Group Members

Ranjana Mehta is a Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is also a graduate faculty with the Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience at Texas A&M University, director of the NeuroErgonomics Laboratory, co-director of the Texas A&M Ergonomics Center, and a faculty fellow with the Center for Population Health and Aging and the Center for Remote Health Technologies and Systems. She received her MS and Ph.D. from Virginia Tech, MEng from University at Buffalo, and BE from Mumbai University.

She is the recipient of:

• Fellow, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 2023
• The Human Factors Prize, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 2022
• NASA ideas* Fellow, 2022
• Technical Innovation, the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, 2022
• Presidential Impact Fellow, Texas A&M University, 2021
• Virginia Tech Engineering Outstanding Recent Alumni Award, Virginia Tech, 2020
• TEES Engineering Genesis Award, Texas A&M University, 2020
• TEES Faculty Fellow, Texas A&M University, 2020
• HFE WOMAN of the Year, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 2019
• Creativeness in Ergonomics Practitioner of the Year Award, Applied Ergonomics Society (IISE), 2019
• William C. Howell Young Investigator Award, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 2017
• James G. Zimmer New Investigator Research Award, American Public Health Association, 2014

Yinsu Zhang has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and MS in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University. His research interests are in human-automation interactions and in objective measures of dynamic driver trust in autonomous vehicles.

Aakash Yadav has a B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Tirupati. His research interests span robotics, human-robot interaction, human factors, cognition, neuroergonomics, and affective computing. Aakash works towards understanding the teaming between robots and humans to improve the combined system performance, efficiency, and safety. He loves to walk, bike, hike, and canoe in his free time.

Tiash Rana Mukherjee has a B.Tech Degree in Production Engineering from the National Institute of Technology in Agartala, India. Her research interests lie in the intersection of Mechanical Design and Cognitive Psychology. She is aiming for an Applied Research career in the Industry.

David Nartey has a BS in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Chemistry from Florida Institute of Technology. He worked in the automotive industry for 3 years. His research interests include general A.I, machine learning, systems engineering, cognition, and wearable health technology. In his free time, he enjoys working out, watching animation, and traveling.

Jeevan Jayasuriya holds a BS in Mechatronics Engineering from the Open University of Sri Lanka, a BS in Physics from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, and an MS in Mechanical Engineering from Clarkson University. His research interests include assistive device design, neuroergonomics, control systems, robotics, and machine learning.

Kieran Nichols has a B.Sc. in Kinesiology from Pennsylvania State University, M.Scs. in Kinesiology and Mechanical Engineering from University of Wisconsin-Madison, and recently graduated with his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from UW-Madison. His research interests include biomechanics, robotics, mechatronics, neuroergonomics, wearables, and human factors. His research aims to evaluate and improve cognitive and motor performance with user-centered feedback systems using sensing, cueing, and electrical stimulations. He enjoys gymnastics, cooking, and water activities, and is originally from Trinidad and Tobago.

Dr. Ronak R. Mohanty is a Research Scientist in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Specializing in Human-Computer Interaction and Applied Perception, he applies human-centric design principles, contributing to the development of innovative multisensory experiences in the Extended Reality (XR) technology space. His commitment to inclusivity and accessibility is evident in diverse domains, including health technology with a focus on haptic rehabilitation, medical applications like orthopedic surgery training, and advancements in XR learning. Dr. Mohanty played a significant role in the research and development of haptics-based wearable devices at Meta Reality Labs, a leader in XR technology. His contributions encompass cutting-edge human augmentation technologies and continues to shape technological advancements, reflecting a commitment to excellence in both academic and industrial realms.

Umair is a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research at UW-Madison encompasses the field of fatigue assessment and management with a special focus on offshore industry worker fatigue. Prior to his tenure at UW-Madison, he held the position of a Post Doctoral Fellow in the Department of Chemical Engineering at IIT Madras.During this period, his research focused on evaluation and enhancement of human-machine interface (HMI) design using eye-tracking technology. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar. He has obtained his M. Tech from IIT Gandhinagar and a B. Tech in Chemical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology Srinagar. Umair has a rich research experience in the field of human factors and process safety. His research thrust has been on the performance and reliability of control room operators using cognitive engineering approaches. His work in process safety predominantly focuses on human error. He has extensively employed cutting-edge techniques such as electroencephalography (EEG) and eye-tracking to understand the cognitive aspects of human performance. Umair also loves to play badminton and chess.