Human Factors Engineering as a Career Choice (rescheduled from 10 December 2013)

Speaker:  Mary Lozano
Date: Tuesday, 6 May 2014
Time: 7:00 pm

Location: Sumner School

Pre-meeting get-together: 5:30 pm, Beacon Bar and Grill. Registration is helpful, but not required.  To register, click on the link at the bottom of the message.

Description:

Human factors engineering examines the characteristics of human beings that are applicable to the design of systems and devices of all kinds. Therefore, consideration is given to the assignment of appropriate functions for humans and machines, whether people serve as operators, maintainers, or users in the system. A human factors engineer attempts to achieve compatibility in the design of interactive systems of people, machines, and environments to ensure their effectiveness, safety, and ease of performance. The human factors practitioner is concerned with principles and practices to be applied in the design of systems, equipment and facilities in order to:

a.    Achieve required performance by operator, control and maintenance personnel.

b.    Minimize skill and personnel requirements and training time.

c.    Achieve required reliability of personnel-equipment combinations.

d.    Foster design standardization within and among systems.

Along with a presentation of what is required to be human factors engineer, Dr. Mary Lozano will discuss how she applied her anthropological skills to accomplish the following:

·     Provided necessary data on active duty military personnel and their family by means of unstructured interviews, followed by a questionnaire designed for validation of facts.

·     Defined cultural diversity among Hispanic soldiers in the US Army in preparation for combat readiness

·     Described cultural differences among internationally selected astronauts and payload specialists for manned space flight missions.

·     Examined stress factors when  the personal computer was first introduced to the Federal workforce.

·     Listed physical dimensions of active duty Marine Corps personnel (e.g., drivers and gunners) in the design of the Advanced Assault Amphibious Vehicle.

Meeting:  Charles Sumner School, corner of 17th St and M St NW, Washington, DC

How to get there:  The Sumner School is located at 1201 17th St NW (corner of 17th St and M St NW).  The entrance to the meeting area is on 17th St under the black metal stairway. Directions from Metro Red Line: From Farragut North station, take either L St exit, walk one block east to 17th St, turn left and walk 2 blocks north.  Enter the building through the double doors under the black metal staircase.  MEETING ROOM:  Rotating Gallery G-4 (ground floor)

Pre-meeting:  Beacon Bar & Grill (one block north of Sumner School)

How to get there:  The Beacon Bar & Grill is in the Beacon Hotel located at 1615 Rhode Island Ave NW (corner of Rhode Island and 17th St).  Directions from Metro Red Line Farragut North station: take either L St exit, walk one block east to 17th St, turn left and walk 3 blocks north (one block past Sumner School).  All are welcome.