Granaas The University of South Dakota is the recipient of NSF funds to support the renovation of the Human Factors Research Laboratory located in the 64-year old South Dakota Union Building. The modernization of over 1,550 square feet will provide students and faculty with the opportunity to conduct contemporary research and research training within the Human Factors program. The role of Human Factors Psychology has grown commensurately with modern society's increasing reliance upon technology. As emerging technologies have progressively increased the complexity of human-machine and human-system interactions, Human Factors psychologists have been playing an increasingly important role in the analysis, modeling, and design of systems to increase worker safety and productivity. The program has trained 57 Ph.D.'s since its founding in 1965. The multidisciplinary training program is research based and places heavy demands upon the laboratory infrastructure which has become outmoded and crowded. As one of only 24 universities nationally to establish a Ph.D.-level training program in human factors, the laboratory renovation is important to understanding the human-machine interaction and the development and use of future technologies.
