HFES webinars provide continuing education on a variety of topics and domains aligned with the interest areas of our technical groups. HFES webinars provide insights into the latest HF/E research and innovations. Our next webinars are listed below.
Upcoming Webinars
Sustainability Technical Group Webinar: Human Factors in Sustainable Supply Chain
Sponsored by SUSTG
August 26 2025 12:00 PM ET
As industries increasingly align with the United Nations Sustainability Goals and strive for greener operations, there is a pressing need to thoroughly address the emerging risks that accompany this transformation. Energy-intensive and environmentally harmful sectors are undergoing substantial technological advancements in response to growing pressures from stakeholders, regulatory bodies, and the market’s demand for sustainable practices. A significant portion of a company’s total emissions comes from its supply chain, including raw material acquisition, manufacturing, and end-of-life processes.
According to a report by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), companies’ supply chains are responsible for up to 11.4 times their direct emissions—more than 90% of their total greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, suppliers are being selected not only based on their quality, speed, and cost, but also on their adherence to sustainable criteria. However, the rapid pace of sustainable technological evolution might pose significant challenges for many suppliers, as emerging systems, practices and technologies can exceed the workforce’s capacity to adapt, thereby creating a skills gap that endangers both safety and operational integrity.
At the core of these challenges lies the critical issue of human factors. Such human failures often arise due to insufficient training, cognitive overload, and a lack of familiarity with new technologies and processes. However, Human factors, encompassing individual behaviours, organizational culture and leadership styles, can either facilitate or hinder the successful adoption of new processes and technologies (Kotter, 1996; Hiatt & Creasey, 2012).
This webinar seeks to explore the various dimensions of human performance risks within the supply chain sector as industries move away from traditional methods and embrace innovative, sustainable approaches. It introduces a practical framework aimed at managing human failures, which emphasizes the importance of adapting innovative practices and embedding human factors principles into supply chain management strategies. Key strategies highlighted include the implementation of extensive training programs tailored to equip employees with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate new systems and processes effectively.
Fostering a robust safety culture—one that encourages open communication about risks and promotes shared responsibility for safety—is essential. The design of organizational systems must take into account human limitations and capabilities, ensuring that they are user-friendly and conducive to optimal performance.
Speakers:
Rekha Sharma, Operations Director, GRIP Global Pte. Ltd.
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Rekha Sharma, the Operations Director at GRIP Global Pte. Ltd., is an accomplished expert in human factors, process safety management, risk management, and technical safety studies. With over 24 years of professional experience, she has made significant contributions to multiple industries, including offshore, onshore oil & gas, refineries, infrastructure, and safety management consultancy. Rekha’s journey spans various roles in design engineering, construction, operations, and management consulting, showcasing her versatility and commitment to excellence. |
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Occupational Ergonomics Technical Group Webinar: Interdisciplinary Insights: Exploring Careers in Occupational Ergonomics (Part 1)
Sponsored by OETG
September 11 2025 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM ET
This event will bring together speakers from academia, industry, and healthcare to discuss how various disciplines approach occupational ergonomics.
Speakers:
Dr. Karl Zelik, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Vanderbilt University
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Dr. Karl Zelik is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Vanderbilt University, with joint appointments in Biomedical Engineering and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. His research focuses on biomechanics and the development of wearable assistive technologies—such as exosuits and prosthetics—to enhance human mobility, reduce injury risk, and improve quality of life. Dr. Zelik is the co-director of Vanderbilt’s Center for Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology and co-founder of HeroWear, a company commercializing back-assist exosuits for industrial workers. His work has led to innovations in soft wearable devices and military exoskeletons. He has received multiple national honors, including the International Society of Biomechanics Promising Scientist Award, the American Society of Biomechanics Young Scientist and Goel Awards, and the Nashville Emerging Leader Award for his translational research and societal impact.
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Dr. Mark Schall, Associate Professor of Industrial & Systems Engineering, Auburn University
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Dr. Mark Schall is an Associate Professor of Industrial & Systems Engineering at Auburn University and Director of the Center for Occupational Safety, Ergonomics, & Injury Prevention. His research focuses on occupational biomechanics, musculoskeletal disorder prevention, and the use of wearable sensors to quantify physical exposures in the workplace. Dr. Schall has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and is recognized for advancing the understanding of posture, movement variability, and fatigue-related injury mechanisms in industrial settings. He actively mentors graduate students pursuing careers in human factors and safety engineering, and in 2021, he was named one of the National Safety Council’s “Rising Stars of Safety,” recognizing his national leadership in occupational health research.
