The THInC Lab has various research opportunities and always welcome new members.
Undergraduate and Master Students – Research Assistants
Research Assistants who are undergraduate and master students typically support the lab by conducting data collection sessions, as well as supporting experiment design and data analysis. Students may conduct research in the context of an independent study (IOE 490); College of Engineering undergraduate research programs such as SURE, SROP, and UROP; summer research experiences; or a part-time position. Researcher Assistants are usually expected to work 10 hours/week onsite in the THInC Lab. The Lab prefers for Research Assistants to have an interest in human-automation interaction and our research, as well as intent to join the lab beyond one semester.
Openings for THInC Lab Research Assistants are shared through the College of Engineering Announcements E-mail and IOE e-mail lists. Undergraduate and master students may still apply to join the Lab throughout the year, though our ability to take on more students depends on our current research needs.
If you are interested in joining the lab as an undergraduate student or master student, please e-mail Nadine Sarter (sarter@umich.edu) with the following:
- A paragraph explaining why you are interested in conducting research in the THInC Lab, as well as a description of what you would like to get out of a research experience in the Lab.
- The duration of time you would like to join the lab (e.g. immediate semester, summer, etc.)
- Whether you would like to join the lab through an independent study, undergraduate research program, part-time position, etc.
- An attached CV and unofficial transcript
Questions about THInC Lab research opportunities for undergraduate and master students may be sent to Nadine Sarter (sarter@umich.edu)
PhD Students
1-2 PhD students join the THInC Lab each year from the Industrial and Operations Engineering Department, as well as multidisciplinary programs such as the Robotics PhD program. Students have come from all around the world and have various educational backgrounds including Computer Science, Economics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Psychology, and Industrial and Operations Engineering. Information about the admissions/application process for PhD programs in the College of Engineering can be found here. Feel free to contact Dr. Nadine Sarter (sarter@umich.edu) or any of the graduate students listed on the People page to learn more about the lab, our research, and academic programs at Michigan.
Postdoctoral Fellows
Please contact Dr. Nadine Sarter (sarter@umich.edu) if you are interested in a postdoctoral fellowship.
Also, if you are interested in cognitive ergonomics, below are some suggested courses to take from IOE and other departments.
Industrial & Operations Engineering
IOE 333 – Ergonomics
IOE 334 – Ergonomics Lab
IOE 432 – Industrial Engineering Instrumentation Methods
IOE 434 – Human Error and Complex System Failures
IOE 436 – Human Factors in Computer Systems
IOE 437 – Automotive Human Factors
IOE 438 – Occupational Safety Management
IOE 439 – Advanced Topics in Safety Management
IOE 463 – Measure & Design of Work
IOE 533 – Human Factors in Engineering Systems
IOE 534 – Biomechanics
IOE 536 – Cognitive Ergonomics
IOE 539 – Occupational Safety Ergonomics
IOE 836 – Seminar in Human Performance
IOE 837/EHS 668 – Seminar in Occupational Health and Safety Engineering
School of Information
SI 539 – Design of Complex Web Sites
SI 548/638 – Principles of Software Design for Learning
SI 618 – Special Topics: User-Interface Design Studio
SI 622 – Evaluation of Systems and Services
SI 682 – Interface and Interaction Design
SI 684 – eCommunities: Analysis and Design of Online Interaction
SI 689 – Computer Supported Cooperative Work
Psychology Department
PSYCH 449 Decision Processes
PSYCH 533/NEUROSCI 520 – Sleep: Neurobiology, Medicine, and Society
PSYCH 541 – Advanced Topics in Cognition and Perception
PSYCH 634 – Human Neuropsychology
PSYCH 640/EECS 695 – Neural Models and Psychological Processes
PSYCH 644 – Computation Modeling of Cognition
PSYCH 702 – Environmental Psychology
PSYCH 703 – Cognition and Environment
PSYCH 722: Decision processes
PSYCH 741 – Sensory Processes
PSYCH 742 – Motivation and Action
PSYCH 743 – Human Learning and Memory
PSYCH 744 – Perception
PSYCH 746 – Human Performance
PSYCH 747 – Models of Thinking
PSYCH 748 – Cognition and Perception Preliminary Preparation
PSYCH 749 – Organization of Cognitive Functioning