Research interests

Behavior is fundamental to working safely, well-being and living a healthy lifestyle, and it reflects integrated nervous system function.  Changes in behavior are sensitive indicators of nervous system dysfunction; psychological factors can interact with these dysfunctions. The lab's behavioral science research implements computer-based training based on behavioral education principles for safety or hazard prevention, skills acquisition, and applies that training in the development of interventions to improve or implement Total Worker Health^®, or workplace safety, health and well-being. In addition, our research detects and characterizes nervous system damage due to workplace and other exposures in populations of all ages using neurobehavioral and psychological testing methods. Our lab tested or trained thousands of workers effectively, in the US and in other countries.  What makes this unique is that each testing or taining has been built from the ground up to test/train workers with no computer experience or education, and our publications have demonstrated that capability in many different population samples, typically with testing or training in non-English languages, most often Spanish.  Immigrant workers make up a significant proportion of those trained and tested.  And each training publication reports positive participant survey results that they liked the training.  The lab's unique methods, current projects, and collaboration opportunities are described below. See W. Kent Anger, PhD for appointment, education and biosketch information. Information about my publications is available here.

Current projects

• Building a Safe, Healthy, and Respectful Workplace for Tradeswomen: A Total Worker Health Approach (Emily Huang, PI)
• Shift Onboard: Protecting New Bus Drivers Against Safety & Health Hazards (Ryan Olson, PI)
• Assimilate Evidence-based Interventions, Best Practices, and Current Resources on Health Care Worker Mental Health. Personal Services Contract/Subcontract PO 2021-0294 (Kent Anger, PI)

Collaboration

I provide mentoring support to Institute faculty (on request) and to external colleagues and students.