University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering (MIE)
Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE)
Department of Psychology (Psych)
Other Faculty
Alexander Pollatsek
(Psych)
John Collura (CEE)
Michael Knodler (CEE)
The Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, is located in a space easily accessible to older and younger adults. Equipment, valued at well over one million dollars, is available to students to use in their research, including: two state-of-the-art driving simulators, driving simulator software, and other equipment such as advanced eye trackers and head movement trackers that are fully portable and can be used wherever necessary. Our graduate students, at both the masters and doctoral level, form the nucleus of the lab's research team. Close ties exist between the Human Factors and Ergonomics Program in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, the Transportation Engineering Program in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and the Cognitive Program in the Department of Psychology. The Human Performance Laboratory's research involves working with these other University of Massachusetts departments, local, state, and federal agencies, as well as other public and private research sponsors.
Public Sector Partners
UMass Transportation Center
New England
University Transportation Center
New England Transportation Center
Town of Amherst
Town of Northampton
Executive Office of Transportation
Massachusetts Highway Department
Connecticut DOT
National Highway Transportation Safety Administration
National Science Foundation
National Institutes of Health
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
National Institute of Aging
Private Sector Partners
Mitsubishi Electric Research Labs
Nissan Corporation
Ford Foundation
Liberty Mutual Foundation for Safety
Arbella Insurance Charitable Foundation
State Farm Insurance
Bose Corporation
LINK Foundation
Motorola
AAA Foundation
General Electric Foundation
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
We regularly offer tours of the Human Performance Laboratory to interested individuals or groups. We can schedule a group most any time of the week and often on the weekends if that is more convenient. We encourage school groups to visit our laboratory and the other laboratories in the College of Engineering. Recent visitors include:
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Schools/Universities |
Businesses |
Public Agencies |
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- Harvard Medical School Schepens Eye Institute
- Holyoke High School |
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Connecticut DOT |
Individuals interested in visiting the Human Performance Laboratory can come directly to campus and schedule an appointment with someone here. The lab is located on the first floor of the Engineering Lab Building (Elab 1) at the northwest corner of the University of Massachusetts campus near the intersections of Holdsworth and Natural Resources Roads (click here for directions). Alternatively, you can call the lab at 413-545-3393 during most weekdays or email hpl@ecs.umass.edu.
Financial support is provided to many entering graduate students through fellowships, teaching assistantships or research assistantships. Graduate students who are interested in working closely with the Human Performance Laboratory usually study one of the following disciplines:
Human Factors and Ergonomics. Students interested in entering the Human Factors and Ergonomics Program can request an application at the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering and subsequently to the Graduate Programs. You should also feel free to call the Director of the Program, Dr. Donald L. Fisher, at 413-545-1657, or via email at fisher@ecs.umass.edu .
Transportation Engineering. Students primarily interested in entering the Transportation Engineering Program in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering should contact Dr. Michael Knodler via email at knodler@ecs.umass.edu.
Cognitive Psychology. Students interested in an advanced degree in Cognitive Psychology with a focus on human factors should contact Dr. Alexander Pollatsek via email at pollatsek@psych.umass.edu .
Computer Science: Straddling the fence between Human Factors, Cognitive Psychology, and Computer Science, recent research in the lab has been related to Intelligent Tutor development. A student interested in this type of research from an engineering or training perspective can apply through the Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering. Or, if the student's research interests lie more in the coding of these tutors, then one can contact Dr. Beverly Woolf, the Program Director in the Computer Science Department, via email at bev@cs.umass.edu .
Last Updated 10/19/2009
tmz