Past ASSEF Fellows

Ms. Bruno, a native of Massachusetts, is a fourth year doctoral student in the field of ergonomics and safety at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSHP). The purpose of her thesis is to quantify the physical and psychosocial exposures of computer workers in the field and to link these exposures to musculoskeletal disorders. At HSPH and Harvard College, she is a teaching fellow for several courses. In 2008, she earned a bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Connecticut - Storrs. She is a member of the American Public Health Association.

At the University of Wisconsin – Madison, Roberts is working on her doctoral degree in industrial engineering. She also received her Master’s of Science in industrial engineering from the university in 2011. In 2009, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Roberts has worked as a research assistant at both universities and completed internships with Anheuser-Busch, Inc. and General Motors Corporation. She is a current member of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

In 2010 Mr. Uy., of North Carolina State University (Raleigh), examined the effects of different container-handle configurations on upper extremity muscle reactions and movements during a pouring task. During his tenure, Mr. Uy collaborated with Liberty Mutual researchers to plan, design, and collect data for the experiment.

 

At North Carolina State University, Mr. Uy is pursuing his Master of Science degree in Industrial Engineering. Previously, he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University (Medford, MA). He also worked at a biotechnology company, where he performed mechanical testing and other product-research activities. He is a member of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and the Institute for Industrial Engineers.

​In 2010 Mr. Young’s research collaboration focused on assessing the effects of handle rotation angles, deviation angles, and inter-handle distances on pushing strength. During his tenure, Mr. Young analyzed data that had been collected in a previous Liberty Mutual investigation of hand/wrist postures during handle-pushing tasks. The study’s results may lead to design improvements for manual materials-handling push aids such as handcarts.

 

Mr. Young is working to complete his Ph.D. in Industrial and Operations Engineering at the University of Michigan. At the University, he also earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering and two Master of Science degrees, in Biomedical and Industrial and Operations Engineering. Mr. Young is a student member of the American Society of Safety Engineers, the American Society of Biomechanics, as well as the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

​In 2009 Ms. Harris-Adamson, of the University of California Berkeley, spent six weeks at the Research Institute collaborating on a research project to evaluate the ergonomics of pallet jack handles. The investigation examined typical pallet jack operations and tested the ergonomic benefits of alternative engineering designs. The researchers designed and tested an alternative pallet jack handle that converts typical pulling operations with the load traveling behind the worker to a pushing operation with the load still traveling behind the operator. The study aim to help researchers to better understand the physical exposures, such as pulling forces, awkward postures, and hand-handle interface, associated with pallet jack operations and help to identify ways to reduce such exposures through engineering design.

 

Ms. Harris-Adamson is working towards a Ph.D. in Environmental Health Sciences with a concentration in Ergonomics at University of California Berkeley. In addition to her studies, she also works at PreCare, Inc. in Sonoma, CA, where she is involved with various ergonomic projects. She earned her M.S.in Environmental Health Sciences at the University of California Berkeley and her M.S. of Physical Therapy at University of California San Francisco. She also obtained her M.A. in Kinesiology with a concentration in Applied Physiology from San Francisco State University and received her B.S. in Psychology from Tufts University.

​In 2009 Mr. Strang, of Miami University, partnered with Research Scientists on an investigation to examine the relationship between age and postural control. The study aimed to identify variable patterns that traditional measures typically do not detect. Specifically, the goal was to determine whether one nonlinear analysis (SampEn) might prove useful for detecting age-related changes in the postural sway of working-age men. The researchers compared the results obtained from SampEn to a set of more traditional postural sway measures. The findings aim to help identify motor system changes that potentially influence worker stability, and ultimately, may help to broaden the scientific knowledge for predicting and preventing falls and fall-related injuries.

 

Mr. Strang is a licensed and certified athletic trainer. He is pursuing a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology at Miami University, where he also received his M.S. in Exercise Science. He earned a B.S. in Athletic Training from Ohio State University.

​In 2008 Ms. Murphy, of Portland State University, worked with Research Institute scientists to conduct a literature review examining the potential effects of social modeling on safety behavior.  For the project, the researchers examined existing safety-oriented social modeling investigations and reviewed parallel research areas, such as training, transportation, and aviation, to provide a systematic integrated review. Based on their findings, the researchers developed a preliminary conceptual model that will aid future social modeling research as it pertains to safety. The model aims to identify particular antecedents to safety behavior that can be enhanced through various strategies, such as training. It may also point to ways that supervisors and organizations can change the work environment to encourage continuous safety behavior from employees.

