Society News

Table of Contents

• #IAMHFES Spotlight: Jay Kim
• Apply for the HFES Inclusion Award
• Meet a New Corresponding Member: Elizabeth Pérez
• Register Now at Our Lowest Rate for ASPIRE—The HFES Annual Meeting
• Full ASPIRE Agenda Now Available
• HFES Accepting Applications for Student Travel Award Grants
• Program Participation Opportunities for ASPIRE
• Promote the Work of Your University Lab at ASPIRE
• HFES Job Fair at ASPIRE
• Upcoming HFES Webinars
• National Safety Council Webinar: Workplace Safety Summit
• 2024 Student Member With Honors Awards and Outstanding Student Chapter Award Applications
• Member Update: Ann Bisantz Named SUNY Distinguished Professor
• Upcoming Meetings and Activities
• Community Updates

#IAMHFES Spotlight: Jay Kim

This month's #IAMHFES member spotlight video is from Jay Kim, the associate professor of environmental and occupational health at Oregon State University. Jay discusses his work in physical human factors and ergonomics, focusing on reducing work-related muscular disorders.

He is currently working on developing noninvasive biomechanical assessment tools that will be open source using AI, hoping to open up more opportunities to practitioners and researchers who are looking for minimally invasive assessment tolls for injury risk assessment without accessing expensive equipment.

Click the picture above to see the full video.

The #IAMHFES campaign will highlight members from across HFES throughout the year. Stay tuned for more videos!

Apply for the HFES Inclusion Award

The Executive Council of HFES recently approved a new Society award: The HFES Inclusion Award.

The HFES Inclusion Award will recognize the contributions of HFES members related to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging and justice in the field of HF/E and to HFES itself. These contributions may span outstanding and impactful research, practice and service.

This award will recognize novel and recent contributions that extend the reach of HF/E to new areas. In contrast to existing HFES awards, this new award will specifically address the critical importance of DEI principles and celebrate the impact of members’ research, practice or service regarding these principles. Recipients can include individuals or collaborative teams.

Award decisions will be announced on August 2, allowing recipients ample time to plan for attendance at and travel to ASPIRE, held in Phoenix this September.

Submissions are due by 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, May 24.

Meet a New Corresponding Member: Elizabeth Pérez

The Foundation for Professional Ergonomics has initiated an annual program to sponsor HFES memberships for HF/E students and professionals residing outside the United States. We are very pleased to introduce a new HFES member from the first group of recipients.

"Hello, my name is Elizabeth Pérez. I am Cuban and Colombian. 

I am a full-time professor and researcher in the faculty of industrial engineering at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, as well as the operations leader and founder of Ergoyes, a company that offers technological solutions in ergonomics for enterprises.  

I am enrolled as a doctoral student in engineering at the faculty of industrial engineering at the Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia. My research focuses on for modeling determinants of workload in nursing services in intensive care units.  

Membership in HFES allows me to access specialized resources in HF/E, academic events and exchange opportunities with leading professionals in HF/E in the healthcare sector. This provides a platform to exchange information, enhance the quality of my research, and collaborate on future projects in the field of HF/E in healthcare.

I am profoundly honored to be a part of one of the most prominent HF/E societies globally."

Register Now at Our Lowest Rate for ASPIRE—The HFES Annual Meeting

Registration is now open for ASPIRE—the premier educational activity in human factors and ergonomics. Powered by HFES, the mission of ASPIRE is to advance systems and practices through innovation, research and education.

Join us September 9-13 in Phoenix to advance the latest research and developments impacting our field and the interactions between humans, systems and their environment. At ASPIRE, we will break new ground, grow, connect and make the world a better place through the application of our specialized body of knowledge.

Register by Friday, June 7 at our discounted early registration rates and secure your spot at this highly anticipated event.

Full ASPIRE Agenda Now Available

We are thrilled to announce that the detailed agenda for ASPIRE is now available! Plan your meeting experience by flagging the sessions you may wish to attend. Get ready for an engaging week filled with insightful sessions, workshops and networking opportunities designed to help you connect and grow.

