Dr Simon Hodder is a chartered ergonomist with over 25 years academic and industrial research experience gained from conducting wide variety ergonomics and human factors studies; thermal environments, the built environment, personal protective equipment, transportation (vehicle comfort), virtual reality systems, workplace & equipment design and evaluation. He is also heavily involved in standardisation.
Areas of research; clothing science, thermal physiology, clothing comfort, thermal perception and human performance in the heat. Particularly focussed in the area of thermal and clothing comfort; haptic perception of clothing and performance. Impact of age and ethnicity in thermal comfort and thermal sensitivity. A focus on the role of ageing and ethnicity on thermal responses.
Research projects undertaken with Nissan, Dstl (Defence Science and Technology Laboratory), Komatsu and ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers).
- Contribute to the Ergonomics and Design Programmes across the school
- DSB301 - Shaping Materials for Products, Experiences, & Environments
- DCS027 - IDMP Industrial Design Major Project
- DSP101 - Cognitive Ergonomics
- DSP104 - Environmental Ergonomics
- DSP105 - Occupational Ergonomics
International Standardization - Chair of ISO/TC159/Scientific Committee 5 (Ergonomics of the Physical Environment) responsible for leading the strategic development of standards in area of environmental ergonomics.
Member of ISO/TC159/SC5/WG1 ‘Thermal Environments’ the foremost working group for application of thermal ergonomics research to standardisation. UK expert for ‘Integrated Environments’ ISO/TC159/SC5/WG4. Chair of CEN TC 122 WG11 Ergonomics of the Physical Environment.
Editor for the journal Ergonomics.
Areas of PhD research include, environmental ergonomics, thermal comfort, heatwave cooling strategies, clothing comfort, performance in the heat.
Recent PhD student topics:
- Thermal perception and ethnicity
- Thermoregulatory responses and ageing
- Physiological and perceptual responses of the foot
- Psychophysiological stress and performance in extreme environments
- Thermal Strain During Exercise In The Heat