 

Ms. Murphy is pursuing a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology at Portland State University. At the University, she also serves as a research assistant and is a research consultant at the Portland Water Bureau. She has a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Mr. Kidd is pursuing a Ph.D. in Psychology/Human Factors and Applied Cognition at George Mason University, where he received his M.A. in Psychology. He earned a B.S. in Psychology from Virginia Polytechnic and State University in Blacksburg, VA.

​In 2007 Mr. Hoffman, of the University of Iowa worked with Research Institute scientists on a project entitled “How in-vehicle technology affects safety.” The study aimed to identify whether drivers consider the demands of the roadway when choosing to engage in non-driving related tasks, such as reading text messages or talking on the phone. For this project, the researchers used an instrumented vehicle on Liberty Mutual’s test track to replicate and expand upon Hoffman’s earlier study that used a driving simulator.

 

At the University of Iowa, Mr. Hoffman is pursuing a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering. He is a research assistant in the University’s Cognitive Systems Laboratory, where he is developing a model of driver interaction with in-vehicle information systems to support the design of adaptive driver interfaces and evaluate in-vehicle systems. He is also an ergonomist in training with Worksafe Iowa.

​In 2007 Ms. Taylor, of Washington University, collaborated on a study that aimed to compare self-reported and expert observed physical work upper-extremity exposures to data from the Occupational Information Network (O*NETTM), a database developed by the U.S. Department of Labor. O*NETTM is increasingly being used as a source of occupational exposures in research; however, little has been published on whether these data provide a reliable and valid estimate for use at the individual level in research studies. The independently collected data were obtained through an ongoing, prospective study of carpal tunnel syndrome that Taylor collaborated on during her doctoral work at Washington University.

At the University, Ms. Taylor is in her final year of graduate study in the Clinical Doctorate Program in Occupational Therapy. Her interests include workplace injury prevention and implementation of work modifications post-injury to minimize work disability. One of her career goals is to research, teach, and consult with industry to identify and eliminate potentially modifiable injury-related risk factors.

​In 2006 Nicole Gravina, a doctoral student at Western Michigan University, collaborated with research scientists on an investigation to examine the influence of self-monitoring on behavior change of computer workers. The study, an extension of Ms. Gravina’s master thesis, aimed to evaluate behavioral practices and techniques to improve postural safety.

 

In the study, researchers observed the participants’ postures as they performed a data entry task for 20-26 segments, each lasting 30 minutes in duration. Of those participants that did not meet a predetermined standard of posture, researchers introduced a self-monitoring intervention. The intervention, introduced on the computer screen at regular intervals, prompted the participants to score their postures relative to the defined standard. The observational data collected, will help researchers to better understand the frequency of self-monitoring necessary to maintain behavior change.

 

Ms. Gravina is pursing her doctorate in Applied Behavior Analysis at WMU, where she also earned an M.A. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and a B.S. in Psychology. A recipient of a number of grants, scholarships, and awards, she has contributed to the field through publications, presentations, and professional consultation in industry and healthcare. She is a member of the Association for Behavior Analysis and the Organizational Behavior Management Network.

​In 2006 Dr. Karwowski, a professor at the University of Louisville-Kentucky, collaborated with Institute research scientists on an investigation focused on nonlinear dynamics. This complex methodology uses mathematical theories to better understand how small changes in the initial task conditions may lead to larger changes in the human musculoskeletal system that can be observed in biomechanical responses.

 

Using previously recorded experimental data from the Research Institute and the University of Louisville, the researchers explored nonlinear phenomena in shoulder movement and other joint exertions under different tasks conditions involving pushing and pulling. The researchers examined time series biomechanical data related to postural balance when standing on a beam. The project aimed help to better understand how the human musculoskeletal system behaves under a variety of strenuous work conditions, and may ultimately help to derive better injury prevention strategies for physical tasks and falls from heights.

 

Dr. Karwowski is a professor of industrial engineering and director of the Center for Industrial Ergonomics at the University of Louisville. His research, teaching, and consulting activities focus on human system integration, prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders, management ergonomics, human-computer interaction, and theoretical aspects of ergonomics science. He holds a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, and an M.S. degree in Production Engineering and Management from the Technical University of Wroclaw, Poland. A Board Certified Professional Ergonomist, he has also received a Doctor of Science degree in Management Science (2004) and Doctor of Science Honoris Causa degrees from the universities in Ukraine (2004) and Slovakia (2006).

 

With a distinguished career as a lecturer and researcher, Dr. Karwowski has published more than 120 journal papers, as well as over 140 papers in conference proceedings. He is the recipient of a number of awards including the Jack A. Kraft Award from the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (2004). A past-Secretary-General, past-President, and Fellow of the International Ergonomics Association, he is also a Fellow of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Institute of Industrial Engineers, and the Ergonomics Society. Dr. Karwowski served as a Fulbright Scholar and Visiting Professor at Tampere University of Technology, Finland, from 1990-1991.

