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Newsletter
Updated: January 7, 2004
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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: January 7, 2004 |
| January '04 | Volume 39 Number 1 |
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http://www.erols.com/hfespoc |
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Happy New Year! We made it through another year, and predictably, once more, the earth did a complete revolution around the sun. It will undoubtedly do so again this next year as well. It is customary at New Years to reflect on past behaviors, performance, events, etc, then predict and set our resolutions to do better in the future. Can we here do some of that in terms of our "human factors and engineering psychology, and ergonomics" (HFEE) disciplines? What new challenges and work venues do we foresee for HFEE specialists?
Double-edged swords? Our country again made it through a fairly significant year of 2003, with a substantial war effort, this time in Iraq; high tech smart weaponry paid great dividends; those HFEE specialists who worked on these know the problem-solving that their development underwent. We saw equipment operators, who previously flew into combat, for the first time working in trailers, learning to control remotely piloted platforms equipped with sensors and weapons. These "pilots" immerse themselves in virtual environments that are fed data via battlefield sensors and satellite transmission systems. Technology has once again extended man’s senses over time and distance to carry out numerous actions. HFEE considerations are rampant. So too did our HFEE efforts in design of personal body armor help preserve lives, sparing combatants the body bag, but instead leaving many casualties with loss of limbs. Enhancing the likelihood of getting adequate battlefield combat casualty care to the wounded in less than that "golden hour" is again saving lives.
But alas, sustained military clean-up and mop-up actions are proving to be even more troublesome than the relatively large scale combat which ended in May. Predictably, just as in other incursions overseas, our forces helping Iraq rebuild will undoubtedly be there for many years to come. So now our military HFEE attention turns to efforts to develop ways to protect human bodies from urban warfare incidents of blunt trauma from the innovative explosive devices of human suicide bombers.
High quality research work on developing high technology prostheses, and on robotic control devices to permit rehabilitative innovations has been performed in the Washington, DC area. These have given wounded veterans new hopes for gaining back some take-it-for-granted mobility features of life in a mobile society. Snippets of HFEE work done with biomedical engineers played a vital role in these arenas, and will continue to do so.
Ubiquitous wireless communications are making realities out of portable, even wearable computers, PDAs, and gazillions of cell phones, including the capability to employ digital video shots over those cell phones -- all are meant to enhance our personal lives in our newly connected world. But we will continue to fret about, and to fight the problems of SPAM email, computer viruses, worms, etc. that threaten our new dependence on Internet communications. In the topical area of "attention and cognitive performance," we identified new concerns of distracted drivers using cell phones, involving us in numerous traffic accidents -- a problem yet to be resolved.
Based in part on human factors psychological research, this month the Department of Transportation implements new Hours of Service (HOS) rules for truck drivers. This effort attempts to increase the likelihood that drivers will obtain more sleep, and therefore be less drowsy behind the wheel of behemoth trucks on our nation’s highways. This is the first significant change in HOS since 1939; and so we await the trucking industry’s experiences this year with these new safety oriented changes.
Then there is Workplace Ergonomics. In lieu of the Ergonomics Protection Standards, OSHA launched its four-pronged comprehensive approach to workplace ergonomics. In 2003 OSHA began disseminating "ergonomics guidelines" by industry, launching the first three sets of guidelines for 1) nursing homes, 2) retail grocery stores, and 3) poultry processing. It remains to be seen how effective or ineffective these measures will be in the workplace --- whether they will prevent musculoskeletal disorders and injuries, conserve on worker compensation claims, or just simply continue to be an issue for industry and safety specialists to fight about. For sure, this whole topical area of our HFEE discipline is with us to stay; and employment for our HFEE specialists will continue to be in the news.
A cautionary note. For researchers who publish, and who depend upon the Internet for storage of key reference materials, it is worth considering the experiences of Robert Dellavalle, MD of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Dellavalle points out that we cannot depend upon web sites, (Uniform Resource Locators: URLs) staying around long on the Internet. After listing some URLs in his publications, by the time of the actual printing, he discovered that some URLs disappear, or migrate somewhere else on the Internet without a convenient trace. He, therefore, cautions that the references we cite in our publications, particularly URL citations we list for our readers, are not so likely to be there when our readers try to consult those web sites months after our publication hits the presses. By two years after a printed publication, about 10-13 percent of the web sites we list may not be available, or will have migrated etc. These cautions should help us be careful to provide several forms of reference to information sources we really want others to know about.
A vote of thanks to our hard workers. Our collective thanks to those who worked hard this past year to keep the largest chapter in the HFES functioning in high gear. Special thanks to John Ruffner, whose continued efforts as Past-President are especially appreciated, his work as Nominations Chair, and for volunteering to take on a dual role for APA Div. 21 and our Potomac Chapter to spearhead the program committee for the March 4th-5th Symposium at Fort Belvoir. Note that the deadline for submitting papers for presentation at that meeting has been extended to January 12 (see article herein), so you still have a few days to propose a presentation. Thanks and sincere appreciation are also due to Mike Eidelkind for his diligent efforts as both Treasurer and Membership Chair; to Tom Mayfield who held forth as our Chapter Secretary; to Donna Smith-Lopez who breathed new life into the role of Chapter Program Director; to Sue Evans and Doug Griffith for serving as Directors on the Executive Committee; to Tyson Rose for heading our Awards Committee; to Michele Marut who contributed meaningfully to each of our meetings; and especially, as always our thanks to our perennial chapter workhorses, Dick Horst for sustaining his editorship of our chapter newsletter, and to Jack Laveson for continuing as our chapter webmaster. We could not maintain our dynamism in the chapter without each of you; and the chapter membership expresses a heartfelt thanks for your contributions of good ideas and dedication.
