Erica Curtis is a human factors researcher at Parallax Advanced Research, where she leverages her unique background in psychology and human factors engineering to conduct novel research that improves human-technology interactions. Her journey from wraparound facilitator to human factors engineering researcher reflects her deep commitment to enhancing systems for the betterment of society and desire to bridge the gap between human needs and technological capabilities. Erica is poised to begin a PhD program in engineering in fall 2025 at Wright State University, which will be funded through Parallax’s professional development program. The Parallax Marketing Communications team sat down with Erica to discuss her career journey and current research passions.
Erica Curtis, Human Factors Researcher at Parallax Advanced Research
Q. What is your role at Parallax Advanced Research?
Erica: I’m a human factors researcher. I have a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in human factors research engineering. I have been with Parallax for over three years, and I am looking to start a PhD program in engineering at Wright State University soon.
Q. Can you provide an overview of how you came to Parallax?
Erica: I got my undergraduate degree in 2016 and entered the workforce as a wraparound facilitator. However, I found this work to be unfulfilling and began reassessing my career. I am passionate about improving systems and service to the community, so I decided to pursue my master’s in engineering, because I believed the career field would enable me to understand both the technical and human components and needs of life.
Erica Curtis graduating with her master's in human factors research engineering
I pivoted to working at Starbucks while I figured out where I wanted to go next. While working there, I met Daniel Pierron, who was a regular customer of mine and is a Parallax program manager in the research and development division. After a few conversations, Dan asked for my resume and quickly facilitated my entry into Parallax. Dan connected me with Dr. Mary Frame, director of cognitive research at Parallax, and now my boss, who set me up with a part-time internship at Parallax. I also began to pursue a full-time master's program in human factors engineering. I often worked from early morning until late at night but was motivated by my passion for the work at Parallax and this unique opportunity I was given.
Thanks to the assistance of Dr. Frame, my wonderful boss, and Dan Pierron, I eventually became a full-time employee at Parallax. I graduated from my master's program with a 3.9 GPA in December 2023 and began working full-time in January 2024. The trust and investment from Dr. Frame and Dan have been incredibly rewarding. I now genuinely enjoy the work that I do, even on the busiest and most challenging of days.
Q. Describe your transition from social sciences to engineering.
Erica: Graduating with a psychology degree meant that, to pursue an engineering degree, I had to complete several prerequisites. For example, I took Calculus I, II, and III, Differential Equations, Physics I and II, Biomedical Engineering, Human Anatomy, Engineering 101, and additional computer analysis courses. Although I understood much of the human side because of my psychology background, my main focus in working in human factors research was adding to my engineering expertise. It was an intellectual challenge that set me up very well for the research I’m doing now at Parallax.
Q. Can you discuss a recent project you worked on at Parallax? What were the key challenges you encountered, and how did you address them?
Erica: Currently, I am running human subjects through an experiment, and a key challenge has been the use of physiological sensors. We are using sensors to monitor heart rate, galvanic skin response, and brain activity with an EEG cap. Since I am using five different sensors, understanding how they work best together has been a major challenge, particularly when utilizing additional software that must be reconfigured on a short turnaround time. This includes modifying the sensors within the constraints of the experiment and managing participants within a specific time frame. In one case, we had only 48 hours to determine how to optimally run these sensors, using both hardware and software, to gather the best possible data within ten minutes. Outfitting that many sensors and baselining in under 10 minutes is incredibly challenging. However, after several trials and errors, I finally figured out a way to optimize the configuration process and have been successful at running the experiment in the constrained timeframe. My customer seems to be happy with my work so far, so that makes me happy, of course.
Q. How do you see the challenges you are working on contributing to the advancement of the Science of Intelligent Teaming (TM)?
Erica: Understanding both the human and computer side of challenges is how we are going to further intelligent teaming. Understanding how people work and interact, as well as how they deal with everyday technology, is how we will further the industry. My role as a researcher is to collect the data and information needed to troubleshoot the technology, build experiments to elicit specific human and technology responses, and ultimately use those responses to improve the efficacy of the human-technology relationship.
Q. What are the most critical considerations when conducting human factors research for safety critical systems or other environments?
Erica: Scientists and engineers must understand the vast scope of research. Sometimes, we become absorbed in our individual role and overlook inclusivity in our research. For example, I have briefly studied medical research advancement, such as the evolution of crash test dummies from predominantly male specific measurements, to now incorporating measurements of females, children, and even animals. There is a pressing need for more inclusivity with our research, especially in human factors, to understand that we have a world to take care of, not just one city, company, or person.
Q. How does one approach designing interfaces and interactions that foster trust and collaboration between humans and machines?
Erica: When I began working with Dr. Frame, we conducted several studies on the trust humans have for machines. We found that while humans generally trust machines, there are exceptions due to the man-made nature of machines. Regardless of how perfect machines may seem, human error always remains a factor. Our goal is to develop interfaces that humans can easily recognize and interpret as symbolic representations for action. For example, a spotlight oriented from top to bottom with red, yellow, and green lights, is universally understood as “stop,” “slow down,” and “go.” Understanding human conventionality and the norms we have created in interface design is crucial. Ultimately, by designing interfaces that foster trust and collaboration between humans and machines, we aim to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of human-machine interactions.
Q. What do you see as the next frontier or major challenges in the field of human factors research, and how do you plan to contribute?
Erica: I think as a society we are branching further into inclusivity, and in doing so, demand rethinking our current research methodologies. Going back to the test crash dummies example, we are just now realizing that the lack of inclusiveness in fundamental studies has resulted in unequal safety measurements for those of different ages, sexes, and body types. Also, all research perspectives should be appreciated, included, and hopefully understood. Finding common ground with other researchers that hold differing perspectives is how we develop scientifically accurate tools that are useful to society. I plan to contribute to this process of change and inclusivity by continuing to actively listen and learn as well as seek the thoughts and opinions of others that differ vastly from my own.
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About Parallax Advanced Research & The Ohio Aerospace Institute
Parallax Advanced Research is a 501(c)(3) private nonprofit research institute that tackles global challenges through strategic partnerships with government, industry, and academia. It accelerates innovation, addresses critical global issues, and develops groundbreaking ideas with its partners. With offices in Ohio and Virginia, Parallax aims to deliver new solutions and speed them to market. In 2023, Parallax and the Ohio Aerospace Institute formed a collaborative affiliation to drive innovation and technological advancements in Ohio and for the nation. The Ohio Aerospace Institute plays a pivotal role in advancing the aerospace industry in Ohio and the nation by fostering collaborations between universities, aerospace industries, and government organizations, and managing aerospace research, education, and workforce development projects.