History
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 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 in order to refocus toward the certification of Ergonomist and human factors engineers. Members of the Board felt that by offering a certificate (certification process) to practicing professionals, that this 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 Jan, 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 in order to refocus toward the certification of Ergonomist and human factors engineers. Members of the Board felt that by offering a certificate (certification process) to practicing professionals, that this 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 Jan, 2000, Oxford Research Institute was corporately transformed into a non-profit ergonomics safety corporation within the State of Maryland.
