April 15, 2021
Society News
HFES Seed Grants Targeting the Intersections of HF/E and
Anti-Racism/Anti-Bias

HFES is initiating a seed grant program in support of research and programming that investigates and addresses the intersections of Human Factors/Ergonomics and Anti-Racism/Anti-Bias. This grant program will stimulate and support projects and research intended to improve our understanding of and reduce/eliminate racism and bias in the systems, environments, products and tools with which humans interact. Seed grants fund the early stages of projects with the potential for broad impact or provide preliminary data for future state, federal, foundation or other grant proposal mechanisms. The long-term goal of this grant program is to identify evidence-based solutions to the problems of racism and bias.

All HFES members are eligible to apply (new faculty and new practitioners will be given priority). Faculty/practitioner teams are strongly encouraged to apply. Grant limits are $5,000 USD each. Up to two grants will be awarded. 

Proposals are due by May 15, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. Eastern time.

If you not submitting a proposal and you are interested in serving as a proposal reviewer, please contact the Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Carolyn Sommerich, at sommerich.1@osu.edu.
Announcing a New HFES Journal: Human Factors in Healthcare

Human Factors in Healthcare aims to provide a worldwide platform for the work of human factors professionals who specialize in healthcare, as well as industry professionals who rely on human factors knowledge, methods, and theories, including healthcare providers and administrators, medical device and pharmaceutical industries, and regulators. This open-source journal is split between research and application; is inclusive of human factors, usability, and ergonomics; and addresses healthcare human factors issues across a variety of domains, such as digital health, healthcare operating environments, patient safety and health, device usability and validation, education and simulation, and healthcare worker safety.

Human Factors in Healthcare will have co-editors-in-chief. Anthony Andre (Interface Analysis Associates) will represent the applied side and Farzan Sasangohar (Texas A&M University) will represent the research/academic side. This new journal will be published by Elsevier beginning this summer. Articles will be published in a rolling fashion, with periodic themed issues.  
Call for Applications to the HFES Science Policy Fellowship Program

The HFES Science Policy Fellowship (SPF) program provides a valuable
opportunity for HFES members to learn how to successfully advocate for human factors and ergonomics on the national stage. SPF Participants will receive extensive training in public affairs, advocacy and outreach to be provided by Lewis-Burke Associates and the HFES Government Relations Committee during the HFES Annual Meeting. They will also participate in an annual spring Capitol Hill Day in Washington, DC, including a Hill visit training session and a policy-related speaker prior to the visit day. They will be invited to attend monthly conference calls with Lewis-Burke and the HFES Government Relations Committee covering ongoing events and opportunities for HFES to engage in policy decisions.

Application materials should be sent via email to mica@satechnologies.com by May 15, 2021.
Call for Papers: Human Factors and Ergonomics in Space Exploration

In spaceflight, human factors are critical to achieving mission objectives and maintaining crew health and safety. Humans must live and work in an inherently hostile environment, which impairs cognitive and physical readiness due to isolation and confinement, radiation, microgravity, sleep deprivation, vibration, and communication complexities. Astronauts use bulky, constraining, yet life-sustaining equipment, tools, and systems. For example, spacesuits used for extravehicular activities restrict gross body coordination and fine motor skills due to the necessary rigidity of the material to protect from the vacuum of space. Helmets restrict vision and communication. Strategic and evidence-based human factors design of space systems are needed to mitigate the risk to the humans in the system, particularly on long-duration missions in which small stressors may accumulate.

Deadline for submissions of full manuscripts is April 30, 2021.

For more information, contact: Eduardo Salas, Ph.D. | eduardo.salas@rice.edu; Lauren Landon, Ph.D. | lauren.landon@nasa.gov ; Jessica Marquez, Ph.D. | jessica.j.marquez@nasa.gov
Sign Up for Journal Release Notifications

Sign up for notifications so you’ll never miss a new journal release! Follow these instructions to activate email alerts:

  • Log in to your HFES member account.
  • Navigate to the HFES Journals page.
  • Click on the journal you would like to access. You will be brought to the SAGE Publishing page.
  • If you have not registered for a SAGE account, you will need to create one:
  • Click on the Sign In button at the top of the page
  • Click the Create Profile Button. You will need to fill out the form and verify your e-mail address
  • Once you have created your SAGE account and are logged in, click My Profile at the top of the page. Select the “register for email alerts” button (see screenshot).
  • You will be brought to the My Alerts page, where you can select the frequency of alerts you would like to receive for the journal.
Join an HFES Affinity Group and Grow Your Professional Network!

HFES Affinity groups provide opportunities for members to connect with others who share aspects of their identity–especially in situations in which aspects of their identity are in the minority or are marginalized. Our Affinity Groups can provide mutual support and a sense of community within the society and are an extension of HF/E Diversity and Inclusion efforts, focusing on both inclusivity within the profession and on advancing science that addresses longstanding societal problems. Current Affinity Groups:

  • HFE WOMAN (Women’s Group) 
  • LGBTQ+
  • People of Color
  • Disability and Chronic Health Conditions
Editor-in-Chief Candidates Sought for Human Factors Journal

The term of the current editor-in-chief of Human Factors (HF) will expire at the end of 2021, and HFES is now seeking candidates for the position.

