Thomas Albin, Ph.D., CPE
Tom Albin PhD is a licensed professional engineer (PE) and a certified professional ergonomist (CPE). He holds a PhD from the Technical University of Delft in the Netherlands.
Tom divides his professional life between the Office Ergonomics Research Committee (www.oerc.org), where he is the Executive Director, and his consulting practice, High Plains Engineering Services. He has extensive experience as a researcher, corporate ergonomist, and product developer. In addition, he has been active in the US and International Standards community. He is accredited as a US expert to several International Standards Organization working groups and is Vice-Chair of the ISO committee revising the standards for input devices and workstation layout/postures. He chaired the committee that revised and published the American National Standard ANSI/HFES 100-2007 Human Factors Engineering of Computer Workstations and currently co-chairs the committee working on a new revision of that standard.
David Cochran, Ph.D., P.E., CPE
Dr. Cochran has a masters and a PhD in Industrial Engineering with an emphasis on Ergonomics from the University of Oklahoma. He is an Emeritus
Professor of Industrial Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, is a registered Professional Engineer, and is a Certified Professional
Ergonomist. Dr. Cochran served on the founding Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics and served an extended assignment with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in Washington D.C. where he was special assistant for ergonomics and functioned as the leader of the team developing the Ergonomics Program Standard — promulgated November 14, 2000 and rescinded in 2001. At this time he is on the board of the Foundation for Professional Ergonomics. Dr. Cochran is retired from teaching and research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His current research concerns cumulative traumas to the hand that result from using it as a striking device and the characterization of the dampening characteristics of human tissue.
Joseph Cohen, Ph.D., CHFP
Joseph Cohen is a consultant and principal of Error Analysis, Inc. His work focuses on safety applications, incident investigation and liability, and the influence of factors that shape human behavior and human performance. Joseph has partnered with clients in thirteen U.S. states, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Ireland, and Singapore during his 20-plus year career. Attorneys representing plaintiffs and defendants have retained Joseph in civil litigation as an expert consultant and/or witness. Joseph co-edited the e-book, The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society’s Guide to Forensic Human Factors (1987-2012). Joseph served as the President of the Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics in 2014 and 2015. His formal education includes a BA in psychology from University of California, Riverside, a MA in psychology (applied-experimental and human factors option) from California State University, Northridge, and MS and PhD degrees in industrial/organizational psychology from Alliant International University, San Diego. He is a certified human factors professional (CHFP).
Sheree L. Gibson, P.E., CPE
Vice President
Sheree L. Gibson is President of Ergonomics Applications, an industrial ergonomics consulting firm in South Carolina. Ms. Gibson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Science in Engineering in Applied Ergonomics, both from West Virginia University.
A professional engineer and certified professional ergonomist, Ms. Gibson has spent the last thirty-five years working in various positions in engineering and industrial ergonomics. She is active in several professional societies including the Foundation for Professional Ergonomics, the American Industrial Hygiene Association, the American Society of Safety Engineers, and the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. She is a past chair on the Ergonomics Committee of the American Industrial Hygiene Association. She is also a past president of the South Carolina Chapter of the National Safety Council.
Ms. Gibson has testified twice before the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on behalf of the American Industrial Hygiene Association regarding a federal ergonomics standard.
Waldemar Karwowski, Ph.D., D.Sc., P.E., CPE
Waldemar Karwowski is Pegasus Professor and Chairman, Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems, University of Central Florida, USA. He holds an M.S. in Production Engineering and Management from the University of Technology Wroclaw, Poland, and a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from Texas Tech University, USA. He was awarded D.Sc. in management science by the Institute for Organization and Management in Industry, Warsaw, and received the National Professorship title from the President of Poland (2012). Three Central European universities also awarded him Doctor Honoris Causa degrees. Dr. Karwowski served on the Board on Human Systems Integration, National Research Council, USA (2007–2011). He is currently the Co-Editor-in-Chief of Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science journal (Taylor & Francis, Ltd.), the Editor-in-Chief of Human-Intelligent Systems Integration journal (Springer), and the Field Chief Editor of the Frontiers in Neuroergonomics (Frontiers). Dr. Karwowski has over 550 research publications, including over 200 journal papers focused on mathematical modeling and computer simulation with applications to ergonomics, human systems integration, human-centered design, safety, neuro-fuzzy systems, nonlinear dynamics and chaos, and neuroergonomics. He is Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors (U.K.), Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES), Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE), and the International Ergonomics Association (IEA), and served as President of both HFES (2006-2007) and IEA (2000-2003). He received the William Floyd Award from the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors, the United Kingdom in 2017, and the David F. Baker Distinguished Research Award. Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, Atlanta, USA, in 2020. He was inducted into the Academy of Science, Engineering & Medicine of Florida (ASEMFL) at its Inaugural Annual Meeting in November 2020.
Richard T. Kelly, PhD, CPE
Secretary
Richard Kelly is Principal Scientist and Co-Founder of Pacific Science & Engineering Group, Inc., a human factors firm headquartered in San Diego. He earned a PhD in Engineering Psychology from New Mexico State University. He then worked as an engineering research psychologist for the US Army and for the US Navy. He has been involved in human performance research, human factors engineering, and technical management for over 40 years. His research and development activities have been recognized within the medical device, military, training, and system engineering communities.
Dr. Kelly has served as principal investigator on many substantial human factors projects. In these, he has been responsible for all aspects of problem oriented research and development on diverse scientific and military issues. For over 35 years, he has supervised and directed the activities of groups of research scientists, engineers, and support staff.
Dr. Kelly has authored many technical papers, book chapters, and reports. Most of these publications are in the areas of human information and decision-making processes, team collaboration and information transfer, system design, and advanced human-computer interface technologies. He has participated in many professional conferences, colloquia, and international panels. Dr. Kelly has provided human factors services as an expert witness, and he has taught several university courses and industrial seminars.