Come join us. Do participate in your chapter’s activities. Join us for the exciting programs Donna Smith-Lopez is putting together for us. Coming January 14th is our annual business meeting and a special program at the National Rifle Association Museum; on Friday January 16th we co-sponsor a luncheon meeting with the Washington Chapter of the Institute of Industrial Engineers; and we again co-sponsor and conduct large portions of the March 4th-5th APA Mid-year Symposium at Fort Belvoir. And in keeping with our chapter affiliate membership in the Washington Academy of Sciences, our chapter will participate in the March 20-21st Pan-Affiliate Conference, "Capitol Science" at the National Science Foundation in Washington, DC. We will sponsor a special symposium highlighting our HFEE discipline on Saturday March 20th. See more information on these exciting events in the newsletter or on our Chapter web site.
Thanks for a pretty good year gang!
Jerry Krueger
Outgoing President
January Meeting to Feature JACK Program Use in Developing the Newest Guns for the Army
6:30 PM on Wednesday, January 14, 2004
National Rifle Association Museum, Vienna, VA
11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030
The Potomac Chapter's January meeting, which is free, will be held at the National Rifle Association Museum in Vienna, VA. The date and time are January 14th from 6:30 to 9 pm. The meeting topic is the JACK modeling program that was used to develop the newest guns now being used by the Army. Rich McMahon will give us a presentation on how the JACK program was used, and the craftsmanship and anthropometric detail required in the development of present generation firearms.
We will also have a half hour presentation by Doug Wickland, Curator of the museum. He will show us the differences between the various guns we hear about on TV. He has worked extensively with Aberdeen and the History Channel to produce several recent television programs. These presentations will take place in the NRA auditorium. For anyone who can come early, the museum is fascinating and has no admission charge. The craftsmanship of the guns, sabers, and knives is exquisite. Unfortunately, the museum closes at 4:00 PM.
Schedule:
Reservations:
There is no charge for the meeting, but RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED. It is very important to RSVP by NOON, Monday, January 12, 2004, to Donna Smith-Lopez at 703-445-1616, x117, or smithdl@svtcsle.com as we must provide the names of attendees to the museum ahead of time.
Driving Directions:
From the Washington Beltway (I-495), take I-66 west to Exit 57-A onto U.S. Route 50 East toward Fairfax. On Route 50, turn left at the first traffic light, onto Waples Mill Road. The blue and white NRA Headquarters building will be on your right. The National Firearms Museum is located on the 1st floor, South Tower. For a map and further details, see the National Firearms Museum web site – www.nationalfirearmsmuseum.org.
Friday, January 16, 2004
11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
Northern Virginia Center, 7054 Haycock Rd., Falls Church, VA
The Potomac Chapter is cosponsoring this program in conjunction with several other local engineering organizations. Most people see risk management as a topic that is, at best, a challenge. At its worst? It can be downright depressing. To simply offer to analyze risks is to invite discussions about the bad things that may come to pass. As a result, many organizations fear the risk management moment, and managers avoid the opportunity to find new avenues, new solutions and creative analyses. In this dynamic presentation, Carl Pritchard talks about how risk management is an opportunity for creativity, energy and excitement for the team. Carl offers practical advice on how to work through risk management practices and use them to develop organizational brands and ensure greater risk management consistency.
Carl Pritchard is the principal and founder of Pritchard Management Associates. He is a recognized lecturer, author, researcher, and instructor. As a lecturer he is considered a leading authority on risk management and presents on a variety of management topics, ranging from project essentials to the complexities of network diagramming and team motivation. As an author and researcher, he has published articles on project management maturity, the international trends in PM, advances in risk management, and on the nuances of training on the Internet. His work as an instructor has taken him around the world, training with some of the leading international training organizations, as well as for private clients and the Project Management Institute®. He is the U.S. Correspondent for the U.K. project management journal, Project Manager Today. Carl has authored several texts, including The Project Management Drill Book, Risk Management Concepts and Guidance (2nd Edition), Precedence Diagramming: Successful Scheduling in the Team Environment (2nd Edition), and How to Build the Work Breakdown Structure. He also authored chapters in Joan Knutson's Project Management for Business Professionals and David Cleland's Field Guide to Project Management.
