HFIG Talks...

In this episode of HFIG Talks, we sit down with Mario Iannuzzi, Lead UX Design Researcher at Thoughtworks and a University of Toronto alumnus, to explore the evolving landscape of Human Factors, UX research, and AI. With over a decade of experience across industries like finance, media, social technology, and consumer electronics, Mario shares valuable insights on:• Breaking into UX/HF research and the key skills needed for success• How UX/HF varies across industries and the challenges of designing for different domains• The growing role of AI in UX research, including its benefits and limitations• The future of UX/Human Factors and AI—where the field is heading• How students and new grads can prepare for careers in UX/HF research• Tips for staying engaged and continuously learning about emerging trends and technologyResources Mario recommends:Hard Fork podcast: https://www.nytimes.com/column/hard-forkLenny's Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/All opinions expressed are solely Mario's and do not express the views or opinions of his employer.

In this episode, we spoke with Professor Chignell, a Mechanical & Industrial Engineering faculty member at UofT since 1990. With over 40 years of experience in Industrial engineering, Professor Chignell speaks on his extensive educational background and how that brought him to human factors. He also goes in-depth talking about his start in Human-AI interaction research, his main concerns regarding Human-AI interaction, the role of human factors in addressing these issues, areas where Human-AI interaction are either progressing quickly or slow-going, and areas of special interest for him. Professor Chignell leaves off by sharing some valuable pieces of wisdom with listeners interested in pursuing research in Human-AI interaction.

In this episode, we spoke with Dr. Endsley, the President of SA Technologies with a Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering specializing in Human Factors from the University of Southern California and both Bachelors and Masters degrees in Industrial Engineering from Texas Tech University and Purdue University respectively. Dr. Endsley speaks on her educational background and career path thus far, projects she's worked on, the importance of situational awareness (SA) in human factors design, challenges she faced while founding SA Technologies, her experience being the first female Chief Scientist of the U.S. Air Force, and more. Finally, she finishes by encouraging students to “find interesting problems around you and look for solutions”.

In this episode, we spoke with Dr. Green, a research professor at the University of Michigan who also teaches industrial engineering, this semester at the School of Information. With over 40 years of experience as a professor, Dr. Green speaks on his educational background, how his work in a naval shipyard led him to human factors research, and his career in academia. Dr. Green also discusses the many applications human factors have and the importance of studying human factors, and he gives valuable advice for students looking to pursue academia or research. Dr. Green finishes off by talking about receiving the Arnold M. Small and Betty M. Sanders President's Distinguished Service Award and offers very inspiring takeaways for students listening.

In this episode, we talked with Dr. Chappell, who is currently an independent human factors consultant providing advice to human factors scientists and practitioners regarding research and product development. She has had an impressive career in aviation human factors, with previous roles at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and the Federal Administration Association (FAA), among other places. In this episode, Dr. Chappell discusses her start in human factors and aviation, work she has done in the aviation and transportation sectors, what aviation and human factors encompasses, and more.

