As an Engineering Psychologist Student Trainee at the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Volpe Center, I have contributed to a wide array of human factors research projects across multiple transportation modes, including transit, aviation, and rail. My work focuses on supporting federal agencies in improving safety, efficiency, and the overall user experience through evidence-based research and analysis.

Highlighted here is a published report I worked on, Transit Agency Perspectives on Customer Assault: Summary Report, which examines industry practices and perspectives related to reducing and responding to customer assaults in transit systems. In addition to this publication, I’ve contributed to:

• FTA De-escalation Research: Conducted interviews with transit agency representatives and reviewed literature to provide recommendations on conflict de-escalation training for the Federal Transit Administration.

• Review of Aircraft Human Factors Databases: Examined aviation incident and accident databases for relevance to FAA’s Aircraft Evaluation Division and delivered a report that described the three most useful databases with tutorials for their use.

• FAA ATC Touchscreen Research: Compiled existing and proposed guidance on use of touchscreens for FAA Air Traffic and Airways Facilities Personnel.

• FRA Critical Incidents Research: Supported the Federal Railroad Administration’s understanding of trauma in railroad engineers by conducting interviews, cleaning and analyzing transcripts, and identifying key themes related to critical incidents and other potentially traumatizing events.

• FRA CTIL Train Simulator Study: Operated the CTIL train simulator, developed an experimental procedure checklist for a fatigue study integrating two eye-tracking systems, recruited participants, and facilitated sessions.

Through these projects, I’ve honed my skills in data collection, analysis, and stakeholder engagement, while addressing the unique challenges across diverse transportation sectors.