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Dr. Christopher Reid, Senior Technical Fellow, Boeing
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Dr. Christopher Reid is a Senior Technical Fellow and Boeing Designated Expert in both the Human Factors & Ergonomics discipline and wearable technology. Based out of Charleston, South Carolina, USA, he is part of the Executive Fellowship in Boeing’s Human Factors Engineering Functional Chief Engineer’s (FCE) Office while also supporting the Safety & Airworthiness FCE Office, Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) and Production Systems. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Practice at Clemson University’s Department of Industrial Engineering. Prior to Boeing, Dr. Reid worked for Lockheed Martin on astronaut spacesuit assessment as a Human Factors & Ergonomics Discipline Lead at NASA Johnson Space Center and as a Human Factors Engineer for the US Army Natick Labs, assessing Warfighter personal protective equipment. Outside of Boeing, he volunteers his time on several technical associations. He is a Fellow and Past President of the Human Factors & Ergonomics Society, is a past member of ASTM International’s Board of Directors, and current Chair of the ASTM F48 Committee on Exoskeletons and Exosuits. He is also a member of the National Academies' Board on Human Systems Integration (BOHSI). At the National Safety Council, he advises on the Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD) Solutions Lab Advisory Council and Delegates Committee. He is a graduate of the University of Central Florida (UCF), earning degrees in Electrical Engineering Technology (BS) and Industrial Engineering (MS & PhD).
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Thomas Rowell, Thomas Rowell Consulting
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Thomas Rowell is a Certified Professional Ergonomist with over 25 years of experience in occupational safety, ergonomics, and manufacturing operations. He spent 16 years at IBM, where he led ergonomics and safety programs for over 50,000 employees across 16 states. His responsibilities included global ergonomics program development, workplace analysis, injury investigation, design review, and customized training. Following IBM, he served as Operations Manager at CESCO Magnetics, overseeing the relocation and full-scale management of a CNC-equipped manufacturing facility serving the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. He was responsible for quality assurance, inventory, scheduling, IT, and environmental compliance. Currently, he leads Thomas Rowell Consulting, providing ergonomics expertise to a wide range of clients, including those in oil & gas, technology, finance, government, and art assembly.
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Dr. S. Camille Peres (CHFP), Human Factors Specialist, Nuclear Regulatory Commission
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Dr. S. Camille Peres is a Certified Human Factors Professional (CHFP) and a Human Factors Specialist with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. She has deep knowledge and skills in research methods associated with Applied Psychology and Human Factors/Ergonomics (HF/E)—particularly associated with high-risk industries. Over her career, she has conducted collaborative research on Human Factors in high-risk processing industries (e.g., oil and gas industry, chemical processing, and emergency response). Some recent studies focused on Human Robotic Interaction in disaster environments, the use of visualizations for electrical grid management, and she has an extensive body of research investigating performance implications for procedure design and use. She currently serves as President of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (2024–2025) and has over 125 peer-reviewed journal and conference publications. She received her PhD and MA in Psychology from Rice University in 2005, and prior to that, received her BA and MA from the University of Houston-Clear Lake. Since then, she has been a tenured faculty at the University of Houston-Clear Lake and Texas A&M University. In 2024, she moved to applying her knowledge of HF/E to the regulatory domain and joined the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, where she is a technical reviewer.
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Dr. Sophia Ulman, Division Director - Movement Science Laboratory, Scottish Rite for Children (Texas)
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Dr. Sophia Ulman is the Division Director of the Movement Science Laboratory at Scottish Rite for Children (Texas) and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Her research examines movement patterns and muscle activity to evaluate injury risk and improve functional performance, movement efficiency, and long-term health in youth athletes. Her work particularly focuses on lower extremity injuries, sport specialization, and overtraining. Dr. Ulman earned a BSc in Engineering from Duke University, followed by MSc and PhD degrees in Engineering with a concentration in Biomechanics from Virginia Tech, supported by the NIOSH Training Fellowship. Since joining Scottish Rite in 2019 as Assistant Director of the Movement Science Lab, she has led clinical research involving pediatric patients treated for sports-related injuries. She brings substantial expertise in motion analysis and applies biomechanics data to support clinical decision-making and return-to-play strategies. Her lab collaborates closely with physical therapists and sports medicine physicians on numerous research projects aimed at understanding injury risk among youth athletes.
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Moderators:
Harrison Sims, University of Michigan
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Harrison Sims is a second-year industrial and operations engineering PhD student at the University of Michigan, specializing in human factors. His research primarily focuses on the modeling and characterization of human-human and human-agent teams. Harrison holds a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, where he focused on healthcare safety research. Harrison is a student representative on the OETG leadership team.
