A visit to campus last fall by Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenburger highlighted the need for the work being done in the College of Technology’s new Applied Human Factors Research Laboratory.
 
Sullenberger landed his US Airways Airbus 320 in the Hudson River in January 2009 after he flew through a flock of geese and lost engine power. In his book written after the event, he credits his Purdue education and experience in industrial psychology with helping him in his career and his mission to create safer flying environments.
 
“Captain Sullenberger talked about industrial psychology and the role human behavior plays in work performance,” said Erin Bowen, assistant professor of industrial technology. “It is really important with something as complex as commercial aircraft. In the lab, we can take issues like fatigue and stress and study them. How do we quantify and measure the impact on performance? One is a safety component, and one is a performance efficiency component.”
 
In the summer of 2010, Bowen helped expand the college’s existing ergonomics lab into a more comprehensive research and teaching space focused on applied human factors. The lab is housed in the Purdue Airport terminal. The research and teaching that occurs in the lab focuses on how human factors affect performance in complex and high-technology environments, such as aviation, manufacturing, or medicine.

Purdue will be one of 16 universities who will have a team in the three-year EcoCAR 2 competition, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and General Motors (GM). Teams were announced April 13.

The competition challenges the teams to convert a Chevrolet Malibu into a hybrid/electric or fuel-cell vehicle to reduce its environmental impact without compromising performance, safety and consumer acceptability.

The College of Technology in Columbus hosted 200 students from eight high schools April 15 during the second annual Boiler Tech Challenge (BTC).

Ellen Zouras, president of the Women in Technology student group, received the 2011 College of Technology Student Leadership Award April 11.

As the winner, Zouras will receive $200 for Women in Technology to use for a service project.

Other nominees for the award were Spencer Douglas, representing the National Association of Home Builders Student Chapter, and David Lehmann, representing the Mechanical Contractors Association Student Chapter.

Three student-produced animated short film were featured during the Dean's Distinguished Lecture in April 2011. As part of the inaugural Student Animation Contest, a panel of judges selected the finalists from among the six entries. Audience members voted on their favorite, as well, for the People's Choice Awards.

College of Technology students won four awards at the Undergraduate Research Poster Symposium April 12.

Purdue University's board of trustees approved faculty promotions during their meeting April 8.

The College of Technology at New Albany was prominently featured in a recent column in the Louisville Courier-Journal about the Purdue Technology Center of Southeast Indiana. Read the column.

The Academic Bowl competition hosted by the College of Technology at Anderson was covered by the Anderson-Herald-Bulletin. See the coverage.

For the month of March, the College of Technology received external funding that totaled $450,544.

The digital signage in the student lounge area of Knoy Hall is now operational.

The signs were installed to help provide information to students, faculty and staff about college events and news stories.

Requests to publish information on the signage can be submitted online. After filling out the required information at the top of the form, click on "Submit to the Knoy Lobby Digital Sign." Submissions will be cleared and posted by the college's Office of Communications.

Contact Jason Mucher, Steven Lincoln or Matt Bosma if you need assistance submitting information.

Read the latest news from the College of Technology on the News and Events page of the Web site. Stories focus on faculty and student accomplishments and activities as well as coverage of the college from other sources.

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