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RESEARCH

Overview

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Design, human factors, and systems

My research addresses the increasing need for human-centered design innovation by developing frameworks that integrate theory and methods from design, human factors, and systems engineering. These frameworks ultimately focus on optimizing human well-being and system performance. 

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I am interested in developing early-stage design strategies to advance transformative design theory and methods, driving sustainable and desirable change in product/system design and development. My research efforts have been supported by federal and state agencies.

Technical Areas of Expertise

I actively research, publish, and teach in the following fields and related areas.

  • ​Design Theory & Methods

    • Human-Centered Design​

    • Product Design and Development​

    • AI and Generative Design

    • Early Stage Design

    • Prototyping​​​

  • ​Human Factors Engineering

    • Digital Human Modeling​

    • Biomechanics and Ergonomics

    • Engineering Anthropometry

    • Vehicle Ergonomics 

    • Industrial Design 

  •  â€‹Systems Thinking & Engineering​​​​

    • Human-System Integration​

    • ​Functional Modeling

    • Education and Learning

    • Safety Engineering 

    • Sustainability 

Early-Stage Approach

I am interested in early-stage design and development strategies, emphasizing the processing, synthesizing, and communicating of design information to support critical decisions in problem exploration, concept generation, evaluation, and prototyping. The figure below outlines creative and analytical techniques that uniquely integrate early-stage design theory and methods from engineering, technology, business, human behavior, and social sciences for product innovation.

Human Well-Being and System Performance

My research helps solve problems that require understanding the interactions among humans and other system elements. It leverages principles and methods from multiple disciplines—such as artificial intelligence, digital twins, anthropometry, mixed reality, collaborative design, functional modeling, industrial design, and prototyping—to create design frameworks that optimize human well-being and system performance. 

 

Below is additional information about my ongoing research in each technical area. You can also visit the Projects page to explore selected projects.  

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  • Design Theory & Methods

Life-centered design (LCD) offers a holistic approach that aims to help designers and engineers drive desirable and sustainable changes in product design and development, ultimately enhancing the well-being of both people and the planet.

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  • Human Factors Engineering

Digital human modeling (DHM) research integrates theory, principles, methods, and technology from diverse disciplines to enable the computational visualization, modeling, and simulation of human-system interactions. 

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  • Systems Thinking & Engineering

The Digital human-in-the-loop (D-HIL) is an innovative early-stage design framework that facilitates human-system integration, allowing designers to align human factors engineering objectives with performance and well-being goals.

Support

My work is supported by collaborative grants from federal and state agencies, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center Research and Development (OMIC R&D), and Oregon State University (OSU). 

NSF logo
NASA logo
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OMIC logo
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