Launching the New Interdisciplinary BA/BS Human Factors and Usability Studies Program
Richard J. Puerzer, PhD (industrial engineering) Department of Engineering Chairperson and Associate Professor Richard.J.Puerzer@hofstra.edu
The start of each academic year is a time to reflect on innovation and transformation within the engineering department. I am very pleased to report that there is a new degree program in the engineering department, the BS/BA Human Factors and Usability Studies This program is designed to equip students with the knowledge and technical skills necessary to solve complex challenges in digital environments. It takes an interdisciplinary approach, blending coursework from the engineering, psychology, computer science, fine arts, disability studies, and writing studies departments. Students in the program will develop their acumen in human-computer interaction and be prepared to optimize user experience, usability, and accessibility in web-based and appbased interfaces.
The program’s director, Dr. Salvador Rojas-Murillo, brings his expertise in industrial engineering, specifically in the field of human factors engineering, to the program. He has worked with faculty in multiple departments to provide program curricula that develops specific knowledge while being flexible enough to allow students to pursue specific interests in the field. There is a demand across many industries for User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) experts, and this program will train graduates with this expertise. While not an engineering degree program per se, the new program is highly technical and requires several engineering courses. The curriculum will inculcate skills including analytical thinking, tool proficiency, and technical constraints awareness, as well as foster creativity. Dr. RojasMurillo was pleased to welcome the first students in the program this fall and looks forward to many more.
The engineering department also added a new faculty member in fall 2025. I am pleased to welcome Dr. Gozde Ustuner to the full-time engineering faculty. Dr. Ustuner has been teaching in the department as an adjunct faculty member since 2020 as she pursued her PhD in material science engineering from Stony Brook University, which she earned in 2024. In recent years, Dr. Ustuner has been very active in the department of engineering and DeMatteis School, working with students in the W-SPiCE program (Women’s Summer Program in Computing/Engineering) and supporting students in the Hofstra Chapter of the Society of Women Engineers, to name just two of many activities outside of the classroom. We look forward to Dr. Ustuner making even more of an impact on the engineering programs with her teaching, research, and service activities.
[DeMatteis School Fall 2025 Newsletter]