Centre of Excellence for Human Factors and Safety Science (CoEHFSS)

This workshop is tailored for researchers, practitioners, administrators, and students eager to delve into the fascinating evolution of road safety in India. Discover the challenges faced by technologists as they strive to develop and implement effective solutions in this critical domain. The scope of the workshop is aimed at: 

• Gaining insights into cutting-edge research and development initiatives driving road safety innovations 
• Explore the role of active safety technologies in mitigating road accidents and enhancing vehicle safety. 
• Learn about the latest advancements in occupant protection systems and safety engineering. 
• Uncover the intersection of neuroscience, cognitive, behavior and road safety, and how it shapes the future of vehicle safety. 
• Delve into urban planning and infrastructure considerations for improving road safety in Indian cities. 
• Gain valuable insights from accident research studies and explore innovative safety solutions and technologies to improve road safety. 
• Understand the importance of vehicle handling and ergonomic design in enhancing driver safety and comfort. 

Through interactive sessions, panel discussions, and real-world case studies, this workshop aims to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of the journey of road safety in India. Join us as we explore the past, present, and future of road safety technologies and initiatives, and collectively work towards creating safer roads for all. 

Workshop Recording 

CoE HfSS Workshop on Recent Advances in Road Safety and Systems – Day 01-20210624 0423-1.mp4 

CoE HfSS Workshop on Recent Advances in Road Safety and Systems – Day 02-20210625 0429-1.mp4 

A first of the HfSS Seminar Series has been organized by the Centre of Excellence in Human Factors & Safety Sciences (HfSS) at RBG Labs, IIT Madras. Please join us for an interactive session on 24 May 2021, 6:00 PM 

Prof. Tiago H. Falk is an Associate Professor at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS-EMT), University of Quebec, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He will describe recent work being conducted in the Multimodal Signal Analysis and Enhancement (MuSAE) Lab at INRS-EMT in Canada to tackle these challenges. Applications involving the assessment of the mental states of car drivers, the functional state of first responders and nurses, and the performance of athletes will be showcased. He will finish the talk with an overview of an instrumented virtual reality headset developed in-house for human factors research in immersive environments. Ongoing applications in mental health, Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis, and e-learning will be showcased in the Webinar. 

Prof. Tiago H. Falk research interests are on the use of signal processing to provide context-awareness to machine learning algorithms, with particular focus on real-world human-machine interaction applications involving noisy data. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE, alumni of the Global Young Academy, member of the Sigma Xi Research Society, Academic Chair of the Canadian Medical and Biomedical Engineering Society, Co-Chair of the IEEE SMC Brain-Machine Interface TC, and Associate Editor of the Frontiers in Neuroergonomics journal. He is (co-) editor of the book “Signal Processing and Machine Learning for Biomedical Big Data,” published in 2018 by CRC Press. Together with his research team, he has published over 300 papers in top-tiered journals, conference proceedings and book chapters. He has five patents involving noisy sensor data analysis and enhancement. 

The CoEHFSS seeks applications at the Post-Doctoral Fellow level, to conduct research in the areas of road safety and human factors. This position is contractual, initially for a one-year term, with provision for renewal up to two years depending on performance. 

Job Profile: The Post-Doctoral Fellow (PDF) is expected to independently carry out cutting-edge research on topics/themes that are aligned with the centre’s vision. The Fellow is also expected to publish high-quality peer-reviewed journal articles out of research conducted at the CoEHFSS, and present work in national and international conferences. The Fellow will work under the supervision of an IITM faculty but must be able to demonstrate independent thinking and be able to independently design and conduct original research. In addition to the fellowship stipend, the CoEHFSS would provide necessary support for carrying out and presenting research, including funding for data collection, fieldwork related travel, conference visits, etc. as per Institute policy. 

Required qualifications: Ph.D. from a reputed Institute or University in India or abroad, specializing in human factors and/road safety (defined broadly). The dissertation/thesis must be on a topic/ theme related to engineering design/biomedical engineering. Publications in peer reviewed journals are preferred. Candidates who have defended their dissertation are also eligible to apply. However, such candidates need to submit proof of defense at the time of application, and the Ph.D. degree certificate at the time of joining the institute. 

Remuneration: The Post-Doctoral Fellow at CoEHFSS would be paid as per the rules of the Institute. Fellows are eligible for office space and desktop computer. Application and deadline: Candidates meeting the above criteria may please send their application latest by July 31, 2021 to Prof. Venkatesh Balasubramanian at rbg@imail.iitm.ac.in containing the following materials (as a single consolidated PDF): 

1. A cover letter expressing interest in the position 

1. A detailed CV 

1. A detailed post-doctoral research proposal containing a research plan for two years (10 single-spaced pages max) 

1. A synopsis of the Ph.D. dissertation (two pages max) 

1. Three letters of reference.  

The subject line of the application email should read “Application for the position of PDF at CoEHFSS – 2021.” Shortlisted candidates will be invited for a virtual/ in-person interview. We will only contact candidates shortlisted for interview. We will not send out letters of rejection to other applicants. Emails asking for status updates will not be entertained. 

Position Description: 

1. Classification: Visiting Assistant Professorship  

1. Employment Type: Two years with possible extension for another two years  

1. Term: Fixed Term – 24 months  

1. Location: CoE- RBG Labs, IIT Madras  

Program Objective 

To recruit full-time foreign faculty (non-Indian citizens/ non-OCIs) at the equivalent level of Assistant Professor. Targeting recent doctoral graduates who would like to primarily focus on academic research with a host research group at IITM. As a faculty member within the research group, the YIF will also jointly supervise M.S. and Ph.D. students. The faculty member may also aid in teaching. 

Period of Contract 

Candidates will be offered a Visiting Assistant Professor position for an initial period of 2 years, with an evaluation at the end of the 1st year. Exceptional performance will merit the option of extension for the 3rd year. Consistent excellence in performance over the 3 years, will qualify the YIF for a regular faculty position at IIT Madras. 

Key Selection Criteria 

1. PhD/ equivalent qualifications and research experience in the areas related to Safety Sciences/ Engineering. 

1. Preferable to have undergraduate/ postgraduate training in the disciplines of Computer Science, Automobile, Mechanical, Civil, Electronics, Biomedical Engineering and research experience in the areas of Human factors, Industrial Safety, Road Safety, Image /Video Processing, Machine Learning /Deep learning. 

1. Track record of publications in reputed journals and presentations in thematic conferences demonstrating significant technical contributions that provides evidence of strong research potential. 

1. Sound analytical skills with an ability to communicate complex information clearly both in writing and orally. 

1. High level organizational skills: the ability to set priorities, meet deadlines, initiate and follow-up actions, all with minimal or no supervision. 

1. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with Interdisciplinary and cross functional teams. 

1. Demonstrated high level of self-motivation and personal management skills. 

Please submit your written application together with your resume and two references no later than 5pm, 31 July 2021 to: 

Prof. Venkatesh Balasubramanian 

Professor, RBG Labs,  

Engineering Design Department, IIT Madras 

rbg@imail.iitm.ac.in