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Newsletter
Updated: June 30, 2003
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Contents: POC Home Overview Newsletter Next Meeting Job Openings Membership Sites of Interest Officers Old Newsletters Chapter Operations Site Map |
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NewsletterUpdated: June 30, 2003 |
| June '03 | Volume 38 Number 3 |
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http://www.erols.com/hfespoc |
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Does time really fly when you are having so much fun? It is June already, and most of us in the Washington, DC area are not sure if we are really in Seattle, Washington because we have had about 25+ days of rainy weather since May 1st.
Those of you who missed the April 30th presentation by Jeff Fernandez at Exponent, Inc. on "forensic ergonomics" missed a good one. That work is tough, demanding, challenging, and rarely documented for the public, or the scientific community to see. But obviously if one wants to make some money in this field this sounds like a niche that fits the bill. [You didn't really join the world of R&D to get rich did you?] We also had a good jointly sponsored May 15th meeting on SBIR/STTR and if you missed it, you missed another good one. There is an advantage in numbers, since seven different engineering oriented local area organizational chapters were joint sponsors of this one. The attendance was in the neighborhood of seventy persons.
I hope some of you made it to the Human Systems Integration (HSI) Symposium: "Enhancing Human Performance in Naval & Joint Environments" at Tysons Corner June 24-26th. For those of you who need a memory prompt and are not familiar with the term HSI, recall that HSI is the Department of Defense materiel acquisition program equivalent of select elements of Army MANPRINT, which might be more familiar to you. DoD HSI at least includes the Manpower, Personnel and Training domains; whereas you gotta look for the rest of the domains like "human engineering" and "environmental health and safety" in the acquisition regs, which are undergoing some changes along with about everything else in the Dept of Defense transformation movements these days.
Speaking of Chapter programs, one of our newest go-getter members, Donna Smith-Lopez, has agreed to take on the role of Potomac Chapter Meeting Program Director, and the Chapter's Board of Officers and Directors unanimously approved Donna's new position on April 30th. She has already begun work and you can see the program schedule developing here in the newsletter or on our Chapter's frequently updated web site. The next meeting is scheduled at Catholic University on September 10th.
Note that it is time to elect chapter officers for 2004. John Ruffner and Mike Eidelkind have put together both an electronic and a hardcopy version of the Chapter election ballot. The ballot is being distributed with this newsletter. Please cast your ballot by sending it to John as soon as possible, but in any case by the end of July.
As for our Chapter's web site, our trusty Webmaster for years has been Jack Laveson, and he is pretty conscientious about keeping it up to date and filled with interesting tidbits for our membership. If you have not consulted it lately, please take a few moments to do so and then page mark it on your personal computer and make a practice of checking what's new every two weeks or so. The web site is: http://www.erols.com/hfespoc
Since Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) still threatens Toronto and the viability of holding the annual convention of the American Psychological Association (APA) there August 7-11th, why not plan instead to attend our own HFES annual convention in Denver, CO this October 13-17th. Not to draw any comparisons, mind you, but let's go see if the Rocky Mountain Chapter can meet the successes John Ruffner and our own Chapter had in hosting the convention in the Baltimore Inner Harbor last year.
We are still searching for a student member to serve as the Chapter's Liaison to Students, graduate and undergraduate; so if you know of an energetic student who should take on this role and grow into Chapter governance activities, please nominate him or her. It is likely that Dick Horst will be in the market to train and develop the next Chapter newsletter editor, as he has done an outstanding job in this capacity for the past several years, and is about ready to turn the reigns over to someone else in a few months. If you are interested in learning the ropes and eventually taking on the role of editor, please contact Dick and work with him on this.
Now that I have covered the newsy items, permit me a short commentary on TRANSFORMATION in the Dept. of Defense, or even in other sectors of the Federal Government. Professional and trade magazines, numerous newspaper articles, and TV documentaries are highlighting the many new technologies brought to bear in combat activities and in some homeland defense as well; and these are pretty much around the globe. They make for good visual TV and magazine stories, and they intrigue select segments of the inquisitive public. Computers, advances in electronics, and space-age technologies give us "human-machine systems" and terms we had scantly heard of just slightly more than a decade ago during Iraq War I -- Global Positioning Systems, unmanned aerial vehicles, remotely piloted aircraft, smart bombs, and brilliant munitions, information dominance, information disruption, asymmetric warfare tactics, and WMD has come to mean weapons of "mass disruption" rather than "mass destruction."
