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Ranjana Mehta

Ranjana Mehta

Professor

Ranjana Mehta’s research examines the mind-motor-machine nexus using a novel neuroergonomics approach to understand, monitor, and predict human performance under fatigue and stress. With these predictions, research in her lab focuses on developing closed-loop human augmentation technologies (sensory, neural, physiological) for safety-critical applications (emergency response, space exploration, and oil and gas). Projects in her lab are funded by numerous agencies and industries and include user-centered and equitable design and evaluation of adaptive interfaces (AR/VR), wearable technologies, human-robotic interactions (HRI), and brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) to facilitate effective human-technology partnerships.

Department

Industrial & Systems Engineering

Contact

Mechanical Engineering Bldg
1513 University Ave
Madison, WI

  • PhD 2011, Virginia Tech
  • MS 2009, Virginia Tech
  • M.Eng. 2006, University of Buffalo
  • B.Eng. 2004, University of Mumbai

  • Neuroergonomics
  • Occupational Fatigue
  • HRI/HCI
  • Adaptive interfaces
  • BCI/BMI
  • Human Performance in high-risk environments

  • 2024 Virginia Tech, ISE Distinguished Alumni
  • 2023 Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Fellow
  • 2022 IISE , IISE Award for Technical Innovation in Industrial Engineering
  • 2022 NASA, NASA ideas* Fellow
  • 2022 NASEM , NASEM Gulf Research Early Career Research Fellow
  • 2022 The Human Factors Prize
  • 2021 Virginia Tech, ISE Emerging Leaders Award
  • 2021 Texas A&M , Presidential Impact Fellow
  • 2020 Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), Engineering Genesis Award
  • 2020 Virginia Tech , Engineering Outstanding Recent Alumni Award
  • 2020 Texas A&M University, TEES Faculty Fellow
  • 2019 Houston Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Best Poster Presentation
  • 2019 Applied Ergonomics Society, Creativeness in Ergonomics Practitioner of the Year Award
  • 2019 Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, HFE Woman of the Year
  • 2017 Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, William C. Howell Young Investigator Award
  • 2014 American Public Health Association, James G. Zimmer New Investigator Research Award
  • 2013 Houston Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Best Professional Presentation
  • 2012 Ohio State University, REACH Fellowship, Project Comprehensive Equity
  • 2010 Virginia Tech, Citizen Scholar
  • 2010 Virginia Tech, United Parcel Service Doctoral Fellow
  • 2009 HFE Industrial Engineering Research Conference, Best Paper Award
  • 2009 Virginia Tech, Future Professoriate Graduate Certificate
  • 2008 Virginia Tech, Alpha Pi Mu Honor Society
  • 2007 Lokmanya Tilak College of Engineering, India, Academic Excellence Award
  • 2007 Virginia Tech, John Lee Prat Fellowship

  • Yadav, A., & Mehta, R. (2024). Beyond Dyadic Interactions: Assessing Trust Networks in Multi-Human-Robot Teams. In Companion of the 2024 ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (pp. 1153–1157).
  • Zhang, Y., Yadav, A., Hopko, S. K., & Mehta, R. (2024). In Gaze We Trust: Comparing Eye Tracking, Self-report, and Physiological Indicators of Dynamic Trust during HRI. In Companion of the 2024 ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (pp. 1188–1193).
  • Karthikeyan, R., Carrizales, J., Johnson, C., & Mehta, R. (2024). A window into the tired brain: neurophysiological dynamics of visuospatial working memory under fatigue. Human factors, 66(2), 528--543.
  • Hopko, S. K., Zhang, Y., Yadav, A., Pagilla, P. R., & Mehta, R. (2024). Brain--Behavior Relationships of Trust in Shared Space Human--Robot Collaboration. ACM Transactions on Human-Robot Interaction, 13(1), 1--23.
  • Kang, J., Payne, S. C., Sasangohar, F., & Mehta, R. (2024). Field-based longitudinal evaluation of multimodal worker fatigue assessments in offshore shiftwork. Applied Ergonomics, 115, 104164.
  • Yin, W., Chen, Y., Reddy, C., Zheng, L., Mehta, R., & Zhang, X. (2024). Flexible sensor-based biomechanical evaluation of low-back exoskeleton use in lifting. Ergonomics, 67(2), 182--193.
  • Zhong, Y., Karthikeyan, A., Pagilla, P., Mehta, R., & Bukkapatnam, S. T. (2024). Human-centric integrated safety and quality assurance in collaborative robotic manufacturing systems. CIRP Annals.
  • Rana Mukherjee, T., Tyagi, O., Wang, J., Kang, J., & Mehta, R. (2024). Neural, Muscular, and Perceptual responses with shoulder exoskeleton use over Days. arXiv e-prints, arXiv--2403.
  • Mukherjee, T. R., Tyagi, O., Wang, J., Kang, J., & Mehta, R. (2024). Neural, Muscular, and Perceptual responses with shoulder exoskeleton use over Days. arXiv preprint arXiv:2403.08044.
  • Tyagi, O., & Mehta, R. (2024). Sex-specific neural strategies during fatiguing work in older adults. Human factors, 66(5), 1490--1503.

  • I SY E 602 - Special Topics in Human Factors (Spring 2025)
  • I SY E 699 - Advanced Independent Study (Spring 2025)
  • I SY E 890 - Pre-Dissertator's Research (Spring 2025)
  • M E 352 - Interdisciplinary Experiential Design Projects II (Spring 2025)
  • I SY E 348 - Introduction to Human Factors Engineering Laboratory (Fall 2024)
  • I SY E 349 - Introduction to Human Factors (Fall 2024)
  • I SY E 699 - Advanced Independent Study (Fall 2024)
  • I SY E 890 - Pre-Dissertator's Research (Fall 2024)
  • M E 351 - Interdisciplinary Experiential Design Projects I (Fall 2024)
  • PSYCH 349 - Introduction to Human Factors (Fall 2024)
  • I SY E 890 - Pre-Dissertator's Research (Summer 2024)
  • I SY E 890 - Pre-Dissertator's Research (Spring 2024)
  • I SY E 990 - Research and Thesis (Spring 2024)
  • I SY E 699 - Advanced Independent Study (Fall 2023)
  • I SY E 859 - Special Topics in Human Factors Engineering (Fall 2023)
  • I SY E 890 - Pre-Dissertator's Research (Fall 2023)
  • PSYCH 859 - Special Topics in Human Factors Engineering (Fall 2023)