URGENT: If you have not yet renewed your HFES membership, this is your second to last issue of the Bulletin. This is an exclusive member benefit, among many others that come with HFES membership. Visit the HFES membership page to learn how to renew.  

Good morning, Steve Kemp - HFES. Please enjoy this issue of the HFES Bulletin.

Table of Contents:

• A Message From HFES President Susan Kotowski
• Renew Your HFES Membership for 2024 and Save
• Submit Your Application for the 2024 Fellows Program
• HFES Seeks Nominees for Prestigious Society Awards
• New HFES Sustainability Technical Group
• Rollin J. “Terry” Fairbanks To Deliver Keynote Address at Healthcare Symposium
• Meet the Titans of the HFE Symposium & Register Today
• HFES Dues Waiver Program
• Upcoming HFES Webinar
• HFES Schedule of Events

A Message From HFES President Susan Kotowski

Everyone at HFES would like to wish you a wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year. I want to personally thank you for choosing HFES as your professional family and for your commitment to advancing our profession through being a member of HFES. Don't forget to renew your membership for 2024 if you haven't done so already and then make the most of your time by participating in our conferences, webinars, and other educational opportunities throughout the year.

If you are one of the more than 400 volunteers of the Society, I also want to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to further contribute to the mission and vision of HFES. Your time is invaluable, and we appreciate your willingness to support HFES and your commitment to serve!

I hope you have a prosperous and healthy upcoming year. I look forward to meeting you personally at one of the upcoming HFES events whether that is the Health Care Symposium in Chicago, the virtual Titans of HFE Symposium, or ASPIRE - the 2024 HFES Annual Meeting in Phoenix. If you are passionate about continuing to improve systems and products to help people live better, safer and more productive lives, you belong at ASPIRE - where we will continue to Advance Systems & Practice through Innovation, Research & Education. It is more than just a name — it encapsulates our commitment to a brighter future for HFE and echoes HFES' core mission and enduring identity.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

Susan Kotowski

President, HFES

Renew Your HFES Membership for 2024 and Save

if you have not already renewed, please do so before December 31 to maintain access to your member benefits. We are grateful you were a member of HFES this year and we appreciate your continued association with us. Simply log in to My.HFES.org to renew your membership and update your demographic information. Thank you for your support and here’s to an exciting 2024!

Current Full, Associate, and Affiliate members are able to renew their membership prior to the end of the year and receive a $20 discount! No code is necessary. This offer does not apply to newly joining members or to lapsed members who were members prior to 2023.

Submit Your Application for the 2024 Fellows Program

The Fellows Selection Committee invites HFES members to submit applications for the 2024 HFES Fellow designation. Election to Fellow status is an honor conferred by distinguished colleagues to recognize outstanding achievement, consistently superior professional performance, exceptional contributions, personal service to the Society, and other meritorious accomplishments. Individuals may apply for Fellow status on their own behalf or submit an application on behalf of another.

Applications are due by Friday, March 15, 2024.

HFES Seeks Nominees for Prestigious Society Awards

HFES full members and Fellows are invited to submit nominations for eight society awards to be presented at ASPIRE — the HFES 2024 International Annual Meeting which convenes September 9-13, 2024 at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel in Phoenix, Arizona.

Award nominations are invited for individuals whose contributions merit special recognition. The eight awards for which nominees are sought are:

• Hal W. Hendrick Distinguished International Colleague Award
• Paul M. Fitts Education Award
• R. Lauer Safety Award
• Alexander C. Williams, Jr., Design Award
• Jack A. Kraft Innovator Award
• Oliver Keith Hansen Outreach Award
• William C. Howell Young Investigator Award
• Bentzi Karsh Early-Career Service Award

Nominees are not required to be HFES members, but only members of HFES may submit nominations. The nomination submission deadline for each award above is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, April 5, 2024.

New HFES Sustainability Technical Group

HFES is excited to announce the creation of the new Sustainability Technical Group. The COTG and Executive Council voted this fall to approve the creation of this new group and was formally established in October 2023.

The Sustainability Technical Group is concerned with the application of human factors and ergonomic principles to systems related to sustainability. Examples include the design of changes in transportation, food, and energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; the application of circularity to product design; maintaining sustainable food and water resources; and the shift from technology-driven progress in industry to a human-centric and sustainable approach. We will partner with other technical groups in HFES on topics that overlap with sustainability.

Rollin J. “Terry” Fairbanks To Deliver Keynote Address at Healthcare Symposium

HFES is thrilled to announce the keynote speaker for the Internation Symposium on Human Factors and Ergonomics in Health Care — Rollin J. “Terry” Fairbanks, MD, MS, Senior Vice President and Chief Quality & Safety Officer at MedStar Health.

Register today to attend this keynote address at our lowest rates.

NEW: HFES is accepting proposals for the Healthcare Robotics Summit that will take place at the Symposium.  Submit your proposal by January 19.

The symposium convenes March 24-27, 2024 at the Hilton Chicago Hotel.

Meet the Titans of the HFE Symposium & Register Today

The Titans of HFE Virtual Symposium is a showcase of some of the premier researchers, practitioners, and academicians in HFES. On February 5 and 6, 2024, speakers will present on the foundational areas of the science of human factors and ergonomics and will provide their insights into the future of HFE.

HFES Dues Waiver Program

The HFES Dues Waiver Program was established to support current Full, Associate, Affiliate, and Early-Career Associate members who may need assistance with membership dues. Requests may be related to one's temporary leave from the workforce for any reason except retirement. All applications will remain confidential.

Current members needing assistance with dues and who attest that they anticipate earning no significant income from human factors/ergonomics activities in the forthcoming year may apply. Applicants must have been an HFES member for at least three consecutive years preceding their request for a dues waiver.

Approved member applicants will have their annual dues waived for one cycle (one calendar year). Annual reapplication will be required should the member have continued hardship and wish to remain a member of HFES. Members may have their dues waived for up to two consecutive years but no more than five years during their lifetime.

HFES retains the right to modify or terminate this program. In the event it is terminated, participants will be permitted to remain members until the end of that membership cycle.

Upcoming HFES Webinar

Don't miss out on this upcoming HFES webinar and boost your expertise in the process! Join us for:

HFES Sustainability TG Webinar: Sustainable Aerospace Together – Boeing’s Sustainability Strategy — Jan. 10, 2023

Upcoming Meetings and Activities

Attention Chapters, Technical Groups, Affinity Groups, and beyond – HFES is pleased to post information concerning upcoming meetings, webinars, or other events you wish to raise awareness about on our Events listing page. We also will post meetings of allied societies provided they do not occur close to any HFES-organized activity.

Let us know about your meetings and other events. Email us at info@hfes.org.

HFES wants to promote the important achievements of our members in the bi-weekly Bulletin. Appropriate topics include research milestones or other significant achievements, professional accolades, awards or recognitions, promotions or new positions, and similar professionally-oriented topics. If you would like to share news with the HFES community, please fill out this form. 

Additionally, if you are made aware of the passing of any members of HFES, please let us know. Contact HFES Executive Director Steven Kemp at skemp@hfes.org.