Designing a Sustainable Future
Welcome
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Welcome from the Congress Chair
Prof. Marcelo Soares
The 18th World Congress on Ergonomics will be held February 12-16, 2012, in Recife, Brazil, a week before Carnival, the world-renowned Brazilian festival. The congress will be a joint conference with ULAERGO – the Union of Latin-American Ergonomics Societies and ABERGO – the Brazilian Ergonomics Association. ABERGO is the official host of the Congress and I have been delegated by them to Chair the Congress Committee.
This will be the first time in 54 years that the IEA Congress will be hosted in Latin America. We are very excited that this special event will take place in Brazil. We invite all ergonomists, faculty and interested researchers to participate in the congress.
The congress theme of “Designing a Sustainable Future”, expresses a current concern with the design of resources which aim to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present but also in the future. As a discipline which is involved in the designing of the interactions among humans and other elements of a system, ergonomics must consider “sustainability” as a key aspect in optimizing resources to improve human well-being and overall system performance. So, one of the major challenges in the field of ergonomics for the 21st Century will be the design and management of systems that satisfy custom demands in terms of the requirements for human compatibility and at the same time consider sustainability.
We invite you to share your knowledge and experiences in ergonomics in the discussions of the role of our discipline in designing a sustainable future. Your participation may take one of several formats; such as:
• traditional keynotes and oral presentations,
• interactive sessions,
• hands-on workshops,
• technical visits, and/or
• interactive poster sessions.
IEA2012 is going to be a major event. You will meet ergonomists and representatives from business and services from all over the world. We expect to welcome at least 2,000 people, of which many will be active as presenters of a paper, a poster or as a workshop conveners. Almost all sessions will be in English, so despite the diversity in mother languages, interaction will be easy.
Last, but not least, we invite you to get to know Recife, the neighboring colonial city of Olinda, and to sample Brazilian Carnival. This festival has a mix of African, Native Indian, and European elements which produces rhythms, ways of taking part, and costumes that are unique in the world. This is a real multi-cultural festival. We invite you to watch and cheer groups parading through the streets of Recife and Olinda.
We are sure that you will benefit from this rare opportunity to participate in the high quality scientific program that IEA 2012 will offer while enjoying the tropical charm and vibrancy of Recife and Olinda, two destinations of exceptional touristic, gastronomic, and cultural appeal for tourists and visitors. This will be an experience to remember forever!
Welcome to the IEA 2012!
Marcelo Soares
Congress Chair
Welcome from the President of IEA
Prof. Andrew S. Imada
We want to invite and welcome you to become a part of the historic IEA 18th Triennial Congress in Brazil. For more than 50 years, the IEA has brought together the largest collection of ergonomists from around the world every three years. Nowhere else will you find more professionals with similar concerns, methods and interests to match yours. You will have the opportunity to hear and meet the world leaders in our field, editors of our prestigious journals, publishers of our most widely read journals and books, and vendors of innovative ergonomic products. I have personally found this to be the best networking event. You will likely meet new people doing research similar your own, expand your horizons and start lifelong professional relationships.
The theme of this world congress – designing a sustainable future – represents an important shift in our universal consciousness. For years, we have helped people and organizations achieve their goals more efficiently, safely, economically, and comfortably. Our work has helped preserve human well-being, conserve energy expenditure and integrate people with the systems with which they interact. We can extend this approach to our environment, natural resources and organizations over time. We have the capacity to design products, systems and environments for adaptable human use over time so that future generations can enjoy the same benefits. The new realities of our global economies and interdependencies in a world with limited resources demand this of us.
The fact that this is the first IEA Congress to be held in South America also signals an important shift. We thank the Union of Latin-American Ergonomics Societies (ULAERGO) and the Brazilian Ergonomics Association (ABERGO) for their able leadership and willingness to take on this enormous challenge. Professor Marcelo Soares is leading an experienced Organizing Committee that has planned an outstanding experience for our worldwide ergonomics family.
One of the benefits of this advanced planning is the chance to experience the beauty of Recife, it surrounding communities and the rest of Brazil. However, the truly unique treat for all of us is to experience the Brazilian Carnival. With proper and advanced planning we will be able to enjoy this event while fulfilling our professional mission. I encourage you to extend your visit with your family and friends to celebrate in a Brazilian tradition.
We look forward to seeing you in Recife because it will not be the same without you!
All the best,
Andrew S. Imada
IEA President
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