ECE SEMINAR: On Integrating Human-Centered Data in Design and Engineering Systems: Triumphs and Challenges

Abstract:
Engineers are called upon to address numerous problems that are human-centered. The traditional engineering paradigm often focuses on functionality and has very few tools to address the social and cultural aspects of a problem. However, colleagues in the social sciences have such tools that can provide insight on how to best capture and make use of human-centric data. This talk will showcase projects from the Research in Engineering and Interdisciplinary Design (REID) Lab that demonstrate how human-centered data has helped to define and address novel engineering challenges including those from the automotive, hair care, and aeronautical industries.

Bio:
Tahira Reid Smith is an Associate Professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University, the director of the Research in Engineering and Interdisciplinary Design (REID) Laboratory and a Visiting NASA Scholar. Her research interests include quantifying and integrating human-centered considerations in the design process and human-machine systems. Her research program has received funding from the National Science Foundation, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Procter & Gamble, General Motors, Ford Motor Company, and other sources. Prior to arriving at Purdue in 2012, she completed a postdoctoral position in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Iowa State University.