Explore ASPIRE’s variety of programs such as:

• 10 workshops.
• 15+ special sessions.
• 25+ discussion panels.
• Numerous other sessions such as demonstrations, industry/practitioner case studies, poster presentations and more.

HFES Accepting Applications for Student Travel Award Grants

HFES is pleased to offer opportunities for students to apply for funding to aid them in attending ASPIRE. Eligible students may apply for one of these awards.

Travel Award for First-Year Graduate Students

The Travel Award for First-Year Graduate Students supplies $500 for graduate students who are in the first year of their academic program (i.e. entered the program no earlier than the fall of 2023) to support their travel to ASPIRE.  

Student Presenter Award

The Student Presenter Award supplies $500 to students who are authors of accepted papers or posters for ASPIRE to support their travel-related expenses. The student must be listed as the presenting author of the associated work at the time of submission.

Students may only apply for one of these two awards. Applications forms are due by Monday, July 15.

Program Participation Opportunities for ASPIRE

HFES is committed to expanding opportunities for attendees at all stages of their research and careers to share their work and receive feedback from colleagues. Discover the following participation opportunities available at ASPIRE.

Late-Breaking Results

HFES will once again offer a late-breaking results session to recognize new and exciting work in the field of HF/E that was not available during the original call for contributions. A limited number of submissions will be selected; work submitted to the original call for contributions is not eligible.

Presenters must submit an abstract by Wednesday, June 12 to be considered. Please note that no paper submission is required and late-breaking results will not be published as part of the conference proceedings. 

Lightning Lessons

HFES will provide timed slots for lightning lesson presentations to spark new conversations and collaborations. The point of a lightning lesson presentation is to briefly present the main point—not give a detailed talk.

Unlike traditional meeting presentation formats, each speaker will have seven minutes to present and may use a limited number of slides. Plan to cover a single topic, start with the good stuff and end by making a point.

If there’s one technique or technology you wish everyone knew, one little-known fact that should be well-known, one tool that makes your life easier every day or a collection of little things that you can fit into seven minutes, you can propose a lightning talk. It’s a great opportunity to learn about the work of your colleagues in a relatively brief period.

The submission deadline is Thursday, August 1.

Collaborative Solutions Showcase

The collaborative solutions showcase will encourage meaningful discussions, exchange of ideas and collaborative problem-solving among meeting attendees. It is intended to foster the interchange of knowledge and promote networking.

Participants will present a poster that describes any problem or question you would like to invite fellow attendees to comment on to help you advance your work. Problems can be industry or research oriented. Attendees will offer suggestions by writing on index cards that they pin to your board. Poster authors do not need to attend their poster at any time.

The submission deadline is Thursday, August 1.

Promote the Work of Your University Lab at ASPIRE

The University Lab Posters Showcase serves as a testament to the diverse educational and research programs within the HF/E community. Each university lab will be allocated space to display its posters, providing an opportunity to highlight their contributions to the field.

A limited number of spaces are available. Posters will be on display from September 10-12.

To reserve space to display your university's HF/E lab, submit your intent via the online form no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday, July 31. 

Space will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Confirmation and instructions for displaying your lab poster will be sent via email. Please send questions to info@hfes.org.

HFES Job Fair at ASPIRE

The HFES Job Fair at ASPIRE will provide a forum for employers to find talent and for job seekers to discover potential roles for the next phase in their careers. The HFES Job Fair can help facilitate connections and provide helpful career-related information and resources to employers and job seekers.

You can gain access to a vast network of top-notch HF/E professionals at the HFES Job Fair. Over 40% hold a doctorate, 33% possess a master's degree and approximately 15% have a bachelor's degree.

Whether you are an organization looking to hire or are on the job market looking for your next opportunity, we hope the Job Fair can help you with your search. If your company is interested in participating in this year's job fair, click the button below to learn more and sign up today.