Transformation discussion around military circles talks of doing away with some Army artillery systems, tracked vehicles and tanks, and in some cases threatening even helicopters, restructuring what Navy vessels we keep, and numerous changes in all of aviation from tankers to jet fighters. Now, instead, we hear talk of "effects-based operations." As Gene Myers writes in the June 2003 issue of Armed Forces Journal, 21st century warfare is different from that of the traditional warfare of the last century, where the focus was on destruction of the enemy or linear movement of battle lines as a measure of success. Paraphrasing Myers, today our "effects-based operations" strive to negate the will and ability of adversary leaders to oppose our objectives of imposing desired actions (at least by the US military), reactions, or an inability to act at all on an enemy. He says this relegates attrition warfare to an exception rather than the rule.
Ya gotta think about that one a little bit. It seems this is part of what Defense Transformation is all about. Maybe Donald Rumsfeld understands how to do it, in his own sort of albeit pushy way, he is sure attempting that transformation. As my boss, LTG Bill Reno (Army ret.) says, in any environment change must embrace Reform, Transformation, and Modernization in that order. Reform, he says, must begin from the top, and it encompasses the process of changing the "mindset" and attitudes of people. Transformation involves changing systems, processes, procedures, and approaches must be modified. Finally, Modernization is the actual act of modernizing through technology and research.
As fascinating as the transformations are while they are being played out before our eyes, we human factors specialists need to take stock, and probably need to be participating in this transformation process. If we do not, we risk being swept away as forgotten stepchildren, or even being viewed as irrelevant relics of the past, in the adoption of new processes and approaches to doing our business.
What do you think? Any ideas on how best to accomplish this participation would be welcomed in discussion among our members, either via email correspondence, phone calls, or even by writing guest columns in a subsequent issue of our Chapter newsletter. Let's hear from you.
Jerry Krueger
President
Meeting Date: Wednesday, September 10, 2003
Location: Room 106, O'Boyle Hall, The Catholic University of America.
Speaker: Dr. Raja Parasuraman, Professor Deborah Clawson, and students in the CUA Human Factors and Applied Experimental Program.
Topic: Current research in the CUA Human Factors and Applied Experimental Program.
Parking: Adjacent to O'Boyle Hall (we'll have temporary parking passes for people to put on their cars).
Campus Map: http://tour.cua.edu/map_overhead.cfm You'll see the metro stop toward the right of the map (at coordinates J15), and O'Boyle Hall at the top left (coordinates B7).
Driving Directions: http://admissions.cua.edu/visit/map.cfm Instead of turning at the Shrine, turn on Harewood Rd. which is next to the Shrine. As you're driving down Harewood, just after you pass the sign for the John Paul II Center, you'll turn RIGHT then take an immediate RIGHT into the parking lot for O'Boyle Hall. (If you're on Harewood, and you get to the stoplight at Taylor Rd., you've gone too far.) Room 106 is on the first floor. Please allow a little extra time in case you get lost.
