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Dr. Shuchisnigdha Deb is an Associate Professor in the Department of Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington. She earned her Ph.D. from Mississippi State University (2017), MS from Montana State University (2014), and B.S. from Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (Bangladesh, 2006), all in Industrial Engineering. Prior to joining UTA, she worked as a research professor in the Center for Advance Vehicular Systems at Mississippi State University. Her research primarily focuses on transportation safety and workforce design, with particular interests in vulnerable road users and industry worker populations.

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Dr. Mahmudur Rahman is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). Before joining UTA, Dr. Rahman worked for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health as a Research Scientist and Purdue University as a Visiting Assistant Professor. Dr. Rahman’s research interests center around Transportation Safety, Virtual and Mixed Reality, Human-robot Interaction, and Engineering Education. He published his research in top-tier journals, including Accident Analysis and Prevention, IEEE Transactions on Human-Machine Systems, Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, and Applied Ergonomics.

Russel is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington, where he has been conducting research under the guidance of Dr. Mahmudur Rahman since Spring 2023. He holds a Master’s degree from Ohio University. His research focuses on human factors engineering, augmented and virtual reality, and workplace and workforce safety. Russel has contributed to projects funded by the National Science Foundation and the USDA, aimed at advancing workforce training. His current work explores the integration of augmented reality into warehouse order picking, with the goal of improving operational efficiency and enhancing worker safety.

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S M Tazim Ahmed is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Bangladesh, with Industrial and Production Engineering background. His research focus is the Human Factors in Virtual Reality. He is doing research on the improving human factors in single and multi-user virtual reality in the field of advance manufacturing process.

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Eshwara Prasad Sridhar is a PhD student in Industrial Engineering at The University of Texas at Arlington, where he also earned his master’s degree. Originally from Chennai, India, he did his Bachelors in Mechatronics Engineering from SRM Institute of Science and Technology. His research interests include Exoskeletons, Human-Robot Interaction, Human-Machine System Design, Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality, Occupational and Systems Safety, and Decision Analytics. Eshwara has also been recognized with the Elinor Paper Endowed Scholarship for academic excellence at UTA and received the Certification of Recognition for outstanding research contribution twice by UTARI (Fall 2023 and Spring 2024). Outside of academics, he enjoys exploring new technologies, playing FPS games, and cricket.

Matin joined the Human Factors Lab in August 2024. He holds a master’s degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Tehran and a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. His research interests include machine learning, and in his free time, he enjoys cooking.

Ansal is a doctoral student in the Department of Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering at The University of Texas at Arlington, where he also earned his M.S. in Industrial Engineering. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Anna University, India. Currently, he conducts research at the Human Factors Lab under the supervision of Dr. Shuchisnigdha Deb and Dr. Mahmudur Rahman. His research focuses on human factors engineering and virtual reality, with an emphasis on how immersive technologies can enhance human performance and training in industrial settings. He has worked on a USDA-funded project to train students with environment control unit to manage greenhouse environments in a virtual training platform. Outside of academia, Ansal enjoys staying active through gym workouts and playing sports such as football and badminton. 

Somik is an undergraduate student in the Department of Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington. He works as an undergraduate research assistant at the Human Factors Lab under the supervision of Dr. Mahmudur Rahman. He applies his interest in physical and cognitive ergonomics to improve human-technology interactions. His work focuses on optimizing systems and enhancing user experience through human-centered design. By integrating theoretical knowledge with practical research, Somik aims to contribute to the development of safer and more efficient work environments.

Jose is a senior undergraduate majoring in Computer Science at UTA. He works as a virtual reality developer in our lab, specializing in the Unity game engine. Jose contributed to the Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) 3D printer training simulation and is currently involved in developing additional VR projects aimed at advancing immersive learning and technical training.