Computers and the Internet are rapidly becoming the presentation platforms of choice, and Carl has had a presence there as well. He was the architect of ESI International's landmark programs in distance learning and authored (with J. Davidson Frame) the project management CD-ROM, "Managing Projects in Organizations." He serves on the Board of Directors for ProjectConnections.Com and recently recorded a 9-CD audio training program "The Portable PMP Prep" with J. LeRoy Ward. Carl regularly consults and coaches on project management, presentation skills, risk, distance learning, and course development with a variety of organizations. He holds a B.A. from the Ohio State University, and is a Project Management Professional® as certified by the Project Management Institute.
| Date: | Friday, January 16, 2004 | ||
| Time: | 11:30am-Rregistration/Networking/Lunch ¨ 12:15pm-Announcements & Program ¨ 1:15pm-Adjourn | ||
| Price: | Catered box lunch: $10 (full-time Industrial and Systems Engineering Student Members, no charge) Presentation Only: No Charge |
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| Place: | Northern Virginia Center, 7054 Haycock Road, Falls Church, Va. Located just off Route 7 and I-66, adjacent to the West Falls Church Metro and next to George Mason High School. Location/directions available at http://www.nvc.vt.edu/about/location.html, 703-538-8324. |
Reservations and Registration
To insure adequate seating and box lunches, please contact Jerry Krueger by 8:00 pm, Tuesday, January 13, to register and make reservations for seating. Contact Jerry at 703-768-3421 or gkrueger@thewexfordgroup.com or JerryKrueg@aol.com.
HFES Members Participate in Science Advocacy Workshop
Three HFES members (Jim Callan, Bill Howell, and Jerry Krueger) joined eleven other American Psychological Association members to participate in the APA Public Policy Office’s 11th Science Advocacy Training Workshop, September 27-29th, 2003 in Washington, DC. Training topics included: inside views of how the Congressional legislative process deals with science and technology issues; the business of congressional S&T committees; effective communication strategies in dealing with Congress; defense legislation and inside tips for defense science advocacy; and media training on dos and don’ts for science advocates. Participants visited their own congresspersons or senators’ offices to advocate on behalf of military behavioral science research.
Bill Howell, Ph.D., moderated a special panel presentation entitled "Psychological Science in Support of the Soldier," held for congressional staff members on the afternoon of September 29th. Senator John McCain’s staff arranged for the briefings to be conducted in the U.S. Senate Russell Office Building, Commerce Committee hearing room. The overriding message of the briefings pointed out why continued support for behavioral sciences research work is so important to our military forces; and that much of our work has spinoffs for homeland defense communities.
Topics covered in the briefings and the ensuing question and answer period touched on human factors psychology; ergonomics in design; physiological and psychological stressors; survival, escape and evasion training; recruitment for high stress jobs; quality of life for military members and their families; and retention of trained workers. The presentations were:
Jerry Krueger’s talk, which highlighted numerous human factors considerations of wearing chemical-biological protective clothing, was enlivened for the audience by a demonstrator wearing components of the Joint Services Light Integrated Suit Technology (JSLIST), the protective gear worn by soldiers and marines last March in Iraq.
Photos from the presentations at the US Senate Commerce Committee hearing room on September 29th can be viewed at: http://www.apa.org/ppo/issues/sciworkshoppic03.html
Seeking Newsletter Editor for The User's Perspective - Will Train!
With taking on the responsibilities of Chapter President next year, I would like to pass on the Newsletter Editor position to someone else. It is probably time for new blood in this regard anyway, since I have done the newsletter for (thinking, approximating) 6 years now. Please contact me if you would be willing to take on this responsibility, starting in January, 2004, or soon thereafter. It is a great way to keep abreast of what is going on, not only in the Chapter, but also more generally among the very active community of applied behavioral science organizations in the greater DC area. It brings you into contact with a wide variety of colleagues, and gets you into the Chapter’s Executive Committee meetings (where you are encouraged to actually express your opinions).
In terms of the time commitment, I probably spend approximately 8 hours in putting together a typical newsletter. I usually get some secretarial help from our staff at UserWorks. Without that, I would say add another 2-4 hours. Most Chapter members have opted to receive the newsletter electronically, but there are 20-30 who still prefer a hardcopy version. So the copying and stamp-licking burden (OK, just kidding, we don’t do that anymore) is greatly reduced and decreasing annually. You are reimbursed by the chapter for such incidental expenses. We have been doing 3-6 newsletters per year, although this year, I’m sorry to say, has been a light one, more due to my other commitments than lack of material or interest. The content would be largely up to you. As you can tell, my approach has involved mostly editing, with very little original writing. I mostly monitor a number of listservs, which I would be doing anyway, and lift announcements of relevant upcoming events and job opportunities in the DC area. For whatever it is worth, I will gladly pass on my accumulated knowledge and tips (won’t take long) and the URLs of the listservs that I have found useful.
Please do consider taking on this role. It needs to be done and it has many more benefits than liabilities. Please contact me to express interest or get more information.
Dick Horst
dhorst@userworks.com
301-431-0500
Once again, Divisions 19 and 21 of the American Psychological Association, in conjunction with the Potomac Chapter of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, will be hosting the Annual Mid-year Symposium March 4th and 5th , 2004 at the Fort Belvoir Officer’s Club, in picturesque Fort Belvoir, Virginia. The theme for this year’s symposium is Engineering and Military Psychology: Improving Lives and Enhancing National Security. Historically, the annual mid-year symposium has covered a range of topics from medical error, to training and simulation. It has provided an outstanding forum for presenters and attendees. This year the emphasis will be on how engineering and military psychology improve lives while also enhancing national security. Thus it covers a wide range of topics in both engineering and military psychology.