In this episode, we talked with Dr. Deborah Boehm-Davis, University Professor Emeritus of Psychology and former Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at George Mason University. Dr. Boehm-Davis talks about her experience working in the human factors industry for over 30 years at organizations including NASA, General Electric Company, George Mason University, and Meta (formerly Oculus Research). She speaks about the applications of human factors in areas including aviation, telecommunications, administrative contexts, and everyday life. Dr. Boehm-Davis also discusses some of the fascinating projects she's worked on relating to workplace ergonomics, workload, human-computer interaction and interfaces, training, and interruption and quality of work. She also shares about working with the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society from her perspective as a former President and provides advice for students and young professionals interested in starting their careers in human factors. Episode music: The Happiest Side Of Science by MusicLFiles Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6905-the-happiest-side-of-science License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode we talked to Jason Laberge, the Director of the Provincial Human Factors and Provincial Simulation teams at Alberta Health Services (AHS). Jason talks about his experience working in the human factors industry for over 20 years and most recently his experience in a leadership role at AHS and the role human factors can play in healthcare. Jason discusses the fascinating work his teams at AHS do and some of their projects including workspace design, use of simulation for evaluating designs such as ambulances, checklists and forms, medical devices, the design of early warning decision support systems, and more. Finally, Jason wraps up giving his advice for students and young professionals interested in starting their careers in human factors. Episode music: The Happiest Side Of Science by MusicLFiles Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6905-the-happiest-side-of-science License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, we talked to Trevor Hall, Vice President of Safety and Risk Management at the Healthcare Insurance Reciprocal of Canada (HIROC) and flex-time PhD student at the Interactive Media Lab at the University of Toronto. Trevor talks about his career journey into human factors in healthcare, which has included working as a firefighter, training as a nurse, and attending business school, and discusses how his experiences have informed his work as a human factors practitioner. Trevor also discusses his current work with HIROC and the Interactive Media Lab, which involves the application of persuasive design concepts in patient safety, and provides advice for students and early career professionals who are interested in a career at the intersection of human factors and patient safety. Episode music: The Happiest Side Of Science by MusicLFiles Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6905-the-happiest-side-of-science License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, we talked to Prof. Jamy Li, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Ryerson University. Prof. Li specializes in the field of human-robot interaction and conducts research on a variety of different areas such as socially assistive robots and voice assistants. In this conversation, Prof. Li discusses his background and his current research, the links between human-robot interaction and human factors, and his thoughts on how research in human-robot interaction will evolve moving forward. See this link for additional resources related to this episode. Episode music: The Happiest Side Of Science by MusicLFiles Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6905-the-happiest-side-of-science License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This episode is the final part of our 3-episode series on Early Career Experiences in UX. We interviewed various UX professionals to hear about their educational background, paths to UX, career experience, and more. In this episode, HFIG talks to Diba Kaya, a former UofT student who has worked at Google and Amazon and is now a Senior Lead Researcher at Ithaka. Episode music: The Happiest Side Of Science by MusicLFiles Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6905-the-happiest-side-of-science License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This episode is the second in our 3-part series on Early Career Experiences in UX. We'll be interviewing various UX professionals to hear about their educational background, paths to UX, career experience, and more. In this episode, HFIG talks to Dr. Anthony Soung Yee, a Senior Healthcare Risk Management Specialist at the Healthcare Insurance Reciprocal of Canada (HIROC). Our guest host for this episode is Professor Deborah Tihanyi from the University of Toronto's Engineering Communication Program. Episode music: The Happiest Side Of Science by MusicLFiles Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6905-the-happiest-side-of-science License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This episode is the first in a series of episodes on Early Career Experiences in UX. We'll be interviewing various UX professionals to hear about their educational background, paths to UX, career experience, and more. In this episode, HFIG talks to Dandi Feng, a UX Researcher at Thomson Reuters. Episode music: The Happiest Side Of Science by MusicLFiles Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6905-the-happiest-side-of-science License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, HFIG talks to Dr. John Flach, Senior Cognitive Systems Engineer at Mile Two in Ohio, and Dr. Alex Kirlik, Professor of Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Flach and Dr. Kirlik share insights into the past, present, and future of HF, the subjects of ecological psychology and control theory, and many other topics!