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Ahmad Raza Usmani, Virginia Tech
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Ahmad Raza Usmani is a third-year Ph.D. candidate in Industrial and Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech, specializing in ergonomics and human factors. His research focuses on the ergonomic evaluation and human-centered design of assistive technologies to reduce physical demands in occupational tasks. Ahmad holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Aligarh Muslim University in India, and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati. He has authored peer-reviewed publications, presented at major international conferences, and is currently working on an industry-sponsored project with UAW-Ford as part of his dissertation. He also serves as a student representative on the OETG leadership board.
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Occupational Ergonomics Technical Group Webinar: From Student to Professor: Exploring Careers in Occupational Ergonomics (Part 2)
Sponsored by OETG
September 16 2025 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM ET
This webinar will focus on academic career opportunities and pathways in occupational ergonomics. The panelists will be early- and mid-career faculty who will share their career journeys, describe their research and teaching responsibilities, and offer guidance on navigating the academic job market. The goal is to help prospective faculty better understand how to succeed in academic roles within the field. Topics covered include:
- Highlight Career Diversity: Show how a background in occupational ergonomics and safety (including engineering, psychology, and public health) can lead to a variety of roles.
- Professional Growth Tips: Provide attendees with practical advice on networking, resume building, and skill development.
- Mentorship: Create a platform for informal mentorship and follow-up connections between academic speakers and attendees.
Speakers:
Dr. Oshin Tyagi, Assistant Professor of Industrial & Operations Engineering, University of Michigan
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Dr. Oshin Tyagi is an Assistant Professor of Industrial & Operations Engineering at the University of Michigan. She holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M University. Her research centers on understanding, assessing, and supporting human physical capabilities in high-risk and high-demand environments—particularly under conditions of fatigue and stress. She applies cutting-edge methods from neuroergonomics and occupational biomechanics to investigate brain–body interactions, with a strong focus on sex-specific differences in neuromuscular fatigue and functional brain dynamics. She has been recognized with several awards, including the 2022 Human Factors Prize from HFES for her equity-focused research on neuromuscular fatigue, the Abbott Science & Society Award for Emerging Scientists, and the HFES Student Member with Honors distinction. Dr. Tyagi’s interdisciplinary, human-centered approach positions her as a rising leader in the fields of ergonomics, human factors, and wearable technology design. |
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Dr. Hanjun Park, Assistant Professor of Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering, Texas Tech University
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Dr. Hanjun Park is an incoming Assistant Professor of Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering at Texas Tech University, where he will begin his tenure-track position in Fall 2025. He recently completed his Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech, with a concentration in occupational ergonomics and human factors, supported by the NIOSH Training Fellowship. He holds a B.S. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and an M.S. in Industrial Engineering from Seoul National University in Korea. His research focuses on occupational ergonomics and biomechanics, particularly human motor learning and adaptation to emerging assistive technologies such as exoskeletons. He also applies machine learning techniques to enhance biomechanical risk analysis. |
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Dr. Erika Pliner, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah
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Dr. Erika Pliner is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Utah. Her research integrates biomechanics, ergonomics, and neuroscience to advance personal and occupational safety. Before joining the University of Utah, she held postdoctoral positions at the University of Florida and the Neuroscience Research Center in Sydney, Australia. Dr. Pliner’s postdoctoral work broadly focused on the neural mechanisms of balance training and applications of mobile brain imaging. She earned her Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of Pittsburgh, where she investigated individual, environmental, and biomechanical risk factors for ladder falls. She also holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an M.S. in Engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Dr. Pliner has worked to translate her research into safer ladder use practices for individuals, industry, and government agencies. Her research training was fully funded by competitive awards, including the NIH Fellowship, Whitaker International Fellowship, and NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. |
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Moderators:
Harrison Sims, University of Michigan
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Harrison Sims is a second-year industrial and operations engineering PhD student at the University of Michigan, specializing in human factors. His research primarily focuses on the modeling and characterization of human-human and human-agent teams. Harrison holds a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, where he focused on healthcare safety research. Harrison is a student representative on the OETG leadership team.
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Ahmad Raza Usmani, Virginia Tech
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Ahmad Raza Usmani is a third-year Ph.D. candidate in Industrial and Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech, specializing in ergonomics and human factors. His research focuses on the ergonomic evaluation and human-centered design of assistive technologies to reduce physical demands in occupational tasks. Ahmad holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Aligarh Muslim University in India, and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati. He has authored peer-reviewed publications, presented at major international conferences, and is currently working on an industry-sponsored project with UAW-Ford as part of his dissertation. He also serves as a student representative on the OETG leadership board.