We are currently in the process of soliciting papers and encourage scientists and those interested in the field to develop a presentation or panel session for the upcoming 2004 mid-year symposium. Graduate students and advanced undergraduate students are actively encouraged to participate in either the paper or poster sessions, and will be automatically eligible for awards given by Division 19 for best graduate and undergraduate student papers/posters. The new deadline for submissions is Monday, January 12, 2004.
If you have any questions or would like to propose a presentation or panel, please contact Dr. John Ruffner (703) 683 8430 x243, DCS Corp. 1330 Braddock Place, Alexandria, VA 22314, jruffner@dcscorp.com; or Dr. Mike Matthews (845) 938-3696, U.S. Military Academy, Dept. of Behavioral Sciences & Leadership, West Point, NY 10996, mike.matthews@usma.edu.
6th International Conference of Cognitive Modeling
to be held July 29 - August 1, 2004
The Sixth International Conference of Cognitive Modeling will be held July 29th through August 1st, 2004 in Pittsburgh, PA. Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh are cosponsoring the event.
THEME
ICCM brings researchers together who develop computational models that explain/predict cognitive data. The core theme of ICCM2004 is Integrating Computational Models: models that integrate diverse data; integration across modeling approaches; and integration of teaching and modeling.
ICCM2004 seeks to grow the discipline of computational cognitive modeling. Towards this end, it will provide:
INVITED SPEAKERS
Kenneth Forbus (Northwestern University)
Michael Mozer (University of Colorado at Boulder)
SUBMISSION CATEGORIES --- DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: April 1st 2004
Papers and Posters
Papers and posters will follow the 6-page 10-point double-column single-spaced US-letter format used by the Annual Cognitive Science Society Meeting. Formatting templates and examples will be made available on the website. The research being presented at ICCM-2004 will appear in the conference proceedings. The proceedings will contain 6-page extended descriptions for paper presentations and 2-page extended abstracts for poster presentations. There will also be an opportunity to attach model code and simulation results in an electronic form.
Comparative Symposia
Three to five participants submit a symposium in which they all present models relating to the same domain or phenomenon. The participants must agree upon a set of fundamental issues in their domain that all participants must address or discuss. Parties interested in putting a comparative symposia proposal together are highly encouraged to do so well before the April 1st deadline and will be given feedback shortly after submission. Please see the website for additional information.
Newell Prize for Best Student Paper
Award given to the paper first-authored by a student that provides the most innovative or complete account of cognition in a particular domain. The winner of the award will receive full reimbursement for the conference fees, lodging costs, and a $1,000 stipend.
The Best Applied Research Paper Award
To be eligible, 1) the paper should capture behavioral data not gathered in the psychology lab OR the paper should capture behavioral data in a task that has high external validity; 2) the best paper is the one that one from this category that provides the most innovative or complete solution to a real-world, practical problem.
Doctoral Consortium
Full-day session 1 day prior to main conference for doctoral students to present dissertation proposal ideas to one another and receive feedback from experts from a variety of modeling approaches. Student participants receive complementary conference registration as well as lodging and travel reimbursement---maximum amounts will be determined at a later date.
CONFERENCE CHAIRS
Marsha Lovett (lovett@cmu.edu)
Christian Schunn (schunn@pitt.edu)
Christian Lebiere (clebiere@maad.com)
Paul Munro (pmunro@mail.sis.pitt.edu)
Further information about the conference can be found at http://simon.lrdc.pitt.edu/~iccm or through email inquiries to iccm@pitt.edu.
Interaction Design & Children 2004 Conference Now Accepting Submissions
The Interaction Design and Children 2004 Conference is now accepting submissions. The conference will be hosted by the University of Maryland's Human-Computer Interaction Laboratory on June 1-3, 2004. Highlights of the conference include an opening keynote panel with Marvin Minsky, Alan Kay, and Seymour Papert, and a closing panel with Alice Cahn, Henry Jenkins, and Alice Wilder.
Please visit our website at http://www.idc2004.org to learn more about the conference, read the calls for participation, and make your submissions. January 16, 2004 is the deadline for submitting papers, tutorials and workshops. March 15, 2004 is the deadline for demos, posters, and doctoral consortium submissions.
We are also in need of reviewers. If you would like to volunteer as a reviewer, please register at http://hcil.cs.umd.edu:8080/IDC2004PaperReview/IDC2004-ReviewerMain.jsp.
International Encyclopedia of Ergonomics and Human Factors Preparing 2nd Edition
INVITATION
In order to assure the most comprehensive coverage of the discipline and profession of ergonomics /human factors and to develop the most authoritative resource of knowledge, data, and information about the E/HF, that can be universally studied and applied by all people in the field and outside of our field, we are now preparing 2nd edition of the International Encyclopedia of Ergonomics and Human Factors.
The 2nd edition will:
The 1st Edition of the International Encyclopedia of Ergonomics and Human Factors (2000) was a winner of the Best Reference Award 2002, from Engineering Libraries Division, American Society of Engineering Education, USA and the Outstanding Academic Title 2002 from Choice Magazine. The 2nd edition is being published by Taylor & Francis, Ltd. and edited by Dr. Waldemar Karwowski.
