Debating Inclusion Practices in Human Factors
Being inclusive in our research and design is integral to working in human factors, but there are a lot of aspects of how to be inclusive that we need to figure out. Human Factors Inclusion Advocates and Experts will debate different aspects including appropriate research methods for lab and field work, where to draw the line on inclusion, how to get other collaborators on board and inclusive approaches for both qualitative and quantitative data. The panel is moderated by Rupa Valdez and the debate panelists include: Natalie (Nat) Benda, Rich Holden, and Abby Wooldridge.
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Our Debate Moderator |
Rupa ValdezDr. Rupa Valdez is an associate professor at the University of Virginia with joint appointments in the School of Medicine and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. She is also a core faculty member of Global Studies and the Disability Studies Initiative. Dr. Valdez merges the disciplines of human factors engineering, health informatics, and cultural anthropology to understand and support the ways in which people manage health at home and in the community. Her research and teaching focuses on underserved populations, including populations that are racial/ethnic minorities, are of low socioeconomic status, or are living with physical, sensory, or cognitive disabilities. Her work draws heavily on community engagement and has been supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and the Kellogg Foundation, among others. She serves as Division Chair of Internal Affairs for the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) and as Associate Editor for Journal of American Medical Informatics Association (JAMIA) Open. She is the founder and president of Blue Trunk Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to making it easier for people with chronic health conditions, disabilities, and age-related conditions to travel. Dr. Valdez lives with multiple chronic health conditions and disabilities, which have and continue to influence her work and advocacy. |
Debate Speakers
Richard J. HoldenDr. Holden is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Indiana University (IU) School of Medicine. In July 2021, he will become the inaugural chair of the Department of Health and Wellness Design at the IU School of Public-Health Bloomington, with the title Professor and Dean’s Eminent Scholar. Dr. Holden is a leader in the application of human factors and ergonomics to the health-related work of patients and families. His and others’ work in this emerging area is celebrated in the recently published two-volume set titled The Patient Factor: A Handbook on Patient Ergonomics (Holden & Valdez, CRC Press). Dr. Holden is a Regenstrief Institute Venture Fellow and entrepreneur, designed and deployed multiple digital health solutions, and developed a variety of methods and tools used by multidisciplinary researchers and practitioners. He is author of over 150 books and articles and his work has been supported by over $75M in federal grants and contracts. |
Natalie (Nat) BendaNatalie (Nat) Benda, PhD is a postdoctoral associated at Weill Cornell Medicine in the Department of Population Health Sciences, Division of Health Informatics in New York City. She completed her PhD in Industrial and Systems Engineering at UB in 2018. Dr. Benda’s work utilizes human factors methods to improve the quality, safety, and equity of healthcare, with a special focus on designing technologies that reduce health disparities. Dr. Benda’s work has been published in high impact clinical, informatics, and public health journals including JAMA, Annals of Emergency Medicine, the Journal of General Internal Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, and the American Journal of Public Health. Her work has been supported has been supported by National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program; the Dean’s Fellowship from the University at Buffalo’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences; and the Charles and Mary Latham Foundation, which funds projects targeting medically under-served patients in the Washington, DC area.
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Rod D. RoscoeRod D. Roscoe is an Associate Professor of Human Systems Engineering (HSE) in The Polytechnic School of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering (FSE) at Arizona State University (ASU). His research draws upon insights from learning science, computer science, and human-centered design to inform the development and implementation of educational technologies (e.g., automated writing evaluation, intelligent tutoring systems, virtual reality, and educational games). His research and teaching also consider bridging psychology, engineering, and inclusion principles within engineering education. He participates in a number of inclusion and equity advocacy activities, including the ASU Committee for Campus Inclusion and FSE Diversity and Inclusion Initiative. For the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, he is the co-chair of the Societal Impact Committee and a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee and several affinity groups. Along with Erin K. Chiou and Abigail R. Wooldridge, he co-edited a volume on advancing inclusion and social justice in this field.
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Abigail WooldridgeDr. Abigail Wooldridge is an assistant professor in the Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she also directs the Human Factors in Sociotechnical Systems Lab. Her research group focuses on how to design systems and processes that support ephemeral, fluid and/or distributed teams in health and health-related settings, with specific considerations related to equity and justice.
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