BOONE, N.C. — A four-year pilot study conducted by two professors in Appalachian State University’s Dr. Wiley F. Smith Department of Psychology, in collaboration with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), may lead to new strategies to keep workers safe in the workplace.
The project, titled “Development and Demonstrations of Data Analytics Strategies for Evaluating Organizational Safety Performance,” explores how to keep workers safe by examining the use of Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) data in analytics, which could allow employers to make more informed, evidence-based decisions regarding their employees’ health and safety.
NIOSH awarded psychology professor Dr. Shawn Bergman $37,000 in funding for the study, and Bergman is collaborating with colleague Dr. Tim Ludwig on the project. This funding covers the first year of the study, from Aug. 1, 2018, to July 3.
Bergman and Ludwig are both faculty members in Appalachian’s Industrial-Organizational Psychology and Human Resource Management (IOHRM) program, which is an interdisciplinary Master of Arts degree offered by Appalachian’s Department of Psychology and Department of Management, housed in the Walker College of Business, to prepare professionals for work in business, industry and government.
Bergman said this pilot project is the first formal attempt by safety researchers to implement and document a planned and strategic application of data mining and analytics techniques for HSE data at the company level.
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About the Dr. Wiley F. Smith Department of Psychology
Appalachian State University’s Dr. Wiley F. Smith Department of Psychology serves more than 1,400 undergraduate majors seeking the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree in psychology, as well as 90 graduate students across four graduate programs: experimental psychology (MA), industrial-organizational psychology and human resource management (MA), school psychology (MA/SSP) and clinical psychology (PsyD). Learn more at https://psych.appstate.edu.
About the College of Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) at Appalachian State University is home to 17 academic departments, two centers and one residential college. These units span the humanities and the social, mathematical and natural sciences. CAS aims to develop a distinctive identity built upon our university's strengths, traditions and locations. The college’s values lie not only in service to the university and local community, but through inspiring, training, educating and sustaining the development of its students as global citizens. More than 6,800 student majors are enrolled in the college. As the college is also largely responsible for implementing App State’s general education curriculum, it is heavily involved in the education of all students at the university, including those pursuing majors in other colleges. Learn more at https://cas.appstate.edu.
About the Department of Management
The Department of Management offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs to prepare students for managerial responsibilities in today’s dynamic environment. Learn more at https://management.appstate.edu.
About the Walker College of Business
The Walker College of Business at Appalachian State University delivers transformational educational experiences that prepare and inspire students to be ethical, innovative and engaged business leaders who positively impact their communities, both locally and globally. The college places emphasis on international experiences, sustainable business practices, entrepreneurial programs and real-world applications with industry. Enrolling nearly 5,000 students, including more than 4,500 undergraduates across 11 majors, the Walker College of Business has the highest full-time undergraduate enrollment in the University of North Carolina System. App State’s Walker College is accredited by AACSB International — the premier global accrediting body for business schools. Learn more at https://business.appstate.edu.
About Appalachian State University
As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.