Manuscripts are being solicited in the following categories:
All details about the writing requirements and deadlines are on the web site – http://www.louisville.edu/speed/ergonomics/ency2005/
Systems Engineer IV
Anteon Corporation
Rosslyn VA
Anteon Corporation, job site, Roslyn, VA, USCG Deepwater Project Office, fulltime position for a Systems Engineer IV. Duties to include working directly with the U.S.Coast Guard Office of Deepwater Human Systems Integration (G-WDW) client to provide support services to the USCG Deepwater Human Systems Integration (G-WDW) staff.
Candidate should have mid/senior level experience in the following HSI elements: manpower and personnel, training and training systems, systems safety, or human factors engineering. The candidate will participate in IDS meetings with industry teams and provide subject matter expert advice to G-WDW. The candidate will assist in ensuring that industry proposals address appropriate HSI issues, assessing compatibility with existing legacy Coast Guard and/or Navy systems, determining impacts of proposed systems on Deepwater and the Coast Guard, and ensure compliance with the IDS SPS requirements. Candidate must be able to provide subject matter comments regarding industry proposals. Candidate must be prepared to review and provide input into Statements of Work, Delivery Task Orders, or CDRLs provided by the industry team.
The candidate will be responsible for meeting with the customer and industry, creating and tracking project schedules, meeting minutes, action items, risk management topics, and make recommendations about G-WDW activities. As well, the candidate must have sufficient knowledge of the Coast Guard’s Human Resources Directorate (G-W) to serve as a liaison for G-WDW and Anteon efforts. The candidate will research and develop HSI studies, white papers, presentations, and/or revising G-WDW requirements and capabilities documents. This may include close liaison with other government agencies and industry. Participate on IDS IPTs as a representative of G-WDW, ensuring proper integration and communication between G-WDW functional areas and IDS’s Resources, Transition Management, and Project Management Offices.
It is desireable that the candidate have familiarity with Navy/NAVSEA Human Systems initiatives.
Learning Architect (5 year project)
Base One Technologies
Virginia
Position Responsibilities:
Develops, revises, and uses performance improvement and information solicitation vehicles to build training programs. Designs surveys, develops questionnaires, and prepares observation checklists. Assists in organizing data and performing GAP Analysis. Researches, organizes, and builds content for training products. Maps topics and develops information architecture. Applies standard instructional design principles to training content. Analyzes content for inclusion in content plans. Helps prepare technical documents.
Required Education and Skills:
Masters in instructional design, educational technology, human performance, or curriculum development plus two years of experience - or - five years of directly related experience with ISD coursework or certification. Secret Clearance.
Ability to demonstrate the following:
Additional - Desirable Education and Skills:
Additional Comments
This position reports to the Director of Training and requires the ability to initiate and implement project with moderate to light supervision.
Cognitive Engineer
CHI Systems, Inc.
Philadelphia, PA
CHI Systems, Inc. is a recognized authority in conducting research and development in artificial intelligence and applying the results in areas such as cognitive modeling, training and decision-aiding for complex systems, human behavior simulation, intelligent-agent technologies, and eye-voice interfaces. Our primary business concentrations include applied research and development and custom systems development. Applied Research & Development focuses on the creation of intelligent training technologies, advanced human-computer interaction technologies, and human behavioral models. Custom Systems Development encompasses the development of intelligent agent applications; training and decision support systems; simulators and simulations; design and implementation of customized user interfaces We need your leadership in building the intelligent systems of tomorrow, and are currently seeking candidates for the position of Cognitive Engineer. You will have the opportunity to apply leading-edge cognitive engineering technologies in various domains, ranging from military modeling and simulation to intelligent web-based commercial applications. We seek futurists, who welcome the challenge of solving difficult problems, and thrive on collaboration and can perform a leading technical and/or managing role on cognitive engineering projects and business development. At CHI Systems, we work not as individuals but as a team dedicated to matching technology solutions to human performance problems. We have the common focus of making things better for people who use technology. We are always interested in talking with bright, eager individuals who strive for personal excellence while contributing to and leading our collaborative teams. What CHI Systems, Inc. Has To Offer You: We offer a competitive compensation program, excellent health, life, and disability insurance, tuition reimbursement, 401K plan, flexible work schedules, casual dress, and a friendly, relaxed, cooperative work environment. At CHI, you will have the opportunity to develop technical work in your area of interest and may also have the opportunity to commercialize your innovative ideas.
What CHI Systems, Inc. Has To Offer You: We offer a competitive compensation program, excellent health, life, and disability insurance, tuition reimbursement, 401K plan, flexible work schedules, casual dress, and a friendly, relaxed, cooperative work environment. At CHI, you will have the opportunity to develop technical work in your area of interest and may also have the opportunity to commercialize your innovative ideas.
Responsibilities of the Position Include: Conducting cognitive task analyses, developing executable human behavioral models using CHI System's commercial cognitive modeling toolkit (iGEN), documenting and demonstrating project deliverables for clients, identifying novel applications of iGEN technology, leading the development of proposals to solicit cognitive engineering projects, and managing and/or providing technical leadership for cognitive engineering projects.
