Events

Contests

NEM Best Action Plan

National Ergonomics Month (NEM) in October is targeted at promoting human factors/ergonomics to the general public through outreach and community service. Since 2003, NEM has solicited proposals for the NEM Best Action Plan. Student chapters and individuals are invited to submit proposals for an NEM plan of action to promote HF/E in their schools and communities. The proposals are then reviewed by HFES volunteers. Awards are presented each year at the HFES Annual Meeting.

Plans can consist of any outreach activities, including workshops, volunteer work, community service, educational modules, community activities such as scavenger hunts, or any other activities or materials that aid in informing lay audiences — young and old — about the human factors/ergonomics field and its contributions to the general public. We have had some excellent submissions over the years.

Previous Winners

2017

First Place (tie) – Georgia Tech for conducting a “5-minutes” HF/E methods education program and hosting The Bad Design Atlanta competition to encourage members of the Atlanta community to spot instances of bad design in their area; the group offers suggestions for addressing poor designs through the application of HF/E principles.
First Place (tie) – Old Dominion University for educating their campus community on how to protect themselves from cyber attacks

2016

First Place – Georgia Tech, "Human Factors and Ergonomics for Future Generations"
Second Place – Wichita State University, "Continuing HF/E Education in the Wichita Community"
Third Place – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, "ERGO: Engaging Retail to Grasp Opportunity"

2015

Gold – Georgia Tech, "Space Race Aliens v. Humans"
Silver – Wichita State University, "Continuing HF/E Education in the Wichita Community"
Bronze – SUNY Binghampton, "'The Human Factors' Human Factors Jeopardy Game Show"

2014

Gold – University of Wisconsin-Madison, "Building an Open-Source Ergonomics Training Module"
Silver – Georgia Tech, "Seventh Annual Bad Design Atlanta Competition"
Bronze – George Mason University, "Human Factors Challenge"

2013

Alex Proaps, Old Dominion University; Jo Jardina, Wichita State University; and Rashmi Payyanadan, University of Wisconsin, Madison.

2010

First Place – New Mexico State University Student Chapter: Cultivating Young Minds and Encouraging Diversity: Introducing New Mexico High School Students to Human Factors and Ergonomics
Certificate of Excellence (individual) – Brittany L. Anderson, Old Dominion University: ErgoBride: Registries of 21st-Century Couples

2009

First Place – Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Student Chapter: NEM Action Plan
Second Place – Purdue University Student Chapter: HF/E Live at Purdue '09
Third Place (tie) – Georgia Institute of Technology Student Chapter: 2nd Annual Bad Design on Campus Contest: Blunders and Solutions
Third Place (tie) – Old Dominion University Student Chapter: Ergonomics MythBusters
Certificate of Excellence (individual) – Brittany L. Anderson, Old Dominion University: Ergonomics for Equines and Their Equestrians

2008

First Place – Collaborative effort between HFES Space Coast Chapter and the University of Central Florida Student Chapter: ERGOlympics
Second Place (tie) – Purdue University Student Chapter: Engaging Young Minds in Human Factors and Ergonomics Through Open and Creative Communication
Second Place (tie) – University of Massachusetts-Lowell Student Chapter: Ergonomics "Community Charlas"
Third Place – Old Dominion University: Design Your Own Robot

2007

First Place – Georgia Institute of Technology Student Chapter: A Targeted Approach to Educating the Next Generation of Human Factors Practitioners
Second Place – Purdue University Student Chapter: Creating a Timeless Network to Service and Teach Communities the Exciting World of Human Factors and Ergonomics!
Third Place – George Mason University Student Chapter: Bringing Human Factors to the People

2006

First Place – Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Student Chapter: NEM Action Plan

2005

First Place – Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Student Chapter: NEM Action Plan

2004

First Place – Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Student Chapter: Psyching up High School Students for Human Factors
Second Place – University of Central Florida Student Chapter: Reaching Out to the Masses: Promoting the Human Factors and Ergonomics Vision of Science
First Place (individual) – Julia A. Kalish, Purdue University: Ergonomics 24/7
Second Place (individual) – Di Meng and Eric Wienke, University of South Dakota: Human Factors on the Move

2003

First Place – Old Dominion University Student Chapter: Sharing the Knowledge of Human Factors and Ergonomics Through a Safety Slogan, NEM Games Presentations, and Habitat for Humanity
Second Place (tie) – University of Central Florida Student Chapter: Human Factors Is the Name, Creative Solutions Are the Game: Reaching Out, Raising Awareness, and Instigating Change
Second Place (tie) – Georgia Institute of Technology Student Chapter: A Four-Pronged Outreach: Age-Appropriate Exposure to the World of Human Factors and Ergonomics
Third Place (individual) – Julia A. Kalish, Purdue University: Office Workstation Olympics

Use of the National Ergonomics Month or Human Factors and Ergonomics Society logo is restricted. Please contact HFES for more information.