​In 2005 Ms. DeArmond, of Fort Collins, CO, worked with research scientists on a project to examine chief financial executives’ safety attitudes and opinions and their impact on occupational safety outcomes. In the study, researchers analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s occupational injury and illness statistics and the Liberty Mutual 2004 Chief Financial Executive Survey, which collected information on corporate financial decision-makers’ perceptions of workplace safety. In this survey, the decision makers were asked to rate the importance of different occupational injury causes. The researchers examined the relationship between these ratings and workplace injury rates. They also looked at corporate decision-makers’ opinions of their companies’ safety performance, programs, and personnel.

 

A doctoral student, Ms. DeArmond received an M.S. in industrial and organizational psychology from Colorado State University and a B.A. in psychology from Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant. She is a member of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology and the American Psychological Association.

​In 2004 Dr. Olsen, of Blacksburg, VA, worked with researchers on a study of how mental workload affects workers’ driving performance. For the study, subjects drove an instrumented vehicle around an automotive test track under different conditions, (1) driving safely with a posted speed-limit of 30-mph, (2) maintaining an accurate speed of 15-mph, and (3) following a “clock’ task in which subjects drive at a safe and comfortable speed and mimic aspects of merging lanes and judging gaps. While driving, subjects performed different addition tasks (no task, auditory task, and visual task) as researchers collected data on performance measures and eye movement parameters using a contact-free eye tracker.

 

Dr. Olsen is a postdoctoral fellow at the Prevention Research Branch in the Division of Epidemiology, Statistics, and Prevention Research at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, part of the National Institutes of Health in Rockville, Maryland. His research interests include teen driving, with an emphasis on novice drivers, and the importance of parent involvement in driver education and training. In December 2003, he received a Ph.D. in Industrial Systems Engineering, with a Human Factors and Ergonomics option, from Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Blacksburg).

​In 2003 Dr. Paquet, an assistant professor with the Department of Industrial Engineering at the State University of New York – Buffalo, collaborated with Institute Researcher, Patrick G. Dempsey, Ph.D., C.P.E., and Visiting Scholar, Svend Erik Mathiassen, Ph.D., to investigate ergonomic exposure assessments for physically demanding production jobs. The project finding aimed to result in guidelines to help safety professionals identify and reduce ergonomic workplace hazards.

 

Dr. Paquet analyzed data from previously recorded videotapes of several manufacturing processes to better understand how ergonomic risk factors vary among workers. In a pilot study at the Research Institute, he developed and tested the effectiveness of different strategies for evaluating ergonomic risk factors that could be used by the ergonomists with respect to the number of workers analyzed, the number of cycles recorded, and the number of data collection days. Researchers then assessed several exposure parameters, such as posture, and investigated the effect of different videotape strategies on exposure estimates through statistical procedures. Concurrent to this work, the researchers surveyed 10 certified professional ergonomists to gather preliminary data on the use of videotapes in workplace ergonomic assessments, including frequency and length of typical recordings. Data analysis and interpretation is ongoing.

​In 2002 Mr. Ho, a Johns Hopkins University student, completed a six-week tenure conducting research at the Institute, working with researchers, Gordon Smith, M.D., M.P.H., and Yueng-hsiang (Emily) Huang, Ph.D. Mr. Ho examined the relationship between workplace injury and safety climate - the shared perceptions among members of an organization with regard to safety policies, procedures, and practices. In this study, he is analyzed the results from a survey of workers to determine work-related injury risk factors. This study helped to form the basis of Mr. Ho's doctoral dissertation.

 

Mr. Ho is a doctoral student at the Department of Health Policy and Management at Johns Hopkins University–Baltimore, Maryland. Currently, he is also a teaching assistant with the Department of Public Policy and a research assistant for the Center for Injury Research and Policy. He received an M.P.H. and M.B.A. from Yale University–New Haven, Connecticut and a B.A. in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University.

​In 2002 Mr. Peng, a student at the University of Michigan, worked with Institute research scientists to examine glove use for the prevention of acute finger and hand injuries, such as lacerations, crushes, punctures, fractures, dislocations, and amputations. His project focused on reviewing glove use and hand injury prevention literature, categorizing injured workers' tasks at the time of the injury, and performing a cost savings analysis of glove use in the manufacturing industry. His work was part of two manuscripts currently in progress.

 

Mr. Peng is pursuing an M.P.H. in Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology at the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor, where he received a B.S. in Economics. Previously, he served as research assistant at the University of Michigan in the departments of Physiology, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, the Center for Organogenesis, and the Biochemistry Resource Center.