Skills, Education and Experience: Good analytic skills; an ability to produce clear and effective technical presentations; and an eagerness to learn and use new methods, techniques, and computer-based tools quickly, are required. Fourth-generation language programming experience strongly preferred but not required. Advanced knowledge of cognitive task analysis, cognitive simulation, or cognitive modeling is required. Experience in artificial intelligence (AI), blackboard systems, knowledge engineering, human behavioral representation, synthetic agent technology, or computer generated forces is also required. MS/MA or higher in artificial intelligence, computer science, psychology, cognitive science, information systems or related field is required with two years relevant experience. Experience in applied human engineering, cognitive engineering, or training research or design applications in military environments preferred. U.S. Citizenship required for this position.
The current positions are in our suburban Philadelphia office. Interested candidates, please submit your resumes to CHI Systems, Inc. via e-mail to hr.pa@chisystems.com. Please include "COGPA1" in the subject line of your email.
Software Engineers
A.C. Coy
Pittsburgh, PA
Software Engineer
Seeking software engineer to produce architecturally sound web-site designs and prototypes.
Position requirements
Starting salary - 60K to 80K (based on experience) with full benefits
Senior Software Engineer: Research Project Lead
Seeking software engineer to lead interdisciplinary design teams on pervasive-computing research projects.
Position requirements
Starting salary - 60K to 80K (based on experience) with full benefits
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 (CODE POTHQ-HFE3)
Crown Consulting, Inc.
Washington, DC
Crown Consulting, Inc. a dynamic rapidly growing information technology firm is seeking several highly qualified Human Factors professionals to work in Washington, DC. Applicants must have a degree in one of the following areas: Applied or Experimental Psychology, Human Factors, Ergonomics, Industrial Psychology, or Industrial Engineering. We are looking for people for two positions, each with its own experience requirements: 1) B.S. and a minimum of 5 years of experience (or M.S. plus 4 years experience and 2) B.S. and a minimum of 10 years of experience (or M.S. plus 9 years experience). Additionally, applicants must possess the following:
All candidates must demonstrate expertise in the field of human factors, experimental psychology, industrial psychology, or ergonomics applied to systems acquisition or development. Applicants specifying that they have a certification in the field of human factors or ergonomics should identify the certifying organization. Must have Government customer support experience with good people and communications skills.
For more information about Crown Consulting, Inc. see our web site at www.crownci.com. Competitive salary & excellent benefits. Please send resume and include salary requirements, salary history and position code to: 202-785-2626, attn: Code POT-HQ-HFE3, or email in MS format to hr@crownci.com or mail to Crown Consulting, Attn: Code POT-HQ-HFE, 501 School St., SW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20024. Principals only. EOE M/F/D/V.
Cognitive and Systems Engineers
Micro Analysis and Design
Multiple Locations
Micro Analysis and Design is looking for several individuals with expertise in cognitive and systems engineering in Boulder, Colorado, Washington, DC, and Orlando, Florida. We are in the midst of a growth spurt and looking for people with a variety of different levels of experience and training, so if the type of work we discuss below interests you, please send us a resume.
Much of our work at Micro Analysis and Design (www.maad.com) is in support of U.S. Government research, development, and engineering in the areas of human-systems integration and computer modeling and simulation. We are a 20-year old firm with roughly 90 people located in Boulder, Washington, and Orlando. During our company's history, we have developed tools for analyzing the human component of systems such as our commercial modeling tools Micro Saint and IPME and some other tools used extensively by the Government such as IMPRINT, CART, and SMART. We are now supporting a variety of military and non-military projects where we are not just building human factors tools, but applying them to real systems such as military and commercial ships, ground-based combat systems, future space systems, nuclear power plants, and air traffic control, to name but a few. Additionally, we are leading an esteemed team conducting research for the Army in Advanced Decision Architectures where we are exploring the fusion of computer and cognitive engineering technologies to enhance human decision making in complex environments. We also provide commercial organizations with usability engineering and ergonomics consulting services. In sum, we are working the spectrum of different human factors and ergonomics problems and our work spans the spectrum from basic research to detailed engineering and design.
And, as a place to work, Micro Analysis and Design is tough to beat. In addition to an outstanding benefits package, in 2002 we were voted as the second best small-business in Colorado to work for by Colorado Parent's Magazine (this year we are really trying hard for first place!). It's an atmosphere that people come to and stay with, as only our employees can tell you.
If this sounds appealing, please send a resume (in confidence) to jobs@maad.com. MA&D is an EEO Employer
Human Factors Specialist
Mitretek Systems
Washington, D.C
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.
Applicants selected may be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified or other regulated information.
Human Factors & Warfighter-Machine Interface Engineer
SAIC
Sterling Heights, MI
SAIC, teamed with The Boeing Company, was selected as the Lead System Integrator (LSI) for the U.S. Army’s Future Combat Systems (FCS). The initial DARPA contract award (with an estimated total of $4-$6 billion in funding over the next five years) places Boeing/SAIC in a unique partnership role with government on a program that is key to the Army’s transformation goals. SAIC is beginning now to hire personnel to support the System Development and Demonstration phase of the FCS program. Candidates should be knowledgeable and experienced in the development and integration of large, complex military systems and sub-systems. The ideal candidate will have direct experience in state-of-the-art and advanced Army ground combat vehicles and weapon systems. Candidates also need to be able to obtain a Secret clearance.