June Dinner Meeting Featured Jerry Krueger on Chem-Bio Protective Clothing Effects on Soldiers
The June dinner meeting was held at the Wexford Group International on June 12, 2003. Our current Potomac Chapter President, Dr. Jerry Krueger, gave a presentation on "Chemical-Biological Protective Clothing Effects on Soldiers and First Responders." The latest chemical-protective clothing (JSLIST) being used by the military provides many advantages in weight, comfort, "breathability," and protection against chemical-biological hazards. However, there are still significant effects on soldier performance that must be taken into account in the design of tasks and operations for troops, or civilian first-responders, who are outfitted with this protective clothing. Heat stress continues to be the primary problem. In addition, the mask causes deficits in peripheral vision, olfaction, and auditory loss, hampers communications, hinders sleep, and makes it difficult to visually identify the wearer. The gloves reduce arm-hand steadiness, dexterity, and fine motor movements. The threats that lead to donning this protective gear raise anxiety levels and can trigger hyperventilation, phobias, or obsessive concerns with decontamination. Research on soldier performance has shown that most tasks can be performed successfully by soldiers wearing this garb. Interestingly, accuracy is maintained reasonably well, but task times increase by as much as one-third. The implications of these performance effects include degraded combat effectiveness, difficulty in locating the enemy, and a tendency to engage the enemy at closer ranges. Such performance effects must obviously be taken into account by battlefield commanders. One effective countermeasure is to alter work-rest cycles for soldiers or first-responders when wearing protective clothing.
May Chapter Meeting, Co-sponsored with Kindred Spirit Organizations, Presented Info on SBIR Program
On May 15, the Potomac Chapter co-sponsored a meeting at the Northern Virginia Graduate Center at which a series of speakers discussed the research and development opportunities afforded by the government's Small Business Innovative Research program and the Small Business Technology Transfer Research program (STTR). In addition to a small cadre of Potomac Chapter members, the 70-80 attendees were drawn from the other co-sponsoring organizations:
The SBIR and STTR programs provide important sources of financing for tech-based ventures, including inventors, startup firms, and early stage small businesses. There is over $1.5 billion dollars awarded as grants through these programs every year to stimulate technological innovation. Robert Brooke, Virginia Center for Innovative Technology (CIT), presented an overview of the SBIR and STTR programs plus related assistance that is available from CIT. There were additional presentations by Virginia Tech faculty involved in SBIR/STTR, private sector SBIR recipients, and a Federal Agency SBIR Program Manager. An overview of the Northern Virginia Graduate Center was also provided by Assistant Dean, Pamela Kurstedt.
April Dinner Meeting Featured Jeff Fernandez on Litigation of Biomechanical Assessment of Injuries
The April dinner meeting was held on April 30, 2003 at Exponent Failure Analysis Associates, Inc. Jeff Fernandez, PhD, CPE, PE, who is a Senior Managing Engineer at Exponent, gave a presentation on Human Factors Support in Litigation: Biomechanical Assessment of Injuries. The presentation gave an overview of the company and the work that they do in litigation support and for the government doing defense work. A summary was given on the litigation process and where Exponent assists in that process. Dr. Fernandez also gave a brief overview of a few of the cases that he has worked on providing litigation support in the area of human factors. One case involved a wheelchair accident where technical expertise was provided in the investigation of the ergonomics and human factors issues surrounding the accident. Another involved a theme park ride where an evaluation study was performed on potential vehicle modifications. The last project discussed was one that involved the investigation of the presence and possibility of exposure to upper extremity hazards in specific railroad jobs.
The Potomac Chapter has received an invitation to participate in the Washington Academy of Sciences' Pan Affiliates Conference, "Capitol Science," being planned for March 20-21, 2004. WAS is an umbrella organization consisting both of individual members and nearly 60 affiliated societies, of which the HFES Potomac Chapter is one. These affiliates, of greatly varying sizes, include most of the scholarly scientific societies in the Washington area. Many of the smaller, and some of the larger, affiliates do not have the resources to mount a conference. Thus, there are not many opportunities for their members to present and publish papers in their disciplines. Also, since the September 11 terrorist attacks, some members are reluctant to travel to remote conference sites. The WAS Board believes that a pan-Affiliates Conference would help to ameliorate the situation and, in addition, would provide the Science community at large the opportunity to experience the spectrum of scientific and technological work being pursued in this unique Capitol milieu.
The structure of the conference is intended to permit the participating Societies the maximum amount of freedom. Each participating Society will run its own "tracks" in the manner which it prefers. WAS will not impose a format, but instead will ask each Society to tell us how much time and space it desires. WAS will try to accommodate those desires, to the extent possible, within the limitations of time and space. The conference will be held in the conference rooms of the National Science Foundation's building in Ballston, VA. The welcoming banquet, on March 19, will feature a keynote address by NSF Director, Rita Colwell.