In this episode, HFIG talks to Dr. Caroline Cao, a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at IMT Atlantique in France and a Professor of Biomedical, Industrial and Human Factors Engineering at Wright State University, and Dr. Barrett Caldwell, a Professor of Industrial Engineering at Purdue University. We talked about the role of human factors in the design process, how we can educate engineering students and industry professionals about the importance of human factors, and how we should raise awareness among the public about the value of human factors in their everyday lives. Additional resources: Paper by Dr. Caldwell which discussed some of the issues mentioned in the episode: Caldwell, B. S. (2018, September). Considering the future of land grant ergonomics education. In Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting (Vol. 62, No. 1, pp. 359-363). Sage CA: Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications. (link) Paper on the importance of human factors in software design: Meister, D. (1992, October). Relevance of human factors to design of computer software. In [Proceedings] 1992 IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics (pp. 218-221). IEEE. (link) Fun fact: SIGCHI history page refers to the first CHI conference in 1982 as “Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems” in 1982. Episode music: The Happiest Side Of Science by MusicLFiles Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6905-the-happiest-side-of-science License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, HFIG talks to Dr. Myrtede Alfred, Assistant Professor in the department of Industrial Engineering at University of Toronto. Dr. Alfred shares her academic journey to becoming a human factors professor, the academic hiring process during the pandemic, her research plans at UofT, and her insights into future trends in human factors research. Episode music: The Happiest Side Of Science by MusicLFiles Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6905-the-happiest-side-of-science License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, HFIG talks to Dr. Ian Noy, Human Factors and Ergonomics forensic expert and Chair of IEA2021, and Dr. Peter Hancock, Provost Distinguished Research Professor at the University of Central Florida and current president of HFES. Dr. Noy and Dr. Hancock share insights from their experiences being involved in HF/E societies and associations and discuss the future challenges and changes in store. Episode music: The Happiest Side Of Science by MusicLFiles Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6905-the-happiest-side-of-science License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, HFIG talks to Dr. Haydee M. Cuevas, an Associate Professor in the College of Aviation School of Graduate Studies at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Dr. Cuevas shares her tips for student professional development, including finding mentors, getting involved in the HFES community, and how to get the most out of the HFES annual meeting. See this link for a list of articles and resources mentioned in the episode. Episode music: The Happiest Side Of Science by MusicLFiles Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6905-the-happiest-side-of-science License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, HFIG talks to Professor Ilona Posner, User Experience Consultant and Educator from Toronto, and Dr. Paul Eisen, User Experience Consultant and Instructor at the University of Toronto. Professor Posner and Dr. Eisen share insights from their vast experience in the field of UX Consulting and discuss the current and future state of UX. Episode music: The Happiest Side Of Science by MusicLFiles Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6905-the-happiest-side-of-science License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, HFIG talks to Dr. Sarah Coppola, an Assistant Teaching Professor at the Department of Human-Centered Design & Engineering at the University of Washington, and Dr. Tara Cohen from Cedars-Sinai, who is the Director of Surgical Safety and Human Factors Research, and a research scientist and assistant professor in the Department of Surgery. Dr. Coppola and Dr. Cohen share their experiences as women in human factors and discuss how we could work towards making Human Factors a more equitable and inclusive field for women. See this link for a list of articles and resources mentioned in the podcast, as well as additional resources shared by our guests. Episode music: The Happiest Side Of Science by MusicLFiles Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6905-the-happiest-side-of-science License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, HFIG talks to Prof. Birsen Donmez, a professor of human factors at the University of Toronto and the director of the Human Factors and Applied Statistics Lab. Prof. Donmez discusses her journey to becoming a human factors professor at UofT, the research her lab is doing, and her thoughts about upcoming trends in the fields of human factors. We would like to thank Prof. Donmez for talking to us, and we hope you enjoy our podcast! Episode music: The Happiest Side Of Science by MusicLFiles Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6905-the-happiest-side-of-science License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, HFIG talks to Prof. Greg Jamieson, a professor of human factors at the University of Toronto and the director of the Cognitive Engineering Lab. Prof. Jamieson discusses his journey to becoming a human factors professor at UofT, his lab's research projects, and his thoughts on the future of human factors as a discipline. Prof. Jamieson also offers his insights on the importance of centering equity, diversity, and inclusion in the search for a new human factors faculty member at the University of Toronto. We would like to thank Prof. Jamieson for talking to us, and we hope you enjoy our podcast! Episode music: The Happiest Side Of Science by MusicLFiles Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6905-the-happiest-side-of-science License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, HFIG talks to Prof. Mark Chignell, a professor of human factors at the University of Toronto, the director of the Interactive Media Lab, and HFIG's faculty advisor! Prof. Chignell discusses his journey to becoming a human factors prof at UofT, the research his lab is working on, and his thoughts on the future of human factors as a discipline. We would like to thank Prof. Chignell for talking to us, and we hope you enjoy our podcast! Episode music: The Happiest Side Of Science by MusicLFiles Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6905-the-happiest-side-of-science License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Welcome to "HFIG Talks..." a podcast produced by the Human Factors Interest Group at the University of Toronto. HFIG is a student chapter of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) and consists mainly of students and faculty members who are affiliated with the University of Toronto and local professionals who are interested in the field of Human Factors. In each episode of our podcast, we will be discussing a different human factors-related topic. In this first episode, we decided to highlight what the public knows (or doesn't know) about human factors. So we decided to ask our friends and family: what is human factors, and how have you experienced human factors in your work and daily life? We also share an expert's opinion from Prof. Mark Chignell, HFIG's faculty advisor. We hope you enjoy our podcast, and thanks for listening! Episode music: The Happiest Side Of Science by MusicLFiles Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6905-the-happiest-side-of-science License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/