Annual Dieter W. Jahns Student Practitioner Award

The Foundation for Professional Ergonomics (FPE) initiated the Dieter W. Jahns Student Practitioner Award in 2010. The award, named in memory of Dieter W. Jahns, a life-long advocate of the practice of Ergonomics and a leader in Ergonomics Certification, is an annual award and is given to the student (or group of students) for an Ergonomics project that demonstrates the major practice areas of Ergonomics: Analysis, Design, and Evaluation (see past winners). The purpose of the award is to advance professionalism in Ergonomics by recognizing educational activities that demonstrate how professional ergonomists serve to make our lives at work and at home healthier, safer, more productive, and more satisfying. This award is open to students (M.S. or Ph.D.) in Ergonomics and Ergonomics-related programs. Students who have completed their graduate degrees in the past year are also eligible.

Download the complete details on criteria and submission format.

Important Dates for the Next Award
Submission Deadline: May 31, 2013
Notification: July 31, 2013
Award Presentation: October 1, 2013

The Award and cash prize of $500 (US) will be presented at the BCPE Reception during the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, September 30-October 4, 2013, in San Diego, California, USA. The winner does NOT have to travel to San Diego to accept the award.

Criteria

As this is a practitioner award, the student (or students) should describe and document a research or intervention project that exhibits:

  • the major practice areas of Ergonomics: Analysis, Design, and Evaluation
  • direct, practical application
  • final design recommendations or a description of how the resulting information can be applied to design

Entries will be judged by the Board of Directors of the FPE.

Submissions can be made individually or as a group. They should provide adequate descriptions, illustrations or photos, and details that address the judging criteria.

Submissions

Submissions can be made individually or as a group.

  1. Submissions should provide adequate descriptions, illustrations or photos, and details that address the judging criteria.
  2. Read the complete details for submission criteria and format. 
  3. Submission should be sent electronically to:

Robert J. Smillie, PhD, CPE
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ergonomists Without Borders

Vision

A world in which ergonomics knowledge and resources are accessible for all developing populations to live and work safely, efficiently and sustainably.

Mission

To improve quality of life by providing ergonomics expertise and resources to agriculturally and industrially developing communities, globally.

Ergonomists Without Borders provides services to organizations, groups, practicing professionals, and governments in industrially developing countries (IDC’s) around the world. This is mainly done through Consultant and Resource Assistance, Professional Seminars and Workshops, and IDC Development Initiatives.

To learn more about Ergonomists Without Borders (ErgonomistsWB), visit the Ergonomists Without Borders web site.

 

Student Mentoring

Bob Smillie, PhD, CPE heads the Awards and Recognition Committee which has focused on establishing an FPE sponsored Intern Program which exposes interns to experiences in accordance with the various components of the Ergonomist Formation Model. These students are not necessarily human factors students, but may be students in psychology, engineering or other related fields. It is hoped the internship exposure will encourage them to pursue a career as (or further education towards becoming) an ergonomics practitioner. The first enactment of the program began with Pacific Science & Engineering, with the plan to expand this program to other companies. Anyone interested in becoming involved with the student mentoring program should contact Bob Smillie at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Preparatory Classes for the BCPE Exam

Each year a BCPE preparatory class is offered at the Applied Ergonomics Conference. The small size of the review class makes it possible to target the class to the audience's needs by answering specific questions and practicing human factors problem solving scenarios. Attendees of past prep classes have included individuals with educational backgrounds in occupational and physical therapy, safety, and human factors engineering. The diverse backgrounds of attendees demonstrate that the profession remains one in which some individuals enter via higher education in human factors, while others enter from other professions. The FPE and BCPE acknowledge the board members of the Applied Ergonomics Conference (AEC) for choosing to offer the class despite its small number of attendees, recognizing that this is the only preparation class offered. The AEC board members feel that it is important to encourage professionalism through the credentialing process, as do the board members of the Foundation for Professional Ergonomics. Please check the web for the latest AEC dates and location.