Issue Articles

An HFES member for more than 40 years, William Johnson (Dr. Bill) is leaving the FAA Chief Human Factors Scientist position, effective January 1, 2021. 

If you have submitted nominations for this year's election, please accept our sincere thanks for participating. If you have not, then please give thought to nominating a deserving potential candidate or even consider self-nominating.  Here's why:

Participating as a member of the HFES Executive Council provides many professional and personal benefits for those who volunteer. Chief among them is that being part of the Executive Council provides a great opportunity to enhance one’s leadership skills. It also provides members with another ‘team’ to work with outside of their employment, giving them a chance to learn new skills or enhance current skill sets. Moreover, it is a fantastic opportunity to give back to your profession and to your professional Society.

AMIE in the New Normal:  Designing New Possibilities

Get to know the candidates running for office in this year's election.

It is with great pleasure that we welcome our newly elected officers and At-Large Executive Council Members!

Preparations are underway for the mHealth Student Design Competition at the 2022 Human Factors in Health Care Symposium!

Lewis-Burke Associates – December 9, 2022 

On November 8, 2022, U.S. held the midterm elections for the U.S House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.  Despite historical trends and political projections of a “red wave,” Democrats retained control of the Senate and Republicans won only a narrow majority in the House.  This will usher in at least two years of divided government, but significantly constrain overly partisan legislation or attempts by Republicans to roll back major legislation passed over the last two years.  Divided government may also cause gridlock and prevent President Biden from advancing more ambitious legislation.

Dearest HFES members -

This is one of the co-chairs of our HFES LGBTQ+ affinity group, Hanna, here to say:

Happy Pride Month!!

I know we are about halfway through the month, but if your inbox or social media feed has looked anything like mine, you’ve probably seen plenty of “Happy Pride!” messages by now.

My intention in writing this message isn’t just to say happy Pride, though. Nor is it to remind us all that HFES is an organization committed to recognizing and celebrating members of the LGBTQ+ community. Rather, I want to prompt us to use Pride month to explore the history of Pride, to get curious about others’ experiences, and to reflect on and commit to tangible ways of creating a more just world.

The riots at the Stonewall Inn in 1969 are best known as the start of Pride. This historical moment demonstrated the LGBTQ+ community’s strength, when united, to stand up against unjust systems. Pride month became a way to demand continued change on behalf of queer people. Today, Pride remains a protest, but also is a chance to honor the work done by our Black, Trans, Queer ancestors–Marsha P. Johnson, Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, Sylvia Rivera, among others.

Pride is also a time for us to be curious about the variety of experiences of the LGBTQ+ community–those folks who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Non-binary, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, and on. While folks with one (or more) of these identities all belong to the LGBTQ+ community, their experiences are far from homogenous. This is especially the case when considering&

The 2025 National Defense Authorization Act requires the Department of Defense to review the HFES/ANSI 400 Standard on Human Readiness Levels (HRL) to determine if it can be incorporated into DOD procedures "in order to enhance safety in relation to human factors”.  In addition, the DOD is to report on the HRL of all major development and acquisition programs.  This accomplishment represents the successful culmination of a multi-year effort by HFES and Lewis-Burke Associates to improve the consideration of human factors in defense programs.  It is a major win for improved safety and human performance.

We are excited to announce that the call for abstracts for ASPIRE - the International Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) is open!

Submit Your Nomination

The Aerospace Systems TG is currently seeking nominations for Technical Group Chair-Elect.  This appointment will begin immediately after the election, shadowing and working with the current Program Chair, Dr. Julie Gilpin-McMinn. The Chair-elect term will run through December of 2023, at which time they will transition to TG Chair for two years, until January of 2026.

Officer role descriptions:

The TG chair has the overall responsibility to ensure that the group meets its minimum requirements. The chair works with the HFES executive director in scheduling the TG's annual business meeting and arranging other events; with the electronic communications chair regarding timing, content, and distribution method of TG communications; and with other officers to ensure that TG activities are being carried out. The chair also represents the TG as a member of the Council of Technical Groups.

 The Chair-Elect assists the current chair as needed, though ultimate responsibility for the TG's operation lies with the current chair.

The deadline to submit is Monday, October 17, 2022. 

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is pleased to announce the publication of a new R18 funding opportunity announcement (RFA-HS-22-008) entitled “Diagnostic Centers of Excellence: Partnerships to Improve Diagnostic Safety and Quality (R18).”

Human Factors in Healthcare aims to provide a worldwide platform for the work of human factors professionals who specialize in healthcare, as well as industry professionals who rely on human factors knowledge, methods, and theories, including healthcare providers and administrators, medical device and pharmaceutical industries, and regulators

This Spring HFES posted a request for proposals for the first HFES Seed Grants Targeting the Intersections of HF/E and Anti-Racism/Anti-Bias, as part of the HFES action plan developed in the summer of 2020 for supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts within and outside of HFES. 

The ASPIRE 2026 Early-Career Faculty Academy supports pre-tenure faculty in human factors, ergonomics and related disciplines through interactive sessions on research, teaching, funding, publishing, mentorship, work-life balance and career development. Applications are due August 20, 2026, for this sponsored academy taking place October 19, 2026, at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada.

Dr. Darliana Mohammad of the Universiti Malaysia Kelantan investigated the ergonomic risks common to workers in the batik industry.

This paper addresses diversity within the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and how the pursuit of “authentic” diversity is essential to realizing the Society’s overarching goals for inclusion and equity.

