Get to Know ORI
Learn about what makes us stand out with over 40 years of dedication in the field of ergonomics. |
Contents
Purpose + Mission
Oxford Research Institute is an inter-disciplinary technical ergonomic certification and accreditation organization formed to facilitate, and foster, inter-disciplinary applications of Ergonomics and Human Factors Engineering to improve human safety and system performance. Our goal is to elevate the acceptance of ergonomics and Human Factors Engineering methods, data, technology and persons who practice this profession.
The global mission of The Oxford Research Institute is to foster excellence in ergonomics through design. This mission is partially achieved through the execution of inter-disciplinary technical certification and accreditation programs which focus on establishing ergonomics design criteria and requirements to assure technical excellence of certificate holders. This also includes University accreditation, training and education of academic and commercial organizations, and the publication of journal articles, books and other mechanisms to enhance the ergonomic design of products, tools, facilities, equipment, tasks, procedures, training and management systems.
Grants or direct contracts with commercial institutions may fund some of our programmatic work. The certified professionals typically provide the focus of the institute. Any certified member may suggest or propose a thrust area activity. Each proposal is prepared and reviewed by the Board of Directors. For an approved proposal, internal funding may be made available to formalize the ergonomic safety proposal and identify an external-funding base. The member responsible for suggesting the proposal idea is appointed chairman of the technical committee and is then responsible for executing the program.
From time to time, The Oxford Research Institute provides "Awards for Excellence" to select individuals or organizations which achieve exemplary performance levels congruent with the Institute's goals of excellence.
As of July 2007, ORI has certified several hundred Industrial Ergonomists and/or Human Factors Engineers. In addition, ORI has accredited several major University HFE/Ergonomics programs.
The global mission of The Oxford Research Institute is to foster excellence in ergonomics through design. This mission is partially achieved through the execution of inter-disciplinary technical certification and accreditation programs which focus on establishing ergonomics design criteria and requirements to assure technical excellence of certificate holders. This also includes University accreditation, training and education of academic and commercial organizations, and the publication of journal articles, books and other mechanisms to enhance the ergonomic design of products, tools, facilities, equipment, tasks, procedures, training and management systems.
Grants or direct contracts with commercial institutions may fund some of our programmatic work. The certified professionals typically provide the focus of the institute. Any certified member may suggest or propose a thrust area activity. Each proposal is prepared and reviewed by the Board of Directors. For an approved proposal, internal funding may be made available to formalize the ergonomic safety proposal and identify an external-funding base. The member responsible for suggesting the proposal idea is appointed chairman of the technical committee and is then responsible for executing the program.
From time to time, The Oxford Research Institute provides "Awards for Excellence" to select individuals or organizations which achieve exemplary performance levels congruent with the Institute's goals of excellence.
As of July 2007, ORI has certified several hundred Industrial Ergonomists and/or Human Factors Engineers. In addition, ORI has accredited several major University HFE/Ergonomics programs.
History of ORI
The Oxford Research Institute was originally founded in 1977 by a group of research scientists and engineers concerned with the general decline and empathy of American business and physical sciences posture toward ergonomics and Human Factors Engineering. The founders of the institute concluded that one of the problems within our scientific and business community is the lack of integrated multidisciplinary cooperation among scientists of different ergonomic disciplines, and a general failure to adequately transfer technology and methods both within and beyond the scientific community. As a result of this finding, the Institute was formed and structured to execute an Ergonomics / Human Factors Engineering accreditation program for Universities and Colleges and encourage a multidisciplinary technical transfer of ergonomic information and research into business, engineering sciences, and industry.
The original founding directors of ORI were Dr. Richard D. Doolittle, Captain Vernon Anderson USN (Ret.) and CEO of Undersea Research Corporation, and William W. Banks. The First President of the Oxford Research Institute was Dr. Richard Doolittle, followed in order by Mr. Stephen Hunter of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and later, William W. Banks, serving as executive director representing the discipline of Human Factors Engineering.
In 1993, a reorganization of ORI took place to refocus toward the certification of Ergonomist and human factors engineers. Members of the Board felt that offering a certificate (certification process) to practicing professionals might help promote and define the profession and give both recognition and higher visibility to professionals working in the field. During FY 94, the Review Board of Directors included: Dr. Harold Van Cott, CHFEP; Mr. Smoke Price, CHFEP; Dr. Larry Potash, CHFEP, Dr. Robert Waters, CIE; Dr. Harold Booher, CHFEP; Dr. John Weimer, CHFEP; Ms. Barbara Merrill, CIE, William W. Banks, CIE, and Ms. Lynn Gordon (advisor).
The best measure of the qualifications and competence of professional persons in most technical fields is that obtained by the judgment of peers in that particular field and the quality of technical products produced by the professional. Given this and the need for evidence of qualification in Ergonomics/Human Factors, the Oxford Research Institute has established a process for certification based upon a controlled peer-review process. This process was formally instituted in 1993 with the selection of a review committee appointed by the Institute. Oxford Research Institute is committed to performing this service on a "cost" basis with the use of a volunteer director.
The 1998 review board of directors nominated or added for 1998 included Dr. Abbas Moellum, CIE, Dr. David Gold Sheyder, CIE of NYU, Professor Emeritus (Dr. Harold VanCott retired from his Review Board position in 1996.
In January of 2000, Oxford Research Institute was corporately transformed into a non-profit ergonomics safety corporation within the State of Maryland.
The original founding directors of ORI were Dr. Richard D. Doolittle, Captain Vernon Anderson USN (Ret.) and CEO of Undersea Research Corporation, and William W. Banks. The First President of the Oxford Research Institute was Dr. Richard Doolittle, followed in order by Mr. Stephen Hunter of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and later, William W. Banks, serving as executive director representing the discipline of Human Factors Engineering.
In 1993, a reorganization of ORI took place to refocus toward the certification of Ergonomist and human factors engineers. Members of the Board felt that offering a certificate (certification process) to practicing professionals might help promote and define the profession and give both recognition and higher visibility to professionals working in the field. During FY 94, the Review Board of Directors included: Dr. Harold Van Cott, CHFEP; Mr. Smoke Price, CHFEP; Dr. Larry Potash, CHFEP, Dr. Robert Waters, CIE; Dr. Harold Booher, CHFEP; Dr. John Weimer, CHFEP; Ms. Barbara Merrill, CIE, William W. Banks, CIE, and Ms. Lynn Gordon (advisor).
The best measure of the qualifications and competence of professional persons in most technical fields is that obtained by the judgment of peers in that particular field and the quality of technical products produced by the professional. Given this and the need for evidence of qualification in Ergonomics/Human Factors, the Oxford Research Institute has established a process for certification based upon a controlled peer-review process. This process was formally instituted in 1993 with the selection of a review committee appointed by the Institute. Oxford Research Institute is committed to performing this service on a "cost" basis with the use of a volunteer director.
The 1998 review board of directors nominated or added for 1998 included Dr. Abbas Moellum, CIE, Dr. David Gold Sheyder, CIE of NYU, Professor Emeritus (Dr. Harold VanCott retired from his Review Board position in 1996.
In January of 2000, Oxford Research Institute was corporately transformed into a non-profit ergonomics safety corporation within the State of Maryland.
ORI Organization
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Executive Team
Tony Ladran, President Rhonda Carney, Senior Vice-President Dr. Arthur Beare, Vice-President Joanna Gross, Treasurer and Finance |
Board of Directors
Chairman William Banks |
Board Members
Dr. Arthur Beare Rhonda Carney Dr. Tyler Kress Tony Ladran |