Education: B.S. in related engineering field with 10 years minimum experience
Required Skills: The Human Factors & Warfighter Machine Interface (WMI) Development & Integration Engineer should a Subject Matter Expert with particular expertise in any of the areas of human factors and ergonomics, WMI screen content design, safety, MANPRINT, are sought. In addition to management and oversight of the development of WMI systems, these positions will also interface and coordinate with the Objective Force Warrior (OFW) Program to ensure compatibility/commonality of Family of Vehicles (FoV) WMI and OFW objectives and to leverage common elements and functionality. The successful candidate for this position will require relevant experience in the leading and direction of teams, the employment of state of the art human factors & man machine interface development and systems engineering tools and processes, modeling and simulation tools and processes and simulation based acquisition approaches and processes in the development of human factors requirements, interfaces and designs for advanced, large, complex and highly automated systems of systems, systems and sub-systems. They should also be familiar with the state of the art and advance technologies applicable to the man machine interface. These candidates will also have direct experience in complete development cycle beginning with requirements development, preliminary and detailed design development, fabrication, integration and test using iterative and spiral development processes.
Desired Skills: Relevant program experience includes experience on programs such as Crusader, M1A2, FSCS, FCS, and AAAV. Experience on other current military programs will be considered where the candidate can show applicable relevance.
Faculty Research Assistant
University of Maryland Baltimore County
Baltimore, MD
The Information Systems Department invites applications for a Faculty Research Assistant. This is a non-tenure track research position with no teaching responsibilities. The Department has a strong human-computer interaction research group, houses the Interactive Systems Research Center, and recently moved into a new building.
This position requires an ability to:
Applicants must have a MS in a relevant field and must show strong potential to conduct research in the field of human-computer interaction. Experience writing proposals for external funding is desirable, but is not required.
Interested applicants should send a cover letter and a curriculum vitae and have three letters of recommendation sent to:
For inquiries, please call (410) 455-3883 or e-mail: asears@umbc.edu. Electronic submission of cover letter and curriculum vita as PDF documents (sent to the preceding e-mail address) are preferred. Women, minorities and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. UMBC is an AA/EOE.
Senior level faculty position, Human-Computer Interactions
Department of Computer Science
Virginia Tech
The Department of Computer Science invites applications for a senior-level faculty position in the area of human-computer interaction starting in August 2004. The successful candidate should have a PhD degree in Computer Science or an allied discipline, demonstrated ability to secure research funding, and ability to lead the established HCI group in the Department. The candidate should have the ability to teach HCI-related courses and would be expected to assume the directorship of the University's Center for Human-Computer Interaction.
Review of candidates will begin January 5, 2004, and continue until the position is filled. Virginia Tech is an Equal Opportunity Employer. For the full job announcement and instructions how to apply visit the Computer Science Department web page at http://www.cs.vt.edu. Information about the Center for Human-Computer Interaction can be found at http://www.hci.vt.edu.
Research Associate/Scientist
Windwalker Corporation
McLean, VA
Job Requirements:
Job Responsibilities
Windwalker specializes in the analysis, design, development, delivery, and evaluation of training; e-learning and educational programs and products. Its core competencies include instructional systems design, distance learning, training and program measurement and evaluation, and multimedia production.
Windwalker Corporation is headquartered in McLean, Virginia. Its products and services are available across the U.S. and worldwide through Government agencies and major U.S. corporations, Federal learning organizations, and corporate university clients.
Windwalker's Evaluation and Research Division specializes in human resources, training-related measurement, program evaluation, and behavioral research. We design and implement Kirkpatrick Level 1 through 4 evaluations, training needs assessments, curriculum planning studies, competency models, pre-course and job/task analyses, gap analyses, performance evaluations, test development and validation, web-based and optical mark reader surveys, benchmarking studies, 360-degree assessments, management and employee satisfaction studies. We employ a wide range of quantitative and qualitative methodologies when conducting applied research, from facilitating focus groups and interviews to conducting surveys and performing archival data analyses.
Contact Information:
Please send resume to Janice.Laurence@windwalker.com
(703) 970-3505
Salary: Commensurate with experience
Information Architect/Usability Specialist
Metro Washington DC Area
Description:
This analytic problem solver will need to transform business requirements into informational, navigational, and web page designs and interface specifications. The Information Architect must be flexible and able to work in a dynamic, fast paced environment to meet the client's accelerated deployment schedule.
Key areas of responsibility include:
Usability analysis, wireframe construction/evaluation, portal evaluation (usability and effectiveness), user profiling, detailed interface specifications, and UI design/best practices. The specific skills that are needed are as follows:
Qualifications
Consulting:
You will be responsible for serving as a competent, effective member of client delivery and assignment teams for a large government-consulting firm. You will complete client work while leading a multidisciplinary team. You will contribute recognized functional expertise to client projects and use well-developed, oral communications, data gathering, and analytical skills to collect data required for your tasks.
Functional/Industry Knowledge:
Education/Certifications or equivalent required:
BS or BA degree in Human Factors, Interaction Design, Industrial Design, or Human-Computer Interaction; MS or MA degree preferred.
Clearance:
Applicants selected will be subject to a security investigation and may need to meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.
Contact:
Interested individuals should submit resumes via e-mail to Jason Rendel at jrendel@mindspring.com.