The Human Factors editor's term is four years (2022-2025), with the possibility of two additional two-year terms. The incoming editor will be asked to work with the outgoing editor in the latter part of 2021, so on each end of the tenure there will be a few months of overlap to enable a smooth transition.

Desirable candidates should have a good and clear vision for the journal and prior experience working with authors of scientific research, including a demonstrated ability to communicate sometimes unwelcome news with consideration, tact, and diplomacy. They should also be able to coordinate the activities of professional staff and volunteers involved in the review and publication process.

Administrative support for the manuscript review process is provided by HFES and SAGE staff. Questions about these functions may be directed to HFES Executive Director Steven Kemp at skemp@hfes.org or (202) 367-1114.

The deadline to apply is TODAY, Thursday, April 15, 2021.
House Science Committee Introduces NSF Reauthorization Legislation
  
Congress is looking to strengthen the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support U.S. leadership in science and technology, as seen by the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee’s introduction of the bipartisan National Science Foundation for the Future Act on March 26. This bill; introduced by Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK), and other Committee leadership; would authorize increased funding for NSF research, support STEM Education at all levels, expand efforts for broadening participation in science, and create a new Directorate for Science and Engineering Solutions (SES) to address societal grand challenges to be funded initially at $1 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2022. These social grand challenges include focus areas such as climate change and environmental sustainability, global competitiveness, cybersecurity, national security, STEM education and workforce, and social and economic inequality.
Biden-Harris Administration Announces $2.25 Trillion Infrastructure and Economic Stimulus Plan
 
The Biden-Harris Administration announced on March 31 the American Jobs Plan, a $2.25 trillion infrastructure and economic stimulus plan to modernize America’s infrastructure, spur climate action, strengthen domestic workforce and education, and promote U.S. global competitiveness. 

If passed by Congress, these goals would be achieved through investments in scientific research, federal incentives and mandates, encouraging private sector participation and public-private partnerships, and policies that address broad and longstanding inequalities facing underrepresented or underserved populations. Some of the key areas of investment in this infrastructure and economic stimulus package would include:
 
  • $621 billion to rebuild and modernize traditional transportation, such as roads and bridges;
  • $182 billion to strengthen U.S. manufacturing and supply chains;
  • $180 billion for research and development, including $50 billion for the National Science Foundation to create a new technology directorate focused on microelectronics, biotechnology, and other advanced technologies;
  • $40 billion to upgrade research infrastructure;
  • $137 billion to upgrade and/or build new public schools, child care facilities, and community colleges;
  • $100 billion for broadband expansion;
  • $100 billion for workforce development programs.
HFES Announces 2021 Human Factors Prize Competition

The Human Factors Prize was established in 2010 by former Editor-in-Chief William S. Marras to recognize excellence in HF/E research through an annual competition in which authors are invited to submit papers on a specific topic for that year. The prize carries a $5,000 cash award and consideration of publication of the winning paper in the Society's flagship journal, Human Factors. The award is formally conferred at a special session at the HFES International Annual Meeting, where the recipient presents his or her work. 

Submissions will be accepted between May 15 and June 15, 2021.
Save the Date for the INCOSE International Conference on Human Systems Integration, HSI2021!

INCOSE International Conference on Human Systems Integration, HSI2021, will be held in San Diego, California, USA on November 17-18, 2021. The paper submission deadline has been extended to April 30. The submission deadline for paperless contributions remains May 17.

HSI2021 will bring together manufacturers, operators, government, research centers and academia to focus on improving industrial teams of teams. While the primary focus is on HSI, the organizers will consider papers on a wide range of topics including design, evaluation, certification and rule-making, training, maintenance, in-service experience and incident/ accident investigation.
Make Plans to Attend the Virtual 21st Triennial Congress of the International Ergonomics Association!

IEA2021 features a technical program that comprises more than 250 sessions, workshops, panels, and renowned keynote speakers - among them is HFES President Peter Hancock speaking on Trust in Automation and Autonomy.

Learn about the latest advances in research and practice, enlarge your network, and be inspired. All registered delegates will have access to recorded sessions on an on-demand basis for 30 days from the start of the Congress, so no one will miss any presentation of interest. Plus, for four weeks following the congress, registrants will have free online access to the final published e-book Proceedings on the Springer web portal.

Members of IEA societies benefit from a reduced rate but register soon! Rates increase May 1. For more information and to register, click here. 

Questions or comments may be forwarded to Info@IEA2021.org
Ergonomics Foundation Completes Busy Year

While the world had to cope with a pandemic with lock-downs and only Zoom meetings, the US Foundation for Professional Ergonomics (FPE) made two awards and coordinated with other ergonomics-related organizations to translate a popular tool set into Spanish.
Member News
HFES Members in the News
HFES wants to promote the important achievements of our members in the bi-weekly Bulletin. Appropriate topics include research milestones or other significant achievements, professional accolades, awards or recognitions, promotions or new positions, and similar professionally-oriented topics. If you would like to share news with the HFES community, please fill out the form. 

Additionally, if you are made aware of the passing of any members of HFES, please let us know. Contact HFES Executive Director Steven Kemp at skemp@hfes.org.
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