STTG Member Spotlight: Dr. Shannon Roberts

 

 

Dr. Shannon Roberts

Meet Dr. Shannon Roberts. She received her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and her M.S. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is currently an Associate Professor in the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering department at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

What was the path to your current role?
Shortly after I joined my PhD program, I knew that I wanted to become a professor. As I approached graduation, I knew I just had to wait for the right opportunity to present itself. When the position at UMass Amherst became available, I knew it was the right fit and I jumped right in!

What are the responsibilities associated with your role?

• Teach 2-3 classes/year
• Mentor undergraduate students on course selection and career planning
• Apply and receive research grants and contracts
• Submit research publications (e.g.,journal and conference papers)
• Mentor undergraduate and graduate research assistants
• Provide funding for undergraduate and graduate research assistants
• Serve on department, college, university, and professional society committees

What made you decide to pursue an academic role?

I wanted to be in a position to interact with and have an impact on the next generation of Human Factors professionals. In my mind, the best way to do that was to become a professor.

What do you enjoy the most in your current role?

The flexibility and autonomy is amazing.

Could you describe a favorite or recent project?

I don’t have a favorite project — I enjoy all of the research that I do, otherwise I wouldn’t do it! I can say that I enjoy the projects that have the greatest impact. Having a positive influence of transportation safety is important to me.

What skillsets would you expect from people applying to a role that is similar to yours?
The main duties of a tenure track professor are research, teaching, and service. Hiring committees won’t expect you to have already perfected all three skills. It’s important for you to understand and have a good handle on each facet in order to be a good candidate.

What is one piece of advice you would give up-and-coming HF professionals who want to work in surface transportation related roles?
Network, network, network. While our community may seem large, it’s actually quite close-knit (and friendly). The more people you know, the more successful you will be.

Do you have any suggestions for must-know skills and tools?
First, learn R. Second, become comfortable with a range of methods, whether they be qualitative or quantitative.