'Twas the Night Before Christmas
(Written by a technical writer working on a time and materials Government contract)
'Twas the Night Before Christmas and All the Engineers Were Asleep. 'Twas the nocturnal segment of the diurnal period preceding the annual Yuletide celebration, and throughout the place of residence, kinetic activity was not in evidence among the possessors of this potential, including that species of domestic rodent known as Mus musculus (mouse). Hosiery was meticulously suspended from the forward edge of the wood burning caloric apparatus, pursuant to our anticipatory pleasure regarding an imminent visitation from an eccentric philanthropist among whose folkloric appellations is the honorific title of St. Nicholas.
The prepubescent siblings, comfortably ensconced in their respective accommodations of repose, were experiencing subconscious visual hallucinations of variegated fruit confections moving rhythmically through their cerebrums. My conjugal partner and I, attired in our nocturnal head coverings, were about to take slumberous advantage of the hibernal darkness when upon the avenaceous exterior portion of the grounds there ascended such a cacophony of dissonance that I felt compelled to arise with alacrity from my place of repose for the purpose of ascertaining the precise source thereof.
Hastening to the casement, I forthwith opened the barriers sealing this fenestration, noting thereupon that the lunar brilliance without, reflected as it was on the surface of a recent crystalline recipitation, might be said to rival that of the solar meridian itself - thus permitting my incredulous optical sensory organs to behold a miniature airborne runnered conveyance drawn by eight diminutive specimens of the genus Rangifer, piloted by a minuscule, aged chauffeur so ebullient and nimble that it became instantly apparent to me that he was indeed our anticipated caller. With his ungulate motive power traveling at what may possibly have been more vertiginous velocity than patriotic alar predators, he vociferated loudly, expelled breath musically through contracted lips, and addressed each of the octet by his or her respective cognomen –
"Now Dasher, now Dancer..." et al. - guiding them to the uppermost exterior level of our abode, through which structure I could readily distinguish the concatenations of each of the 32 cloven pedal extremities. As I retracted my cranium from its erstwhile location, and was performing a 180-degree pivot, our distinguished visitant achieved – with utmost celerity and via a downward leap - entry by way of the smoke passage.
He was clad entirely in animal pelts soiled by the ebony residue from oxidations of carboniferous fuels which had accumulated on the walls thereof. His resemblance to a street vendor I attributed largely to the plethora of assorted playthings which he bore dorsally in a commodious cloth receptacle.
His orbs were scintillant with reflected luminosity, while his submaxillary dermal indentations gave every evidence of engaging amiability. The capillaries of his malar regions and nasal appurtenance were engorged with blood which suffused the subcutaneous layers, the former approximating the coloration of Albion's floral emblem, the latter that of the Prunus avium, or sweet cherry. His amusing sub- and supralabials resembled nothing so much as a common loop knot, and their ambient hirsute facial adornment appeared like small, tabular and columnar crystals of frozen water.
Clenched firmly between his incisors was a smoking piece whose gray fumes, forming a tenuous ellipse about his occiput, were suggestive of a decorative seasonal circlet of holly. His visage was wider than it was high, and when he waxed audibly mirthful, his corpulent abdominal region undulated in the manner of impectinated fruit syrup in a hemispherical container.
He was, in short, neither more nor less than an obese, jocund, multigenarian gnome, the optical perception of whom rendered me visibly frolicsome despite every effort to refrain from so being. By rapidly lowering and then elevating one eyelid and rotating his head slightly to one side, he indicated that trepidation on my part was groundless.
Without utterance and with dispatch, he commenced filling the aforementioned appended hosiery with various of the aforementioned articles of merchandise extracted from his aforementioned previously dorsally transported cloth receptacle. Upon completion of this task, he executed an abrupt about-face, placed a single manual digit in lateral juxtaposition to his olfactory organ, inclined his cranium forward in a gesture of leave-taking, and forthwith effected his egress by renegotiating (in reverse) the smoke passage.
He then propelled himself in a short vector onto his conveyance, directed a musical expulsion of air through his contracted oral sphincter to the antlered quadrupeds of burden, and proceeded to soar aloft in a movement hitherto observable chiefly among the seed-bearing portions of a common weed. But I overheard his parting exclamation, audible immediately prior to his vehiculation beyond the limits of visibility:
"Ecstatic Yuletide to the planetary constituency, and to that self same assemblage, my sincerest wishes for a salubriously beneficial and gratifyingly pleasurable period between sunset and dawn."
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
Dick Horst
UserWorks, Inc.
Phone: (301) 431-0500
E-mail: dhorst@userworks.com
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
Donna Smith-Lopez
Sverdrup CESS
Phone: (703) 445-1616 x117<
E-mail: smithdl@svtcsle.com
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: benjamin.somberg@guidant.com
Treasurer Elect
Michael Eidelkind
Northrop Grumman
Phone: (703) 575-0782
email: meidelkind@netscape.net
Directors-at-Large
Sue Evans
Evans Incorporated
Phone: (703) 281-1446
E-mail: sevans@evansincorporated.com
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
Donna Smith-Lopez
Sverdrup CESS
Phone: (703) 445-1616 x117
email: smithdl@svtcsle.com
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"
September, 2003
Tour of the Human Factors and Applied Experimental Psychology Program, the Catholic University of America
