Social and Human Systems Engineering
Engineering systems that work for people. Designing technology that connects us.
Social and Human Systems Engineering researchers focus on enhancing the efficiency, productivity and safety of interactions between humans and technology. Our researchers study how people collaborate with machines, communicate with each other and navigate systems in an increasingly connected world.
By applying data-driven methods, behavioral modeling and human-centered design, we create systems and products that are not only efficient, but also equitable, intuitive and socially responsible. This includes developing robotics for surgery and autonomous vehicles, studying human-computer interactions, and analyzing behavioral dynamics and algorithmic fairness to improve usability and social impact across industries.
Our work spans industries — from health care and transportation to robotics, education and smart infrastructure — delivering innovations that improve safety, usability, fairness and overall system performance.
Areas of Innovation
Behavior & Social Dynamics
Investigating collaborative learning, opinion dynamics, misinformation and trust to better understand how societies absorb, resist or adapt to change.
Human-Technology Interaction
Studying how users engage with technology through human-computer interaction and expert operator modeling to improve usability and system performance
Decision-Making & Fairness
Designing decision systems and algorithms that prioritize equity and transparency, addressing consumer behavior, algorithmic bias, and demand-side fairness.