About the Committee

The Committee on Human-Systems Integration (COHSI) is a standing committee that was originally convened by the National Research Council in 1980 at the request of the Army, Navy, and Air Force to assist them in addressing various military issues. This Committee was previously known as the Committee on Human Factors and was renamed in the fall of 2008. Today, the committee's activities have expanded to include non-military issues as well. The Committee provides new perspectives on theoretical and methodological issues concerning the relationship of individuals and organizations to technology and the environment; identifies critical issues in the design, test, evaluation, and use of new human-centered technologies; and advises sponsors on the research needed to expand the scientific and technical bases for effectively designing new technology and training employees. Domains considered by the Committee include such areas as: human factors engineering, physical ergonomics, training, occupational health and safety, health care, product design, and macro-ergonomics.

Providing a formal and regular forum for sponsors to talk with each other and with a knowledgeable body of experts, i.e., arranging an objective and neutral sounding board for the sponsors
Giving sustained attention to the existing science base and the accumulation of knowledge and experience with human-systems integration and related disciplines
Placing the scientific knowledge concerning human-systems integration in a public policy framework to make it accessible to the policy community
Assisting sponsors in developing their research agendas by identifying technical questions that need attention, new research approaches that are promising, and opportunities for technology transfer between agencies and programs
Conducting public conferences and workshops with presentations by noted experts to raise awareness and identify critical technical and policy issues in the area of human-systems integration
Selecting topics of current concern that warrant in-depth study by a panel of experts, separately contracted, that operates under the oversight of the Committee on Human-Systems Integration

The Committee on Human-Systems Integration is in the process of organizing a consortium of agencies with interest in HSI. As part of its new identity, the Committee seeks to become even more proactive by identifying emerging issues that will impact the field and the concerns represented by members of the Consortium. The Committee also provides a forum for Consortium members, and other interested parties, to interact with the Committee and help to set an agenda for where the science is headed.

If you would like to partner with COHSI, please contact: Barbara Wanchisen, Interim Director, on 202-334-2394, or email bwanchisen@nas.edu.

The next meeting of The Committee on Human-Systems Integration is February 10-11, 2010 in Washington, DC.