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Daksh is an undergraduate student in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at The University of Texas at Arlington. He currently works as a research assistant in the Human Factors Lab under the supervision of Dr. Shuchisnigdha Deb. His current project involves developing and enhancing the lab’s website, with a focus on addressing accessibility challenges and improving user experience. Daksh has also completed training in virtual reality development using the Unity Game Engine and Meta Quest headsets. His academic interests include data science, machine learning, and human-centered computing. Outside of academics, he enjoys working out and playing basketball and badminton.

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Ashirwad is an undergraduate student in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at The University of Texas at Arlington. He is a research assistant at the Human Factors Lab and working under the supervision of Dr. Shuchisnigdha Deb. Ashirwad is currently working on the development of virtual environments using Unity Game Engine and Meta Quest headsets.  He is working on a Department of Justice Funded project to create a virtual reality-based de-escalation training for The Fort Worth police department. His primary interests lie in software engineering, cybersecurity, and systems programming. Ashirwad is passionate about applying his technical skills to develop innovative solutions and is eager to expand his experience in human-centered computing and emerging technologies.

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Anish is an undergraduate student in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at The University of Texas at Arlington. He currently serves as a research assistant in the Human Factors Lab, working under the supervision of Dr. Shuchisnigdha Deb. Anish is involved in the development of immersive virtual environments using the Unity Game Engine and Meta Quest headsets. As part of a Department of Justice–funded project, he is contributing to the creation of a virtual reality–based de-escalation training program for the Fort Worth Police Department. Through this and other cutting-edge initiatives, he is advancing how individuals perceive, interact with, and perform within complex, real-world scenarios.

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Anika is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering and Technology at Texas A&M University-Commerce. She earned her Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering and her M.Sc. in Bioengineering from the University of Texas at Arlington. She also holds a B.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering from Pennsylvania State University. Before joining Texas A&M, Anika was a Visiting Assistant Professor in the School of Industrial Engineering at Purdue University for one year.

Rafia Rahman is a recent Master of Science graduate in Industrial Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington, where she specialized in Virtual Reality (VR) applications for manufacturing, safety, and human-centered design. As a Graduate Research Assistant at the Human Factors Lab under the supervision of Dr. Shuchisnigdha Deb, she contributed to key projects, including developing a bilingual, assisted VR platform for additive manufacturing (NSF-funded) and creating VR tools for controlled environment agriculture systems (USDA-funded). She also helped develop a VR-based training module for fiber-reinforced composite manufacturing. The lab’s focus on innovation and strong work ethics prepared her to excel in her current role as a Global Supply Analyst at Tesla, where she manages supply chain operations for vehicle exterior trims. Rafia credits her time at the lab with building a solid foundation in technical expertise and professional integrity, which continues to guide her career.

Taufiq Rahman completed his Master of Science graduate in Industrial Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington, where he specialized in Virtual Reality (VR) applications for manufacturing and safety. His research, supervised by Dr. Shuchisnigdha Deb, included the development of VR-based training modules for fiber-reinforced composite manufacturing and a VR program aimed at improving pedestrian safety for children. Currently, Taufiq is a Program Manager in Global Supply Management at Tesla, where he leads supply chain operations for key vehicle programs like the Model 3, Model Y, and Cybertruck. His innovative work in VR and supply chain management positions him as an emerging expert in both industrial education and practice.

Faith is a research staff member at the Human Factors Lab, where she has contributed to virtual reality (VR) development projects for over three years. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2024. Her work centers on designing immersive VR simulations that support education and training initiatives. She is proficient in using the Unity game engine and has experience working with a range of VR headsets, including the HTC Vive Pro Eye and Meta Quests 2 and 3. Faith has played a key role in several high-impact projects, including a U.S. Department of Transportation-funded VR simulation for child pedestrian safety training and a National Science Foundation-funded bilingual virtual learning platform focused on additive manufacturing and industrial safety. In addition to her development work, she also serves as a training instructor for new VR developers joining the lab. Currently, she is working on a Department of Justice-funded project for implementing interactive, LLM-powered AI characters to use in VR-based police training scenarios.