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Occupational Ergonomics Technical Group Webinar: From Student to Practitioner: Exploring Careers in Occupational Ergonomics (Part 3)
Sponsored by OETG
September 18 2025 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM ET
This webinar will focus on academic career opportunities and pathways in occupational ergonomics. The panelists will be early- and mid-career faculty who will share their career journeys, describe their research and teaching responsibilities, and offer guidance on navigating the academic job market. The goal is to help prospective faculty better understand how to succeed in academic roles within the field. Topics covered include:
- Highlight Career Diversity: Show how a background in occupational ergonomics and safety (including engineering, psychology, and public health) can lead to a variety of roles.
- Professional Growth Tips: Provide attendees with practical advice on networking, resume building, and skill development.
- Mentorship: Create a platform for informal mentorship and follow-up connections between academic speakers and attendees.
Speakers:
Dr. Rachel Hybart, Consultant, Rimkus
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Dr. Rachel Hybart is currently a Consultant at Rimkus, a firm specializing in forensic investigations and expert services. She holds a B.S. in Biological Engineering from Mississippi State University and a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Florida. Dr. Hybart’s research focuses on human gait, biomechanical analysis, human–robot interaction, and performance-enhancing technologies. Her work has involved developing biologically driven control algorithms for robotic exoskeletons and studying their effects on human gait. She currently manages the Rimkus Human Performance Laboratory, where she leads research using tools such as motion capture, electromyography (EMG), force plates, pressure insoles, and metabolic gas exchange systems. Dr. Hybart has published in journals including IEEE Open Journal of Engineering in Medicine and Biology and IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, and has presented her work at national and international scientific conferences. She is also a member of the American Society of Biomechanics. |
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Dr. Aanuoluwapo Ojelade, Biomechanical Engineer, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Tennessee
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Dr. Aanuoluwapo Ojelade is a Biomechanical Engineer at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Tennessee. Previously, he served as a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University at Buffalo. He earned his Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech, specializing in Occupational Ergonomics and Biomechanics. Before his Ph.D., he completed a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Osun State University, Nigeria, and an M.Eng. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech. Dr. Ojelade’s research focuses on developing and evaluating ergonomic interventions to understand both their benefits and unintended consequences, aiming to reduce workplace injury risks. He also applies machine learning techniques to identify and assess safety hazards to improve worker health and safety. In addition to his research, Dr. Ojelade has actively contributed to diversity and mentorship efforts, serving on Virginia Tech’s Graduate School Minority and Diversity Subcommittee and mentoring graduate students in Industrial and Systems Engineering. |
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Moderator:
Harrison Sims, University of Michigan
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Harrison Sims is a second-year industrial and operations engineering PhD student at the University of Michigan, specializing in human factors. His research primarily focuses on the modeling and characterization of human-human and human-agent teams. Harrison holds a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, where he focused on healthcare safety research. Harrison is a student representative on the OETG leadership team.
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Ahmad Raza Usmani, Virginia Tech
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Ahmad Raza Usmani is a third-year Ph.D. candidate in Industrial and Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech, specializing in ergonomics and human factors. His research focuses on the ergonomic evaluation and human-centered design of assistive technologies to reduce physical demands in occupational tasks. Ahmad holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Aligarh Muslim University in India, and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati. He has authored peer-reviewed publications, presented at major international conferences, and is currently working on an industry-sponsored project with UAW-Ford as part of his dissertation. He also serves as a student representative on the OETG leadership board.
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Past Webinar Recordings
Training Technical Group and Extended Reality Technical Group Webinar: Innovative Training Approaches to Evaluate and Enhance Human Performance
Original Air Date: August 13, 2025
Aerospace Systems Technical Group Webinar: Applying Human Factors Analysis in Designing Accessible Lavatories on Single-Aisle Aircraft
Original Air Date: August 13, 2025
HFES Perception and Performance Technical Group Webinar: Eye Tracking: How to Capture and Interpret User’s Point of View and Operator’s Gaze Strategies
Original Air Date: June 11, 2025
Interested in Hosting a Webinar?
Our webinars are delivered by subject matter experts, including HFES award winners, recent authors in Society publications, high-profile members and others conducting research or practice in key topical areas.
If you are interested in submitting a topic for consideration, please complete the submission form for the Webinar Committee's review.
Webinar Proposal Submission Form