The Potomac Chapter's Executive Council is considering if and how to respond to this invitation. Doug Griffith has volunteered to be our liaison with the WAS organizing committee. There would be opportunities for our organization to form a track, for individual's to present their work, and or for us to form one or more panel discussions. If you are interested in taking advantage of this opportunity, or have ideas about how the Chapter should participate, please contact Doug Griffith (703-803-0100, x4120; dkgriffith@erols.com) or Jerry Krueger (703-749-9134, x204; jerrykrueg@aol.com)
Tenth Annual ACT-R Summer School and Workshop
Carnegie-Mellon University
July 25-27, 2003
ACT-R is a cognitive theory and simulation system for developing cognitive models for tasks that vary from simple reaction time to air traffic control. The most recent advances of the ACT-R theory were detailed in the recent book "The Atomic Components of Thought" by John R. Anderson and Christian Lebiere, published in 1998 by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, and in a paper available online (http://act-r.psy.cmu.edu/papers/403/IntegratedTheory.pdf). Each year, a three-day workshop is held to enable new and current users to exchange research results and ideas. The Tenth Annual ACT-R Summer School and Workshop will be held at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh in July 2003.
The workshop will take place from Friday July 25 at 9am to Sunday July 27 at noon. Mornings will be devoted to research presentations, each lasting about 20 minutes plus questions. Participants are invited to present their ACT-R research by submitting a one-page abstract with their registration. Afternoons will feature more research presentations as well as discussion sessions and instructional tutorials. Suggestions for the topics of the tutorials and discussion sessions are welcome. Friday afternoon will feature a presentation by the invited speaker, James McClelland of Carnegie Mellon University, titled "Symbolic and Sub-symbolic cognition: What is the relation?"
Admission to the workshop is open to all. The early registration fee (before July 1) is $100 and the late registration fee (after July 1) is $125. Informal proceedings of past workshops can be found on the ACT-R web site (http://act-r.psy.cmu.edu/workshops/). Requests for presentations should be submitted before July 1 to receive full consideration for inclusion in the workshop program. A preliminary program of presentations will be made available in early July. The workshop is scheduled to just precede the Cognitive Science conference which takes place in Boston from July 30 to August 3 (http://www.cognitivesciencesociety.org/cogsci.html).
Housing and computing facilities will be provided at CMU from July 27 to 30 for workshop participants who wish to stay on to work on their ACT-R projects and collaborate with other researchers until the start of Cogsci.
Additional information (detailed schedule, etc.) will appear on the ACT-R Web site when available or can be requested at
2003 ACT-R Workshop
Psychology Department
Attn: Helen Borek
Baker Hall 345C Fax: +1 (412) 268-2844
Carnegie Mellon University Tel: +1 (412) 268-3438
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890 Email: helen+@cmu.edu
Human Computer Interface
A.C. Coy
Pittsburgh, PA
Human-Computer Interface positions with the following background: Permanent position/Pittsburgh Pa. $50-60K base salary BOE, BS degree in human-computer interaction, human factors engineering, cognitive psychology, or other HCI-related field Must possess an excellent knowledge of user interface standards, tools, methods, and industry guidelines Will be responsible for researching users' needs and design solutions to meet those needs Will carry out user and requirements analysis, defining a conceptual framework for interfaces, building prototypes and analyzing designs.
About A.C.Coy:
A.C.Coy provides Technical Consulting Solutions to various concerns throughout the United States. Our service offerings include: contracting, contract to hire and full time placements. For further information on A.C. Coy, please visit our website at: www.accoy.com.
Human Factors Engineers
Crown Communications, Inc.
Washington, DC
Crown Communications, Inc., a dynamic and growing information technology firm, is seeking 1 - 2 highly qualified Human Factors professionals. Openings are available in the D.C. area. We are looking for people with a minimum of 2 years experience to provide human factors support to developing air traffic control related software. These positions require conducting human factors studies and analysis, rapid prototyping, requirements development, operational test and evaluation, technical writing and interfacing with the customer.