Upcoming HFES Webinars

Navigating the UX Research Job Market: Insights From Industry Experts

Friday, June 7 at 2:00 p.m. ET

Presented by the Mentorship Committee

This webinar is a panel discussion on landing a research job in today's competitive climate. The event is geared towards those who are in the job market due to recent layoffs and recent graduates with master's or doctoral degrees who are interested in research careers. We are bringing together a group of experienced research managers to share their insights.

Designing Sustainable North Star: A Design Approach to Drive Sustainable Product Innovation

Wednesday, June 12 at 12:00 p.m. ET

Presented by the Sustainability & Product Design Technical Group



In this session, a newly developed approach to drive and guide sustainable product design innovation will be presented: the sustainable North Star. This approach combines different capabilities and expertise areas in one single process. From lifecycle assessment to user research and value chain mapping.

Through a tangible case study, this session will provide actionable guidance on how to define a long-term sustainable vision for a product, translate it into tangible proofs of concept and derive a roadmap from it.

National Safety Council Webinar: Workplace Safety Summit

Workplace Safety Summit: Harnessing Innovation and Collaboration

Thursday, June 13 at 1:00 p.m. ET

In support of National Safety Month this June, HFES is proud to share timely resources from industry partners like the National Safety Council (NCS).

NCS is hosting their third annual "Workplace Safety Summit: Harnessing Innovation and Collaboration" on Thursday, June 13. This free webinar will

• Spotlight the power of innovation and collaboration in enhancing workplace safety.
• Share remarkable achievements from the inaugural Musculoskeletal Disorders Solutions Lab grant programs.
• Celebrate how these grants have propelled industry advancements.

The summit promises to be an insightful and engaging event, featuring a keynote and panel discussion with industry experts. 

2024 Student Member With Honors Awards and Outstanding Student Chapter Award Applications

The Student Affairs Committee is pleased to recognize the accomplishments of and service to the Society by our students and student chapters through the Student Member With Honors Award and the Outstanding Student Chapter Award. Award recipients will be honored at ASPIRE.

The Student Member With Honors Award honors students who have made outstanding contributions to the discipline and/or to HFES. Criteria include HFES membership, high GPA, HF/E-related course completion and faculty endorsement. For the Outstanding Student Chapter Award, chapters are recognized based on activities and achievements. 

Applications are due by Sunday, June 30.

Member Update: Ann Bisantz Named SUNY Distinguished Professor

HFES member Ann Bisantz, professor of industrial and systems engineering, has been named SUNY Distinguished Professor, the highest faculty rank in the SUNY system.

Professor Bisantz's research works to understand aspects of human trust in automated systems, particularly those in complex human technology work environments, including health care, military systems, transportation and emergency management. She examines new techniques for displaying complex and uncertain information to decision-makers, including supporting the transition from legacy or manual information systems to more integrated, supportive IT systems.

A fellow of HFES, professor Bisantz has also received the HFES’ Paul M. Fitts Education Award for exceptional contributions to the education and training of HF/E specialists and its Mentor of the Year award. She also received SUNY's 2015 Chancellor’s Award for excellence in scholarship and creative activities. In addition to her role on the faculty, she serves as dean of undergraduate education at the University of Buffalo.

Upcoming Meetings and Activities

Attention chapters, technical groups, affinity groups and beyond: HFES is pleased to post information concerning upcoming meetings, webinars or other events you wish to raise awareness about on our events listing page. We also will post meetings of allied societies provided they do not occur close to any HFES-organized activity.

Let us know about your meetings and other events. Email us at info@hfes.org.

Community Updates



HFES wants to promote the important achievements of our members in the biweekly Bulletin. Appropriate topics include research milestones or other significant achievements, professional accolades, awards or recognitions, promotions or new positions and similar professionally oriented topics.

Tel.: +1 (202) 367-1114, Monday-Friday: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. ET | Fax: +1 (202) 367-2114 | info@hfes.org