Opportunities for Students
Undergraduate opportunities are listed after Graduate studies
Graduate studies
The laboratory director, Thomas Stoffregen, is a member of the graduate faculty in both Kinesiology and Psychology. Thus, graduate students can do their research in the APAL while pursuing the PhD in Kinesiology or in Psychology.
Dr. Stoffregen supervises graduate research within the framework of the Ecological Approach to Perception and Action and the Ecology of Human-Machine Systems. We maintain collaborative research programs with colleagues in other countries (e.g., France, Japan). Graduate students often have opportunities for international travel and collaboration. We also maintain close ties with ecological psychologists at other universities and in industry, who may serve as either informal or formal advisors for student research at UM. A graduate student interested in the Ecological Approach to Perception and Action will have the opportunity to pursue a variety of research projects at UM and/or in affiliated labs.
Specific research interests include: Postural control; Motion sickness; Virtual environments; Multisensory control of action; Perception & exploitation of affordances.
Related work is conducted by Dr. Anne Pick and Dr. Herbert Pick in the Institute of Child Development.
Graduate training options
Prepare for careers in academic research, government, or industry. We offer:
- A strong foundation in theory and empirical research
- State-of-the-art training and research experience in the ecological approach to perception and action and (where appropriate to each student's interest) in the ecological approach to human-machine systems, information processing, and behavioral control systems
- Applied and basic research emphasizing relations between basic scientific theories and the design of human-machine systems
- A state-of-the-art laboratory including a wrap-around visual simulator (for studies of driver behavior and other forms of locomotion), head-mounted displays, and facilities for research on postural control, cybersickness, etc. A broad range of graduate-level courses including human factors psychology, human-centered design, and interface design
- The APAL is affiliated with the Center for Cognitive Sciences, an interdisciplinary center at the University funded by the National Science Foundation, and with the Office of Information Technology usability lab.
- The APAL is also affiliated with the Upper Midwest Chapter of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (UMCHFES), which hosted the 45th annual meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) in 2001.
Scholarships and graduate assistantships are routinely available to HFRL students.
Psychology
The doctoral program in Psychology is offered through the Department of Psychology. Students may pursue in graduate training in Perception and Action and/or Human Factors/Ergonomics as part of a PhD in Psychology
Kinesiology
The School of Kinesiology offers masters and doctoral programs in human factors/ergonomics (HF/E), as well as Perception and Action.
Ph.D. in kinesiology with an emphasis in human factors / ergonomics (sample program)
M.A. in kinesiology with an emphasis in human factors/ergonomics (sample program)
Graduate Minor in Human Factors/Ergonomics
Human Factors / Ergonomics (HF/E) is an interdisciplinary area of study focusing on how human performance and behavior are influenced by design factors in the performance environment. The minor is available to master's (M.A. and M.S.) and doctoral students working in a wide variety of programs, including Computer Science, Psychology, and Engineering, among others.
Free-standing minor program in human factors/ergonomics
Undergraduate opportunities
Opportunities exist for qualified undergraduates to work in the APAL as research assistants. Students can participate in many phases of research, from the design and assembly of apparatus to data collection to data analysis and manuscript preparation, to presentations at scientific meetings and conferences. Undergraduate research can be done on a volunteer basis, or for course credit. Many of our undergraduate research assistants have received financial support for their work through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP). The main avenue for undergraduates to enter the lab will be through the Honors Program in the School of Kinesiology. However, qualified students from any background or program are welcome. Interested students should contact Dr. Stoffregen.