Ideal candidates will possess a minimum of 2 years of experience in computer - human interface design and evaluation. Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills are essential. Master's degree in Human Factors, Experimental Psychology, Industrial Engineering, or related field is required. Knowledge of the software development process, ability to work well with software developers and rapid software prototyping skills are highly desirable. More senior staff will have proven experience with software development and Air Traffic Control development projects. For junior staff, software development and Air Traffic Control experience is preferable.
For more information about Crown Consulting, Inc. see our web site at http://www.crownci.com.
Competitive salary & excellent benefits. Please send resume. Include salary requirements, salary history and position code to: 202-785-2626, attn: Code DC-HFES-HE, or email in MS format to hr@crownci.com or mail to Crown Consulting, Attn: Code DC-HFES-HE, 501 School Street, S.W. Suite 400, Washington, DC 20024. Principals only. EOE M/F/D/V.
Human Factors Specialist
Mitretek Systems
Washington, DC
Mitretek Systems is looking for an experienced Human Factors Specialist, preferably with an automotive or transportation background, to support our Intelligent Transportation Systems Program in Washington, D.C. This candidate will help us meet the growing demand for Human Factors support in both vehicle systems and public safety programs. Knowledge of Intelligent Vehicle Systems and technology is desired. Familiarity with automotive safety and regulations and/or public safety issues is a plus.
The candidate selected will be responsible for providing technical support on a variety of issues: intelligent vehicle and crash avoidance subsystems; transit and heavy truck Intelligent Vehicle Initiative programs and field operational tests; and the effectiveness of traveler information systems for traffic management and public safety. Perform human factors analyses and assessments as they relate to operational field tests and planning. Identify and analyze technological problems or risks in design. Document results in reports and presentations. Support other systems engineering studies and tasks as assigned. Establish, develop, and maintain an effective working interface and coordination of technical information with the federal customer and other industry and academia partners.
The successful candidate will have at least a Master's degree in Human Factors or a closely allied field, experience in product development, and/or experience in transportation policy and program management. The candidate must have sufficient breath and flexibility to be able to support multiple programs including planning and evaluation. Knowledge of statistical procedures and experimental design are desired. Candidate must have excellent communications skills and general PC skills.
We offer a comprehensive benefits and compensation package. Please direct your resume to: staffing@mitretek.org; Mitretek Systems, Corporate Recruitment Dept. HFES-12/12. 3150 Fairview Park Drive, Falls Church, VA 22042.
Fax: (703) 610-1952. EOE.
Applicants selected may be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified or other regulated information.
Usability Internship
K12
McLean, Virginia
Time: Start immediately, minimum 4 months
Location: McLean, Virginia
Introduction:
Join the User Experience team at K12 Inc.-a leading-edge online education company. As an intern at K12, you will learn as you participate in all steps of the usability process. The User Experience team focuses on three main areas: user research, usability testing, and user feedback. Our clients are parents and children using our kindergarten through twelfth grade curriculum, which we deliver through a highly interactive Flash interface over the Internet.
Responsibilities:
Usability Testing: Plan, conduct, and analyze findings in our usability lab and in the field. User Surveys: Write and conduct online user surveys. Analyze results. Data Analysis: Analyze usability and feedback data statistically for current trends. Heuristic Evaluations: Conduct walkthroughs of current and future user interface prototypes and designs. Provide recommendations to design teams.
Qualifications:
Excellent analytical skills, including the use of statistical analysis in a real-world setting. Excellent written, oral, and communication skills. Ability to communicate effectively with members of a diverse multidisciplinary team including project management, visual design, engineering, and quality assurance teams. Must be highly creative, technically savvy, self-motivated, and a conceptual thinker. Highly desirable: Experience working with Web interfaces, preferably Flash user interfaces focusing on education.
Education:
BA/BS in psychology, sociology, design, human factors, HCI, or related field. Candidate must be currently enrolled in a Human Factors, HCI, or Cognitive Psychology (or related) graduate (MA or Ph.D.) program. Must have completed graduate-level statistics and research design courses.
