Priyadarshini R. Pennathur

People do not make decisions in isolation; they decide within systems that can either support or burden them.

Priyadarshini R. Pennathur, PhD

I am an Associate Professor in Industrial, Manufacturing and Systems Engineering at the University of Texas at El Paso since Jan 2023. From 2012-2022, I was a faculty in Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Iowa. Prior to my work at the University of Iowa, I was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality at Johns Hopkins University. I received my PhD in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo. My BS and MS degree is in Computer Science from the University of Madras, India.

My research examines how people manage information, and navigate and make decisions within complex socio-technical environments, and how the design of these environments can better support usability and accessibility. I study the interactions between people, information, technology, and systems across diverse contexts—from accessibility and decision-making to community-based work, workforce technologies, and human–AI collaboration. Using an interdisciplinary approach that integrates human factors engineering, design thinking, qualitative inquiry, and systems thinking, I identify structural and experiential barriers and co-create solutions that reduce burden, enhance independence, and improve overall experience. Through our PIC-HFE group (Physical, Information & Cognitive Engineering) research group, we advance a vision of human-centered systems that adapt to people’s needs and enable all individuals to thrive in their environments.

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Vision Statement

I envision a world where every person—regardless of ability, resources, background, or circumstance—can navigate their environments, make informed decisions, and engage fully with technology and society. My work is driven by a belief that the systems around us should adapt to people, not the other way around. I strive to create a future where design equity, accessibility, and human dignity are embedded into the foundations of our socio-technical world.

Through research, teaching, and collaboration, I aim to reshape the way we build systems: shifting from designs that assume an ideal user to designs that embrace human variability; from interfaces that demand effort to systems that offer support; from fragmented solutions to holistic environments that reduce burden, empower choice, and enhance independence.

My vision is to help create socio-technical ecosystems that are intelligent, responsive, usable and profoundly human, enabling everyone to thrive—not despite complexity, but because the systems around them are designed with care, context, and compassion.

Research Values

Excellence with Purpose

We pursue excellence not as an abstract ideal, but as a responsibility. Our research strives for the highest standards of rigor, originality, and relevance—pushing boundaries while producing work that meaningfully advances human factors engineering and improves the systems people rely on.

Integrity in Scientific Discovery

We value curiosity, transparency, and respect for the scientific process. Our work is grounded in methodological rigor, thoughtful inquiry, and ethical practice. We prioritize depth over speed and credibility over convenience, recognizing that lasting contributions require care, reflection, and honesty.

Responsibility to Society

Our research is guided by a deep commitment to societal impact. We aim to design systems that reduce burden, promote equity, and enhance human dignity. We approach communities and collaborators with humility, empathy, and respect, ensuring that our work is responsive to real needs and lived experiences.

Learning, Reflection, and Adaptation

We view research as an evolving process rather than a fixed destination. We embrace learning through iteration, reflection, and adaptation—continually refining our thinking as systems, technologies, and contexts change.

Interdisciplinary and Collaborative Engagement

Complex challenges demand perspectives that cross disciplinary boundaries. We actively collaborate across engineering, design, social sciences, and applied domains, valuing diverse expertise and ways of knowing to develop holistic, innovative, and socially grounded solutions.

“Whatever you do, strive to do it so well that no human living and no human dead and no human yet to be born could do it any better.” ― Benjamin Elijah Mays