Dr. Kelly has served as a peer reviewer and has refereed manuscripts for several journals, professional conferences, and government agencies. He is a Certified Professional Ergonomist and a member of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and the American Psychological Association, Division 21: Applied Experimental and Engineering Psychology.
Susan Kotowski, Ph.D., CPE
Dr. Susan Kotowski is an Associate Professor at the University of Cincinnati (UC), College of Allied Health Sciences where she teaches in a large undergraduate Health Sciences Program. She teaches in the areas of biomechanics, ergonomics, kinesiology, motor control and human movement, research methods, and applied research. In addition to teaching, Dr. Kotowski researches primarily in the area of healthcare ergonomics and biomechanics, particularly in relation to care provider, patient and product interactions and intervention effectiveness, but her varied interests also keep her tied to research in other areas such as manufacturing, office ergonomics and student learning. She received her BS degree from the University of Dayton School of Engineering, MS degrees from UC's College of Engineering and UC's College of Medicine, and her PhD from UC's College of Medicine with concentration in Occupational Safety and Ergonomics. She is an active member of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and is the immediate past Secretary-Treasurer, and is active in the American Industrial Hygiene Association Ergonomics Committee as well. Dr. Kotowski is also a Certified Professional
Ergonomist.
Stephen C. Merriman, M.A.
Steve Merriman received a Master of Arts degree in Psychology from The American University and is a graduate of the Defense Systems Management College Program Management course. He has 50 years of experience as a practitioner of human factors engineering (HFE), crew station integration, user interface design, training system design, and human systems integration (HSI).
Steve has supported NASA on the Space Shuttle program, US Army on manned ground combat vehicles and unmanned air and ground vehicles, and the US Navy/USMC on 50+ military aircraft. From 1987 through 2015, he served in a variety of technical leadership positions with The Boeing Company, in St. Louis, MO and Dallas, TX. From 1967 until 1987, he held several systems acquisition and R&D positions with the Naval Air Systems Command, Naval Air Development Center, DOD Training and Performance Data Center and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Steve is an active member of several technical societies and government-industry associations, including the DoD HFE TAG, SAE International, NDIA, SAFE, AAP, HFES, FPE, USNAEPS, and AsMA. He is a Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Fellow, Aerospace Medical Association Associate Fellow and a Boeing Associate Technical Fellow (retired). He is also a past member of the US Air Force Scientific Advisory Board (FY15-18) and National Academies of Sciences panels.
Farzan Sasangohar, Ph.D.
Farzan Sasangohar is an Associate Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering, and Environmental and Occupational Health (courtesy) at Texas A&M University. He is also the Lead Research Scientist in the Center for Critical Care at Houston Methodist Hospital and an Adjunct Professor of Population Health at Weill Cornell Medical College. He received his Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from University of Toronto in 2015. He also received a S.M. in Engineering Systems from MIT in 2011, a MAS.c. in Systems Design Engineering and BCS in Computer Science from University of Waterloo in 2010 and 2007 (respectively), and a BA in Information Technology from York University in 2009. He is the co-author of Design for Health and has published more than 100 peer-reviewed publications. He currently serves as the Editor-in-Chief for Human Factors in Healthcare and as the Chair of the Technical Program Committee of Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) Annual Meeting. Dr. Sasangohar’s research interests include user-centered design and evaluation of remote and continuous monitoring tools for workers’ physical and mental health and performance in sociotechnical systems. He has received several international research, teaching, and service awards including the Hamed K. Eldin Outstanding Early Career IE in Academia Award from the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) and William C. Howell Young Investigator Award and Bentzi-Karsh Early-Career Service Award from HFES.
Robert J. Smillie, PhD, C.ErgHF, CPE
President
Robert J. Smillie is a retired senior expert consultant to the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) Office of the Chief Engineer. Shortly, after receiving his Ph.D. in human factors/psychology from North Carolina State University in 1977, Dr. Smillie went to work for the U.S. Navy in San Diego and worked there for over 30 years. He is a Certified Professional Ergonomist, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors, and a member of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.
Dr. Smillie has been responsible for research efforts in visualization of information, innovative interfaces to access information, assessment and application of collaborative technologies to command and control planning, design and development of a computerized aid for satellite communications, test and evaluation of a computerized, portable delivery device for aircraft maintenance information, and workload analysis and assessment of various Navy systems. In 1992, he took a long-term assignment in Washington, DC area where he served as an Assistant Director of the Defense Modeling and Simulation Office, planning, designing, and managing comprehensive research programs in modeling and simulation technologies. Dr. Smillie has authored over 50 technical reports and publications including one book and two book chapters on information design and performance aids.
Denny Yu, PhD, CPE
Treasurer
Denny Yu is an Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering at Purdue University. He is also an Adjunct Associate Professor of Surgery at Indiana University School of Medicine. Dr Yu received both his Ph.D. and his M.S.E in Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan. Dr. Yu is a Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE) and serves on the Boards of Directors for the Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics (BCPE), and the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) Work Systems Division. Dr Yu's research in health care has been recognized internationally and has won several awards: International Ergonomics Association (IEA)/Tsinghua HFE Education Award, the National Safety Council's Rising Stars of Safety award, the NIOSH Bullard-Sherwood Award (honourable mention), the American Society of Safety Engineers Safety Research Fellow, the FPE Dieter W. Jahns Student Practitioner Award, the RSJ/KROS Distinguished Interdisciplinary Research Award (RO-MAN 2021), and the 2021 Human Factors Prize (by the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society). Dr. Yu is a Fulbright Scholar.
