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Kim-Phuong
L. Vu |
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Education:
E-mail: kvu8@csulb.edu Ph.D., 2003, Purdue University, Cognitive Psychology
My
Quick Links: BeachBoard |
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Specialty Area(s):
Courses:
To view my vita, which contains information about my
professional preparation, honors and awards, publications, and synergistic
activities, click on the Curriculum Vitae link below. You will
need a PDF viewer to open the file. To download a version of Adobe PDF, click here. |
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Research
Interests: I have developed programs of research in three interrelated areas. The first area of my research focuses on the topic of action-selection. Action-selection refers to how a speeded decision is made regarding which action to take in response to perceptual events. One of the major factors affecting efficiency of action selection is stimulus-response compatibility (SRC). SRC refers to the fact that performance is better with certain mappings of stimuli to responses than others. For example, if participants are asked to press a left or right key in response to a light appearing to the left or right, performance is better with the compatible mapping of left stimulus to left response and right stimulus to right response than the alternative incompatible mapping. Studies of SRC effects have been a valuable tool to study automatic and intentional processes associated with the response-selection that intervene between perception and action. My research in this area also has implications for how displays and controls should be organized and mapped in order to achieve efficient performance, with minimal errors. Although the major focus of my research on stimulus-response compatibility is on basic theoretical issues, I am relating the theoretical advances in SRC to applied issues in the field of human factors and ergonomics. The second area of my research focuses directly on human factors and human-computer interaction. Human factors is an interdisciplinary field of research, that includes applied cognitive psychology. It is concerned with improving interface designs or products for human use. The fundamental idea underlying human factors is that systems and interfaces must be designed with the users in mind if the systems are to accomplish their goals effectively. This is particularly true for transactions initiated through the Internet because they often involve extensive human interactions with the system. Thus, my research on basic human cognition and performance has much to offer to the design of user interfaces and applications for the Internet. However, many products and Web interfaces are not designed in a manner compatible with the cognitive processes of the users, and human factor concerns are often not taken into account until late design phases, where products cannot be changed drastically. My work in this area includes human factors issues in Web design, the role of password restrictions in the memorability and security of passwords for single and multiple accounts, and evaluating the usability of Web privacy policies. I have collaborated with other researchers from industrial engineering and computer science, as well as with professionals in industry on these research projects. I am co-editor of the second edition of The Handbook of Human Factors in Web Design (2011). The
third area of my research, which was entirely developed after my appointment
at CSULB, is on the topic of aviation
psychology. The goal of this
research program is to develop metrics for measuring human performance in
complex systems such as the Next Generation Airspace Transportation System (NextGen). I have used human-in-the-loop simulations to
investigate human factors issues associated with pilot performance using
various cockpit interfaces, pilot and controller performance with different
air traffic management concepts, and the human-automation interaction
associated with new tools and technologies.
I have also conducted studies examining the performance of novice
versus experienced operators when using advanced tools. This Fall, I am beginning a simulation that
will examine how students, who are in training to be air traffic controllers,
develop their air traffic management skills when new tools are introduce
either early or late in their training.
This work will contribute to the discipline’s knowledge regarding
skill acquisition in the development of expertise. On the practical side, this work can lead
to the development, use, and implementation of air traffic management tools
and concepts in NextGen. In the summer of 2010, I participated in a Jumpseat with UPS to test flight interval management
technologies and procedures that were being evaluated by NASA and the
FAA. My work in this area requires
collaborations with NASA, other universities and private industries. It represents an interdisciplinary and
collaborative effort across many organizations. |
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CUDA serves as a
usability testing laboratory and user-centered design resource for private
and non-private organizations in the community. Established 1996, CUDA evaluates
software products for a variety of organizations: educational institutions
(e.g., CSU Office of the Chancellor), colleges and universities in the CSU
System, government agencies (e.g., Veterans Administration) and private
industry (e.g., Addison-Wesley Longman, Inc., Southern California Edison,
Honda, and First American Real Estate). |
Links to My Affiliated
Universities:
CSU Long Beach:
Psychology Department
CSU Northridge: Psychology Department
Purdue University: Department of
Psychological Sciences