Past Liberty Mutual Award Winners

2016 – McGill, S., Frost, D., Lam, T., Finlay, T., Darby, K., and Cannon, J. (2015) Can fitness and movement quality prevent back injury in elite task force police officers? A 5-year longitudinal study

Ergonomics. 58(10):1682-1689. doi: 10.1080/00140139.2015.1035760

Researchers from Canada received the 2016 Liberty Mutual Award for their scientific paper entitled, “Can fitness and movement quality prevent back injury in elite task force police officers? A 5-year longitudinal study.” The study aimed to assess links between specific fitness and movement abilities of a police officer cohort with subsequent injury over a period of time. The researchers were recognized at the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors Annual Conference Daventry, UK.

The winning researchers include Stuart M. McGill, Ph.D.; David M. Frost, Ph.D.; and Jordan Cannon, M.Sc. of the Spine Biomechanics Laboratories, University of Waterloo; Thomas Lam, B.Phe., D.C., C.K., C.S.C.S., FITS, Toronto, Ontario; and Tim Finlay and Kevin Darby of the Toronto Police Services, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

2015 – Village, J., Greig, M., Salustri, F., Zolfaghari, S., and Neumann, W.P. (2014) An ergonomics action research demonstration: Integrating human factors into assembly design processes

Ergonomics. 57(10), 1574-89. doi: 10.1080/00140139.2014.938128

Researchers from Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada, have received the 2015 Liberty Mutual Award for research supporting early integration of human factors in organizational design processes. The winning paper, describes an action research study in ergonomics in which the researcher participates in the iterative organizational design, while simultaneously considering further actions to promote learning for both the organization and the researchers. The award was presented at the 2015 Annual Conference of the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors held at Staverton Park in Daventry, UK.

The winning researchers from Ryerson University include Judy Village, Ph.D., CCPE, Human Factors Engineering Lab research associate; Michael Greig, MA.Sc., Industrial Engineering graduate student; Filippo A. Salustri, Ph.D., P.Eng., Mechanical Engineering department professor; Saeed Zolfaghari, Ph.D., P.Eng., Industrial Engineering professor, and W. Patrick Neumann, Ph.D., Eur. Erg Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering associate professor.

2014 – Pennathur, P.R., Thompson, D., Abernathy, J.H. 3rd, Martinez, E.A., Pronovost, P.J., Kim, G.R., Bauer, L.C., Lubomski, L.H., Marsteller, J.A., and Gurses, A.P. (2013) Technologies in the wild (TiW): Human factors implications for patient safety in the cardiovascular operating room

Ergonomics. 56(2), 205-219. doi: 10.1080/00140139.2012.757655

A team of nine researchers received the 2014 Liberty Mutual Award for their scientific paper, “Technologies in the wild (TiW): human factors implications for patient safety in the cardiovascular operating room.” The paper provides a richer and more realistic understanding of the potential risks to patient safety introduced by a multitude of technologies in a complex health care work system, specifically a cardiovascular operating room. The award was presented at the 2014 Annual Conference of the Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors held in April at Grand Harbour Hotel in Southampton, UK.

The winning research team members include Priyadarshini R. Pennathur, PhD of the University of Iowa; David Thompson, DNSc., MS, RN of the Johns Hopkins University Schools of Medicine, Bloomberg Public Health and Nursing; James H. Abernathy III, MD, MPH, FASE of the Medical University of South Carolina; the late Elizabeth A. Martinez, MD, MHS of the Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Ayse P. Gurses, PhD of Johns Hopkins University Schools of Medicine; Peter J. Pronovost, MD, PhD, FCCM of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine: George R. Kim, MD, FAAP of the Johns Hopkins University Schools of Medicine and Nursing; Lisa H. Lubomski, PhD of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Jill A. Marsteller, PhD, MPP of the Johns Hopkins University Schools of Medicine and the Bloomberg School of Public Health.

2013 – Dul, J., Bruder, R., Buckle, P., Carayon, P., Falzon, P., Marras, W.S., Wilson, J.R., and van der Doelen, B. (2012) A strategy for human factors/ergonomics: Developing the discipline and profession

Ergonomics. 55(4) 377-395. doi: 10.1080/00140139.2012.661087

A team of eight prominent researchers and practitioners received the 2013 Liberty Mutual Award for their scientific paper, “A strategy for human factors/ergonomics: developing the discipline and profession.” The paper proposes a new strategy for the field of human factors/ergonomics (HFE). For more than 60 years, HFE has enhanced human well-being and system performance by identifying and addressing the needs, capabilities, and limitations of system users. The award was presented at the 2013 Annual Conference of the Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors held in April at Robinson College, University of Cambridge, (Cambridge, United Kingdom).

