UCF Professor Wins Another National Award for his Work in Human Factors

UCF Psychology Professor Peter Hancock has been named the Aerospace Human Factors Association’s William Collins Award recipient for 2020.

This is the second time Hancock has received this award for his scholarly work in the area of human factors. This award is for work he published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences concerning the “Future of Transportation in an Era of Automated and Autonomous Vehicles.”

The award recognizes a peer-reviewed publication that addresses a significant problem in an innovative way and its relevance to advancing the scientific field of human factors. The national organization was founded in 1990 and works to encourage human factors considerations in the development of aerospace systems.

Human factors looks at improving the intersection between people and machines to maximize human performance and enhance safety. Much of this work is conducted in the area of simulation and modeling, which is why Hancock also has a joint appointment at the Institute of Simulation and Training. Hancock has been at the forefront of this research area since the 1970s. His early work on modeling physiological systems influenced both national and international standards for occupational stress exposure and he’s been honored numerous times over the past decade for his contributions. Most recently he was inducted into the National Center for Simulation’s Modeling and Simulation Hall of Fame.

Hancock, a Pegasus and Provost Distinguished Professor in the past five years has been named to several high-profile national boards and earned multiple awards. They include:

• United States Air Force, Science Advisory Board
• United States Army, Science Advisory Board
• Paul Bert Award, Aerospace Physiology Society
• International Ergonomics Association Outstanding Educator Award
• Sidney D. Leverett Jr. Environmental Science Award, Aerospace Medical Association
• Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award

Hancock also has a joint appointment in the Departments of Industrial and Systems Engineering and in Civil and Environmental Engineering at UCF.