While our annual networking trip was packed with professional insights, we also made time to enjoy everything Austin has to offer! From strolling through museums and catching a stunning sunset by the water, to chatting for local BBQ and eating ice cream in the park, the trip was just as much about bonding as it was about building our careers!

This week, our chapter traveled to Austin for our annual networking trip, where we toured companies with strong human factors and UX ties. We had the privilege of visiting the offices of Indeed and Oracle, where we got a behind-the-scenes look at how UX research and design shape real-world products. 

At Indeed, we learned about their in-house and virtual UX research methods, explored their observation room used to study user behavior, and saw firsthand how user-centered design contributes to the company's mission. 

At Oracle, we received a full office tour and participated in engaging seminar sessions with their UX researchers, designers, and creative writers. We came away with a deeper understanding of interdisciplinary collaboration and the realities of working in UX at an enterprise level. 

A huge thank you to the teams at Indeed and Oracle for being such generous hosts during our visit. We're incredibly grateful for the chance to learn from your work and explore the many ways human factors shapes real-world innovation!

To unwind and connect outside of class, HFES members headed to Two Docs Brewing Co. for their weekly Monday night trivia! Members got together as a team, put their random knowledge to the test, and had a great time!

This week we welcomed TTU alumna Dr. Eevin Jennings for an in-person seminar on transitioning from academia to industry. Dr. Jennings shared practical advice for navigating career changes and finding success beyond one's academic career!

This week, several of our members attended the HFES Southern Regional Meeting, where we had the chance to connect with other students and faculty from universities across Texas and showcase our own studies. Special shout-out to Sahar, Abby, Bridget, and Tom for representing Texas Tech in the poster session and sharing their exciting research to the broader HFES community!

This week our chapter had the wonderful opportunity to volunteer with Family Promise of Lubbock, supporting their Monday Night Child Care program. While parents participated in a community-building session, HFES members and other volunteers helped lead fun, engaging activities for the children. It was a meaningful way to give back to the local community and connect with families through play and conversation!

This week we had the pleasure of hearing from Lauren Buck, a human factors engineer at Boeing. Lauren shared her experiences in both commercial and defense aircraft programs, and discussed her journey from undergrad to working in the aerospace field. Her insights were incredibly valuable for students exploring careers in human factors engineering and aviation! Thanks Lauren!

This week we helped host our annual Visit Day activities, where we welcomed prospective graduate students interested in Human Factors at Texas Tech. Guests toured our labs, met with faculty, and got an inside look at the innovative research being conducted in our program. The day wrapped up with an evening social, where current and prospective students connected in a more casual setting to share experiences, answer questions, and get to know each other! 

We kicked off the spring semester with our first general body meeting in January! Members gathered to learn about upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and how to get more involved with the chapter. It was a great way to reconnect after the break and start the new semester strong!

To close out 2024, we hosted a cultural potluck celebrating the incredible diversity within our chapter. Despite the busy finals season, those who attended brought homemade dishes and traditions to share, creating a cozy and tasty evening. 

We hosted our final general body meeting of 2024 where members shared their ideas for next semester's events and activities. We also welcomed our newest members with our custom TTU HFES merch, and celebrated with group photos of our growing chapter. It was a great way to reflect on a successful semester and get excited for what's ahead!

This week we welcomed Stephanie Do, UX Researcher at Key Lime Interactive, for an inspiring webinar on inclusive design, accessibility, and work-life balance in the UX world. Stephanie shared her journey from academia to industry and offered advice on building a meaningful career. 

A few of our members had a great time volunteering at the Lubbock ISD STEM Challenge, where over 300 middle school students spent the day tackling hands-on engineering problems. It was a rewarding opportunity to encourage young minds in STEM and give back to the local community. 

At this year's Texas Tech Family STEM Night, our chapter hosted a hands-on booth to introduce K-12 students and their families to the world of human factors and ergonomics. Kids completed an interactive worksheet on ergonomic design and got the chance to use an augmented reality headset. It was an exciting evening filled with curiosity, creativity, and plenty of future human factors enthusiasts!

To celebrate the spooky season, our members gathered at Urbanovsky Park for an afternoon of pumpkin carving and painting! It was a great way to unwind, get creative, and connect with fellow HFES members outside of class.

We welcomed Matthew Marino, owner of Prime Performance and Evolving Innovation, for a webinar session on injury prevention, ergonomic consulting, and wearable tech! Matthew shared his unique perspective as both a physical therapist and a professional ergonomics, discussing his work on exoskeleton standards and innovation in other assistive technologies. This was a great opportunity to learn more about the intersection of human performance and applied ergonomics!

This week, several of our members traveled to Phoenix to attend the annual HFES ASPIRE conference. We had the chance to explore cutting-edge research from other universities and companies, connect with Texas Tech alumni now working in the field, and proudly accept our chapter's 16th consecutive Gold Status Certificate. From riding in self-driving cars to interviewing for internships, the trip was both educational and fun! 

In addition to attending the ASPIRE conference in Phoenix, several of our members proudly represented their labs by presenting their research during the student poster session. From exoskeletons to automated driving to virtual reality, our presenters showcased the quality of work being done at Texas Tech. Some even had their research published in the official HFES proceedings. We're proud of them all!

We kicked off the semester with our first general body meeting of the 2024-25 school year today with new and returning members gathered to learn more about our chapter's mission, upcoming events, and how to get involved!

The chapter had the pleasure of hosting Bradley Weaver for our monthly webinar session! Bradley shared valuable insights from his career in healthcare human factors and answered questions from attendees. We're grateful for his time and expertise!