SPOTLIGHT ON EDUCATING OUR FUTURE PROFESSIONALS:WHAT HUMAN FACTORS AND ERGONOMICS MEANS TO STUDENTS

摘要

One of the primary goals for members of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society should be to increasernstudent awareness of the opportunities found in the field of human factordengineering psychology. Byrnincreasing awareness of our discipline, we can improve our chances of attracting bright, talented, andrnenergetic students to the various undergraduate and graduate programs around the country, which can onlyrnserve to enrich our profession and benefit society. Toward this end, we asked students at different levels ofrneducation what human factors and ergonomics meant to them. First, we assessed the awareness of thernconcept ergonomics in college-bound high school seniors. Second, we surveyed undergraduate studentsrnabout their awareness of human factordengineering psychology as a viable major. Third, current humanrnfactordengineering psychology undergraduate and graduate students were asked why they chose to pursuernthis field of study. Implications for promoting the discipline of human factodengineering psychology arerndiscussed.