The winning team of researchers includes team leader Professor Jan Dul, Ph.D., of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (Rotterdam, the Netherlands), Professor Ralph Bruder, Ph.D., of the Institute of Ergonomics, Technische Universität Darmstadt (Darmstadt, Germany), Professor Peter Buckle, Ph.D., of the Imperial College, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, (London, UK); Professor Pascale Carayon, Ph.D., of the Center for Quality and Productivity Improvement, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison (Madison, WI, USA); Professor Pierre Falzon, Ph.D., of the Research Center on Work and Development, Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (CNAM), (Paris, France), Professor William S. Marras, Ph.D., of The Ohio State University, Biodynamics Laboratory, (Columbus, OH, USA); Professor John R. Wilson, Ph.D., of the Human Factors Research Group, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, (Nottingham, UK), and Ergonomist Bas van der Doelen, of the Department of Knowledge and Communication, BMA Ergonomics, (Zwolle, the Netherlands).

In addition to the paper’s authors, 71 leading academic scholars and practitioners from 31 countries were consulted to provide input on the subject of HFE. The resultant document provides practical advice, strategies, and actions that could be adopted in the field and applied by HFE organizations and societies, as well as by individual HFE experts.

2012 – Schepers, P. and den Brinker, B. (2011) What do cyclists need to see to avoid single-bicycle crashes?

Ergonomics. 54(4)315-327. doi: 10.1080/00140139.2011.558633

Researchers from the Netherlands received the 2012 Liberty Mutual Best Paper Award for their scientific paper, “What Do Cyclists Need to See to Avoid Single-Bicycle Crashes?” The paper discusses a scientific study that examined visual characteristics of cycling facilities (i.e., pavement markings on bicycle paths) in an effort to improve cycling safety. The award was presented at the annual conference of the Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors Annual Conference held in Blackpool, United Kingdom.

The winning researchers include Paul Schepers, M.Sc., M.A., road safety consultant with the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, Centre for Transport and Navigation (Delft), The Netherlands, and Berry P.L.M. den Brinker, Ph.D., researcher and director of the Scientific Institute for Low Vision Use Research and Vrije Universiteit, Faculty of Human Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

2011 - Klein Hesselink, J., de Leede, J., and Goudswaard, A. (2010) Effects of the new fast forward rotating five-shift roster at a Dutch steel company

Ergonomics. 53(6), 727-738. doi: 10.1080/00140139.2010.489651

Researchers from the Netherlands received the 2011 Liberty Mutual Award for their scientific paper, “Effects of the new fast forward rotating five-shift roster at a Dutch steel company.” The paper discusses a scientific field study of a shift roster change at a large Dutch steel producer. The award was presented at the annual conference of the Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors held at the Stoke Rochford Hall, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom.

The winning researchers include John Klein Hesselink, Ph.D., of TNO; Jan de Leede, Ph.D., of the University of Twente, Institute for Innovation and Governance Studies, and ModernWorkx; and Anneke Goudswaard, Ph.D., also of TNO.

2010 - Pradhan, A.K., Pollatsek, A., Knodler, M., and Fishera, D.L. (2009) Can younger drivers be trained to scan for information that will reduce their risk in roadway traffic scenarios that are hard to identify as hazardous?

Ergonomics. 52(6) 657-673. doi: 10.1080/00140130802550232

Researchers from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, received the 2010 Liberty Mutual Award for their scientific paper, “Can younger drivers be trained to scan for information that will reduce their risk in roadway traffic scenarios that are hard to identify as hazardous?” The paper discusses a scientific investigation aimed to reduce the risk of vehicle crashes for younger drivers (18-21 years). The award was presented at the recent Annual Conference of the Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors (formerly the Ergonomics Society) held at Keele University in Staffordshire, United Kingdom.

The winning researchers from the University include Anuj K. Pradhan, Ph.D., and Donald L. Fisher, Ph.D., of the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering;Alexander Pollatsek, Ph.D., of the Department of Psychology; and Michael Knodler, Ph.D., of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.