SHORT TEACHING VISION

My teaching philosophy is that the instructor is one gateway who can open new and challenging course material to students.  Because most people typically rely upon a combination of three distinct learning styles, selective teaching to each style may aid individual learners.  I hope to demonstrate an interest both in the material and individual students and to relate course material to the real world.  With an applications background in industry, I hope to make theoretical material concrete so that students can gain an appreciation of the importance and practicality of theoretical concepts.

COURSES

SYS 323 - (3) (Fall)

Human Machine Interface

Pre-requisite: SYS 201 and major in systems engineering.

Course Description: This course introduces the fundamentals for the analysis, design and evaluation of human-centered systems. The goal is to promote productive interaction between people and the systems they use. For example, decision support systems can be designed to leverage the strengths of both humans and machines for control of semi-automated processes. Course topics include analysis of human-systems interaction, interface design, usability testing, experimental design, and human-centered lifecycle design. Topics also include a focus on human cognitive and sensory abilities as they impact total system design. The course is practitioner oriented and includes a semester-long group project.

SYS 681 - (3) (Spring)
Modeling Human Sensory Information Processing
Pre-requisite: Graduate Standing or Consent of Instructor
Course Description: Measuring and Modeling Human Sensory Information Processing, with approaches from Neurophysiology to Psychophysics, for the Purposes of Design.  We differentiate several levels of measurement and modeling of human sensation starting with a consideration of the phenomenon to be observed in nature, to the physiology/sensory mechanisms that convert stimuli to neural responses, to the combination of neural responses at the brain.  Various modeling techniques are introduced as applicable to a certain “level” of modeling.  While focusing on the tactile sensory modality, we will consider similarities to the other senses.  

SYS 453 - (3) (Fall and Spring)
Systems Design I and II 
Pre-requisite: SYS 321, 360, and major in systems engineering.
Course Description: A design project extending throughout the fall semester. Involves the study of an actual open-ended situation, including problem formulation, data collection, analysis and interpretation, model building for the purpose of evaluating design options, model analysis, and generation of solutions. Includes an appropriate computer laboratory experience.

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIPS

• Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (Human Performance Modeling, Health Care, and Industrial Ergonomics Technical Groups)

• IEEE Haptics Symposium

• IEEE Systems, Man, and Cybernetics: Human Computer Interaction Technical Group