This student paper competition is co-sponsored by Committee F48 on Exoskeletons and Exosuits and the ASTM Exo Technology Center of Excellence.  This award is given to encourage students to develop, present, and publish high quality research papers in the area of exo technologies, which include exoskeletons, exosuits, and related wearable technologies. The 2020 theme is, Designing Safe Exoskeletons and Exosuits.  Students are encouraged to identify relevant standards and discuss strategies to test and demonstrate the safety of these devices.
 

ASTM International ET CoE Webinar on Research to Standards for Mobility, Cognitive Fit, and Transitions

Boeing Technical Fellowship Program Announces Technical Fellows 

Human Centered AI. By Ben Shneiderman.  Oxford University Press, 2022.

A book review by Gerald P. Krueger on Questionnaire Design, one of the HFES publications in the Methods Series.

The Student Affairs Committee is pleased to recognize the accomplishments of and service to the Society by our students and student chapters through the Student Member with Honors Award and the Outstanding Student Chapter Award

The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) is pleased to announce the first LAC Connections Symposium to take place virtually February 6 - 8, 2023

Call for Applications to the  

HFES Science Policy Fellowship Program 

The HFES Science Policy Fellowship (SPF) program provides a valuable opportunity for HFES members to learn how to successfully advocate for human factors and ergonomics on the national stage.   SPF Participants will receive extensive training in public affairs, advocacy and outreach to be provided by Lewis-Burke Associates and the HFES Government Relations Committee during the HFES Annual Meeting. They will also participate in an annual spring Capitol Hill Day in Washington, D.C., including a Hill visit training session and a policy-related speaker prior to the visit day.  They will be invited to attend monthly conference calls with Lewis-Burke and the HFES Government Relations Committee covering ongoing events and opportunities for HFES to engage in policy decisions.  

Following an initial 1-year term in the SPF program, each program graduate will commit to 2 years of service in an outreach capacity. They will create a customized plan that may include continued participation in the Capitol Hill day and interactions with policy makers in DC, working at the local/state level, serving on the GRC or a subcommittee, and other forms of outreach developed by each participant. HFES SPF participants and graduates will form the basis of a future brain trust with expertise in outreach creating a pipeline of politically engaged and knowledgeable members within HFES. 

Successful applicants should be members of HFES (Associate or Full) for at least 5 years. Applicants are invited to provide a 1-page statement of interest, a current C.V. that includes the applicant’s name and both home and business addresses, and a letter of support from their employer to participate.  Successful applicants must be eligible to vote in the United States. Applications materials should be sent to mica@satechnologies.com by April 30, 2025.  

Criteria for selection include good communications skills and a balance across geographical location, institution type, demographics, and areas of expertise. Up to 5 SPF participants will be selected.  Please direct any questions to Mica Endsley, Government Relations Chair, at  mica@satechnologies.com.   

The HFES Science Policy Fellowship (SPF) program provides a valuable opportunity for HFES members to learn how to successfully advocate for human factors and ergonomics on the national stage.   SPF Participants will receive extensive training in public affairs, advocacy and outreach to be provided by Lewis-Burke Associates and the HFES Government Relations Committee during the HFES Annual Meeting. They will also participate in an annual spring Capitol Hill Day in Washington, D.C., including a Hill visit training session and a policy-related speaker prior to the visit day.  They will be invited to attend monthly conference calls with Lewis-Burke and the HFES Government Relations Committee covering ongoing events and opportunities for HFES to engage in policy decisions.

Following an initial 1-year term in the SPF program, each program graduate will commit to 2 years of service in an outreach capacity. They will create a customized plan that may include continued participation in the Capitol Hill day and interactions with policy makers in DC, working at the local/state level, serving on the GRC or a subcommittee, and other forms of outreach developed by each participant. HFES SPF participants and graduates will form the basis of a future brain trust with expertise in outreach creating a pipeline of politically engaged and knowledgeable members within HFES.

Successful applicants should be members of HFES (Associate or Full) for at least 5 years. Applicants are invited to provide a 1-page statement of interest, a current C.V. that includes the applicant’s name and both home and business addresses, and a letter of support from their employer to participate.  Successful applicants must be eligible to vote in the United States. Applications materials should be sent to mica@satechnologies.com by May 12, 2023.

Criteria for selection include good communications skills and a balance across geographical location, institution type, demographics, and areas of expertise. Up to 5 SPF participants will be selected.  Please direct any questions to Mica Endsley, Government Relations Chair, at  mica@satechnologies.com. 

The HFES Science Policy Fellowship (SPF) program provides a valuable opportunity for HFES members to learn how to successfully advocate for human factors and ergonomics on the national stage.

Learn how to successfully advocate for human factors and ergonomics on the national stage.

The HFES Science Policy Fellowship (SPF) program provides a valuable opportunity for HFES members to learn how to successfully advocate for human factors and ergonomics on the national stage.

The NIOSH Board of Scientific Counselors is seeking nominations for new members to serve starting in 2024. The Board is composed of 15 experts who meet twice a year to provide advice to the NIOSH Director

Each year, Federated societies of the International Ergonomics Society are invited to forward names of candidates to be considered for IEA Fellowship. 

HFES is accepting applications for IEA Fellow from its members through Monday, April 24.

Nominations are now being accepted for the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society’s first HFES Doctoral Colloquium, which will take place at the 67th HFES Annual Meeting in Washington, DC.

Nominations are now being accepted for the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society’s second HFES Doctoral Colloquium, which will take place at ASPIRE, the HFES Annual Meeting in Phoenix, AZ.