Program Leadership and FacultyCore Faculty
There are seven core faculty members. The director, David Rempel M.D., is the primary graduate advisor for the M.S. and Ph.D. students; approximately 40% of his time is directly involved in teaching (e.g., courses, oversight of graduate students’ research projects, clinic teaching). During the 97/98 year while on sabbatical at the Departments of Cell Biology and Hand Surgery in Lund, Sweden, Dr. Rempel developed animal models for repetitive loading. Dr. Rempel is active on national committees such as the ANSI authorized Z-365 Committee (Control of Cumulative Trauma) and the National Academy of Sciences Panel on Musculoskeletal Disorders in the Workplace. Dr. Rempel serves as editor and manuscript reviewer for 13 scientific journals, has contributed to several textbooks, directs continuing education courses, and participates in international scientific conferences on ergonomics and the control of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Dr. Aaron Steinfeld recently joined the College of Engineering as a Research Specialist and is involved in research on human performance and modeling in transportation systems. For four years he was a graduate student instructor for undergraduate courses in human factors at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. He lectures on human factors issues to the Ergonomics Course (PH276A). Ira Janowitz and Don Morelli lecture in ergonomics classes and direct the ergonomic CE courses. Both are trained in industrial engineering and both are Certified Professional Ergonomists. Mr. Janowitz works 80% time and Mr. Morelli works 30% time for the Ergonomics Program to provide consulting services to more than 30 industries, governmental agencies, and unions in California. Industrial clients range from construction, office, and light manufacturing to petrochemical sectors. Through these consulting arrangements students gain access to industrial sites for research and training. Mr. Janowitz teaches in the Ergonomics course (PH276A) and also oversees the work performed by ergonomics students in Field Study in Ergonomics (Internship) (PH 297) and Clinical Ergonomics (PH 298). Mark Hudes, Ph.D., is a full-time biostatistician with the School of Public Health. Dr. Hudes is supported (5% time) to advise students on statistical issues involved in research projects. Barbara Plog is Director of the Continuing Education Program and has been course director for the CE courses in Safety. She is the director of the Safety course (PH275B), and has recruited adjunct faculty from local industry and governmental agencies to assist with teaching the safety courses. Dr. Robert Spear has taught safety and industrial hygiene from an engineering perspective and has expanded the industrial hygiene course on physical agents to include vibration and temperature. Dr. Fadi Fathallah, at the UC Davis Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, develops curricula and research programs for ergonomics and biomechanics related to agricultural work. He also lectures in the Ergonomics course at UC Berkeley. The affiliated faculty have extensive experience and solid international reputations in fields related to ergonomics. One aspect of the Program’s core faculty's reputation and strength is the extramural support obtained. Research grants and consultation services provide approximately 80% of the funding support for the Ergonomics Program. Dr. Rempel’s research sabbatical in Sweden was supported by a NIH/Fogarty Senior International Research Award. Dr. Rempel is principal investigator or co-investigator on 3 RO1 grants and 1 RO3 from NIOSH and NIAMS. The purpose of these grants is to investigate basic mechanisms of musculoskeletal injury related to repetitive loading. The program receives generous support in the form of unrestricted gifts from industry (e.g., Herman-Miller, Logitech, Microsoft, and the Office Ergonomics Research Committee). In addition, Program support comes from consultation contracts to develop ergonomic programs and trainings with regional companies and California OSHA. Recently the Program provided research support to NASA and the Japanese Space Agency in the ergonomics evaluation of the life sciences glove box to be used on the International Space Station. CORE FACULTYFadi Fathallah, PhD., AEP (Ergonomics) Robert Goldberg, MD, FACOEM (Occupational Medicine) Ira Janowitz, PT, CPE. (Ergonomics) Donald Morelli, M.S. (Ergonomics) Barbara Plog, MPH, CIH, CSP (Industrial
Hygiene and Safety) David Rempel, MD, MPH (Occupational
Medicine and Bioengineering) Aaron Steinfeld, Ph.D., (Human Factors) Robert C. Spear, Ph.D. (Mechanical and
Control Engineering) Mark Hudes, Ph.D. (Biostatistics) Julia Faucett, RN, Ph.D.
(Nursing) Robert Harrison, MD, MPH
(Occupational Medicine) Edward Diao, MD (Hand Surgery) Tony Keaveny, Ph.D. (Mechanical
Engineering) Steven Lehman, Ph.D.
(Bioengineering) Jeff Lotz, Ph.D. (Biomechanics) John Miles, Ph.D. (Agricultural
Engineering) |