Presentation

· Contributors · Organizations · Search Program · Flagged · Happening Now

Behind the Pages: Unpacking the Pitfalls and Politics of Publishing in HFE

DescriptionScientific publishing is the cornerstone of research dissemination, yet it presents significant challenges that shape the trajectory of both individual careers and the broader field of human factors/ergonomics (HFE). This panel brings together experts from academia, industry, government, and non-profit organizations to discuss the evolving landscape of scientific publishing, highlighting key challenges such as peer-review biases, interdisciplinary scope of HFE work, tension between methodological rigor and applied relevance, access barriers, and the increasing influence of open-science and commercialization. Panelists will discuss strategies for overcoming these barriers and examine how publication norms impact funding, policy development, and real-world implementation of HFE research. They will also explore the pressures faced by early-career researchers, the politics of impact factors, and implications of industry-sponsored research. Finally, we discuss other avenues of scientific dissemination to communicate research and human factors to the public. This session provides valuable insights for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers navigating the complexities of modern scientific publishing and its ramifications for the future of the field. By incorporating diverse perspectives, this discussion aims to foster a critical dialogue on how publishing practices can be reformed to better serve the needs of the HFE community and ensure that impactful research can reach everyone.

Panelists