, national origin, veteran’s status, or other characteristics under the purview of the Diversity Committee. Their purpose is different from that of Technical Groups and Professional Groups.  Affinity Groups are an extension of HF/E Diversity and Inclusion efforts, focusing on both inclusivity within the profession and on advancing science that addresses longstanding societal problems. Affinity Groups differ from Technical Groups as they offer community, mentoring and support based on areas of collective identification.  Affinity Groups can concentrate on challenging our profession to address these dimensions of personal identification more thoughtfully.  We hope that these communities will play an integral role throughout the course of a member’s career. There is no cost to become a member of an HFES affinity group.

The following Affinity Groups are currently organized and any member may opt in to any of them by navigating to the applicable Community and clicking the “Join” button.  (Member login required.)

• HFE WOMAN (Women’s Group) 
• LGBTQ+
• People of Color
• Disability and Chronic Health Conditions

Why Join an Affinity Group? Why Does it Matter? 

HFES supports and celebrates the diversity of the students, practitioners, educators, researchers, and others who engage in the profession of human factors/ergonomics and the stakeholders who benefit from their practice.  We are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion across the broad range of human characteristics.  HFES Affinity Groups can serve as a “safe space” for open discussion and idea sharing across and within groups that have been historically underrepresented 

All interested persons, regardless of Society membership level, may participate in any Affinity Group.  Members of the Society interested in forming a new Affinity Group may file a petition with the Council of Affinity Groups.  The HFES staff will be pleased to provide details concerning the process.