HSRC researcher named 2019 Science Policy Fellow for major human factors association

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (October 29, 2019) – The UNC Highway Safety Research Center (HSRC) is pleased to announce that Michael Clamann, Ph.D., Senior Human Factors Engineer, has been selected as a 2019 Science Policy Fellow for the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES).

“Technological advances in transportation, like autonomous vehicles, have the potential to affect numerous areas of interest to policymakers. But these advances are happening so rapidly that it can be difficult to fully grasp their impact and, for policymakers, to balance the benefits against the risks to the public,” said Clamann. “Lawmakers and regulators should have access to research-based recommendations as we make the transition from automobile drivers to automation supervisors.”

Clamann has focused his career on improving technology by designing with people’s strengths and limitations in mind. A Certified Human Factors Professional, he researches how technology can help reduce human error on our roadways. His areas of expertise include human-automation interaction and autonomous vehicle technology. Clamann represents HSRC as a member of the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Fully Autonomous Vehicle Committee, and leads the Autonomous Vehicle Research Group for the committee.

According to Randa Radwan, HSRC Director, “In addition to being a great honor, Michael’s Science Policy Fellowship helps strengthen HSRC’s expertise in sharing and communicating information and research about human factors considerations in policies and programs related to transportation safety.”

The field of human factors/ergonomics (HF/E) generates and applies knowledge of human characteristics for the design of safer, more effective, and more efficient systems. The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, founded in 1957, is the world’s largest scientific association for human factors/ergonomics professionals.

The five 2019 HFES Science Policy Fellows are:

    • Michael Clamann, UNC Highway Safety Research Center
    • Jessica Howe, MedStar Health National Center for Human Factors in Healthcare
    • Sarah Parker, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Center for Simulation, Research and Patient Safety
    • Kelly Steelman, Michigan Technological University
    • Neal Wiggermann, Hillrom

The Fellows will meet with representatives of HFES’s government relations firm, Lewis-Burke, to gain more understanding of public affairs, advocacy and the issues of importance to HFES. They will also develop policy statements and travel once a year to Capitol Hill to meet with legislators and regulators.