Translational Research in Psychological Sciences – Human Factors at Rice University

REU Site: Translational Research in Psychological Sciences: Human Factors at Texas Tech University is an Research Experience for Undergraduates site that was funded by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. SMA-1853936 and SMA-1559393. The program occurred during three summers, in 2017 at Texas Tech University and then in 2019 and 2021 at Rice University. The primary aims of this REU Site were to: (a) engage undergraduates in behavioral research that shows the value of such research in solving real-world problems; (b) develop research, teamwork, and communication skills applicable to any career in social and behavioral sciences; (c) increase the number of undergraduates who pursue graduate education and Human Factors (HF) careers; and (d) increase the number of underrepresented groups in HF, and in social and behavioral sciences more generally. Undergraduates engaged in research on topics such as human-robot interaction, sustained attention, attitudes, relationships, patient safety, hiring and personnel selection, discrimination, driving, health psychology, human-computer interaction, election ballots, workplace conditions, leadership, language comprehension and production, education, usability, teamwork and training. The REU includes faculty mentors from underrepresented groups, and uses intensive faculty mentoring and collaborative research activities, which enhance the research experience and student outcomes. Additional information can be found at https://pd28.blogs.rice.edu/