Dr Katie Plant BSc, PhD
Lecturer
Dr Katie Plant is an Associated Professor within Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Southampton.
I joined the University of Southampton in 2009 as a Research Assistant in the Human Factors Engineering team in the Transportation Research Group, part of the Faculty of Engineering and the Environment. I have primarily worked on European Union funded aviation projects, including ALICIA (2009-2013) and i-VISION (2013-2016). These have involved the application of Human Factors methods to design and evaluate future flight deck technologies and aviation processes. Alongside my project work, I undertook a part-time PhD entitled ‘Investigations into Aeronautical Decision Making using the Perceptual Cycle Model’ (awarded 2015). This research explored pilot decision making processes, in both individuals and teams, during critical events. In 2014 this research was awarded The Honourable Company of Air Pilots Trust Award for aviation safety research. In 2015 I was appointed as a New Frontiers Fellow and a Lecturer in 2018, and continue to apply and develop Human Factors knowledge in safety-critical systems. I am particularly interested in understanding how the interaction of the environment we work in and the mental schema that we hold influence our actions and decision making processes.