Sean Fitzpatrick
Director, User Experience
K12
8000 Westpark Drive
Suite 500
McLean, VA 22102
(W) 703-970-8215 (C) 703-403-0657
Fax: 703-832-8872
E-mail: sfitzpatrick@k12.com
C-Nile Virus
It seems that there is a virus out there called the C-nile Virus that even the most advanced Anti-Virus programs cannot take care of, so be warned. It seems to affect those of us who were born before 1950.
Symptoms of C-nile Virus:
HUMAN FACTORS AND ERGONOMICS SOCIETY
POTOMAC CHAPTER
2004 ELECTION BALLOT
INSTRUCTIONS: It's time to elect chapter officers for 2004. The chapter members who have been nominated, and agreed to run, for the offices of President, Secretary, and Director-at-Large are listed below. Please cast your vote for the candidates listed or write in the name of a candidate in the space provided.
| President: | ____ Dick Horst | __________________________ (President write-in) |
| Secretary: | ____ Donna Smith-Lopez | __________________________ (Secretary write-in) |
| Director: | ____ Sue Evans | __________________________ ( Director write-in) |
| Return your ballot to John Ruffner via email jruffner@dcscorp.com or in hardcopy form to 1330 Braddock Place, Alexandria, VA 22314 by July 31, 2003. |
Current President
Jerry Krueger
Wexford Group International
Phone: (703) 749-9134, ext 204; (703) 768-3421
E-mail: jerrykrueg@aol.com; gkrueger@thewexfordgroup.com
Past President
John Ruffner
DCS Corporation
Phone: (703) 683-8430 x243
E-mail: jruffner@dcscorp.com
President Elect
To Be Elected
Phone:
E-mail:
Current Secretary
Tom Mayfield
Susan Evans & Associates, Inc.
Phone: 703-281-1445
E-mail: tmayfield@evansincorporated.com
Past Secretary
Colleen Donovan
Federal Aviation Administration
Phone: 202-267-3313
E-mail: colleen.donovan@faa.gov
Secretary Elect
To Be Elected
Phone:
E-mail:
Current Treasurer
Michael Eidelkind
Northrop Grumman
Phone: 703-575-0782
E-mail: meidelkind@netscape.net
Past Treasurer
Ben Somberg (now located in Minneapolis)
Guidant Corporation
Phone:
E-mail: somberg@att.net
Directors-at-Large
Jack Laveson
Integrated Systems Research
Phone: (703) 642-6377
E-mail: j.l.laveson@ieee.org
Doug Griffith
Veridan
Phone: (703) 803-0100, x4120
E-mail: dkgriffith@erols.com
Awards
Tyson Rose
IBM
Phone: (301) 240-3237
email: ctrose@us.ibm.com
Membership/Directory
Michael Eidelkind
Northrop Grumman
Phone: 703-575-0782
email: meidelkind@netscape.net
Newsletter
Dick Horst
UserWorks, Inc.
Phone: (301) 431-0500
email: dhorst@userworks.com
Chapter Liasion to Students
Vacant
Phone:
email:
Chapter Meeting Program Director
vacant
Phone:
email:
WebMaster
Jack Laveson
Integrated Systems Research
Phone: (703) 642-3677
email: j.l.laveson@ieee.org
Recent
Meetings:
March, 2000
Joe Moyer: "Mission & Research Initiatives of the Federal Highway Administration in the Department of Transportation."
April, 2002
Whitney Quesenbery: "Designing Usable Search Interfaces: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly"
July, 2002
Tour of UserWorks, Inc.
September, 2002
Jared Spool: "User Interface Engineering"
October, 2002
Ben Shneiderman: "Leonardo’s Laptop"
January, 2003
Tour of the Applied Research in Cognition and Human Factors (ARCH) lab, George Mason University
March, 2003
LTC Mike Russo: "Visual Neglect by Pilots in a Simulated Overnight C-141 Flight"
May, 2003
Various speakers
June, 2003
Jerry Krueger: "Chemical-Biological Protective Clothing Effects on Soldiers and First Responders"
