Urban Air Mobility (UAM) is set to change our industry in the coming years. To get our community ready for this transition, the first day of HFES ASPIRE on Tuesday, September 10, will be dedicated to UAM. The morning starts with three lectures on the topic (9:45-10:45) followed by a discussion panel in the afternoon on the promise of UAM (1:30-2:30).
Katie Sabo from ASTG interviewed the moderator Dr. Kim-Phuong Vu from California State University Long Beach, to share an exclusive preview of what to expect in this rapidly-evolving field.
The Promise of Urban Air Mobility
Moderator
Kim-Phuong Vu – California State University, Long Beach
Panelists
Quang Dao – NASA Ames Research Center
James Cunningham – Edwards Airforce Base
Mike Matessa – Collins Aerospace
Vernol Battiste – San Jose State University Research Foundation
Thomas Strybel – California State University, Long Beach
Scheduled on Tuesday, September 10th, 1:30-2:30PM
ASTG. The UAM panel will bring together five panelists from industry, academia, and government agencies to discuss the state of UAM today and what it will take to make UAM a reality. Panelists will share their thoughts and answer questions about this process, covering topics including the development of technology, UAM operations, the training of human operators and their evaluation. What topics do you plan to cover for your discussion panel?
Dr. Vu. The panelists will discuss current developments in Urban Air Mobility (UAM) concepts that will be necessary for making UAM a reality at different maturity levels. Specifically, they will discuss how the development of the major components of the UAM system should evolve over time.
Why do you think this panel will be of interest to attendees?
UAM is an emerging area in aviation. The benefits of a UAM system include reduced traffic congestion and profit gains for vehicle manufacturers and system developers. The panelists will cover a variety of topics relating to the development of technology (e.g., increasingly autonomous systems), UAM operations (e.g., infrastructure and concepts of operations), the training of human operators (e.g., UAM pilots) and their evaluation.
Who would be most interested in this discussion panel and what benefits do you think it will give them?
This topic should be of interest to researchers and practitioners in aviation. Attendees will have an opportunity to learn about current issues relating to UAM and ask questions of the panelists.
How much audience interaction would you like? What sorts of questions should attendees be thinking about?
I have asked the panelists to provide a brief overview of the topics areas that they have been working on relating to UAM; the rest of the time will be devoted to Q & As from the audience.
What do you hope attendees get from the panel?
Attendees will learn about the current research to support how to best structure the UAM system, emerging technologies that are being developed to support UAM, potential concepts of operations for the UAM system, and current techniques for evaluating UAM.
What do you hope to get from participating in the panel?
I hope that this session will engage participants and generate discussion about the topics covered by the panelists. We can also learn from the participants!
Aviation human factors professionals are crucial in designing and implementing aviation systems to enhance human experience, minimize errors, and maximize performance. But joining the industry can sometimes be challenging.
HFES ASPIRE will host a unique panel discussion on this topic. It will feature a diverse group of researchers and practitioners sharing their roles and experiences in aviation human factors. It aims to highlight the importance of diversity and inclusion within human factors and the larger aviation field, underscoring the benefits of incorporating a variety of perspectives. Additionally, the panel seeks to inspire the next generation of professionals by discussing opportunities and challenges in this dynamic field.
Dr. Beth Blickensderfer from Embry-Riddle will moderate this inspiring discussion and will share the stage with a great lineup of panelists, including: Bryan Gamelin from Honeywell Aerospace, Jayde King from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, Vanesa Miksa from Boeing and Sabrina Woods from the National Transportation Safety Board.
Dr. Blickensderfer sat down for an interview with Katie Sabo and shared her perspectives on what to expect during the talk.
Breaking Barriers: A Spotlight on Young and Diverse Voices in Aviation Human Factors
Scheduled on Wednesday, September 11th, 3:00 – 4:00PM
ASTG. What topics do you plan to cover for your discussion panel?
Dr. Blickensderfer. The purpose of the panel is two-fold: To celebrate the diversity within the human factors aviation community and to encourage a new generation of human factors scientists to work in this dynamic domain. To accomplish this, we have an energetic, diverse set of panelists ready to discuss their roles, as well as the opportunities and challenges inherent to working in the field of aviation. Whether practitioners designing aviation systems, researchers conducting cutting-edge research, or aviation specialists in the federal government, these Human Factors scientists use their expertise to shape the future of aviation.
Why do you think this panel will be of interest to attendees?
While there are many outstanding Aviation HF professionals, these panelists can discuss how their unique backgrounds or perspectives contributed to advancements in aviation human factors, discuss any specific challenges or barriers they've encountered, and illustrate how diversity has positively influenced problem solving.
Who would be most interested in this discussion panel and what benefits do you think it will give them?
This session will be of interest to many conference attendees, regardless of your current domain. First, you can build your awareness of cutting-edge work in aviation. Second, the panelists' perspectives on a domain undergoing a diversity transformation may give insights about building diversity in your own organization. Finally, for those considering career options, you can listen and learn about opportunities in the dynamic field of Aviation HF.
How much audience interaction would you like? What sorts of questions should attendees be thinking about?
Our priority will be audience participation. We know that conference attendees bring a lot of curiosity as well as experiences to share. Most of the session will be devoted to audience questions.
What do you hope attendees get from the panel?
I hope attendees will catch the panelists' enthusiasm for Aviation Human Factors work.
What do you hope to get from participating in the panel?
I hope this panel propels the industry towards greater heights of inclusivity, innovation, and excellence.