{"70846":{"#nid":"70846","#data":{"type":"news","title":"GTRI Names New Chief Scientist","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe new chief scientist at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) has an unusual technical background - engineering psychology. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022I have spent my career studying how people interact with and use technology - whether it\u0027s simple technology, like a telephone, or complicated technology, like a ship, aircraft or automobile,\u0022 said Dennis Folds. \u0022Since GTRI researchers frequently develop new technologies, I realize the importance of thinking about how people will use the technology from the beginning of the design process.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFolds earned his Ph.D. in engineering psychology from Georgia Tech in 1987 and he has more than twenty five years of experience in research and development related to human factors engineering. His unique academic background has provided him the opportunity to work with researchers in many of the GTRI laboratories.  \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAs chief scientist, he will meet with current and prospective customers and oversee GTRI\u0027s independent research and development (IRAD) program, which fosters exploration and accelerates entry into new research areas. Folds has several ideas for improving the program, including making it easier for researchers in different laboratories to collaborate on projects.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The IRAD program allows us to expand into hot areas like energy, the environment, biotechnology and sustainable development,\u0022 explained Folds, who recently succeeded Jeffrey Sitterle as chief scientist.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnother way he hopes to expand cross-laboratory collaboration is by creating \u0027communities of interest\u0027 around technical areas, such as high-performance computing or information security. The groups communicate online or hold weekly or monthly meetings to discuss developments in the field and possible IRAD projects.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAs chief scientist, Folds also plans to encourage collaboration with academic faculty at Georgia Tech and increase the number of scholarly publications authored by GTRI researchers. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022While our sponsored projects don\u0027t typically require publishing papers, I want to encourage researchers - especially the younger ones - to develop the skills required to write scholarly papers, such as journal articles and conference proceedings, and present their research at conferences,\u0022 he said.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to his new position as chief scientist, Folds will remain chief of GTRI\u0027s Human Systems Integration Division in the Electronic Systems Laboratory. In this position, he leads a variety of research efforts.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe goal of one major research program is to develop training and technical assistance related to the accessibility of electronic and information technology for individuals with disabilities. Folds\u0027 research team has examined the ability of persons with disabilities to use items such as photocopiers, ATMs, cell phones, televisions, printers and scanners.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Division is also the sole independent laboratory authorized to test products for the Ease of Use programs of the U.S. Arthritis Foundation, the Arthritis Society of Canada and Arthritis Australia. The researchers evaluate products based on an arthritis-specific set of accessibility guidelines, as well as user testing by people with arthritis. If a product passes rigorous testing and its manufacturer chooses to participate in the program, the company can use the Arthritis organization\u0027s logo in its advertisements and on its packaging.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAdditionally, Folds is currently involved in projects to determine the crew requirements for an unmanned aerial vehicle program, to create guidelines for how the military should design and build the next generation expeditionary medical treatment facilities, and to develop better ways to display sonar information.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESince he joined GTRI in 1983, Folds\u0027 favorite research project involved transforming a complex older aircraft, which required a three-person crew into a state-of-the-art system that could be successfully flown by a two-person crew. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We worked on this project with the Royal Australian Navy for 10 years, starting in 1997, and it was a lot of fun to redesign the cockpit of the Super Seasprite helicopter to fit Australia\u0027s requirements,\u0022 he said. \u0022GTRI has the perfect blend of technical know-how and practical understanding of how to make something work and work in a way that\u0027s affordable and supportable.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to his roles as chief scientist and division chief, Folds is also a teacher. He frequently leads a three-and-a-half day course on human systems integration. Demand for the course is high - just this year Folds has taught it seven times, with plans to teach it at least three more times before the end of the year.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFolds earned a bachelor\u0027s degree in psychology and master\u0027s degree in applied psychology from Jacksonville State University. He lives in Carrollton, Georgia with his wife, Renita, and daughters Ria, 17, and Caroline, 16. He also has twin daughters, Jessica and Elizabeth, age 20, who are attending college. Folds\u0027 hobbies include vegetable and flower gardening on the 130 acres of property he owns in Carrollton, and playing brass and keyboard instruments. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022It is striking to me how much I enjoy doing what I do at GTRI. I get to do something different every day and I\u0027m constantly learning - I love that,\u0022 added Folds.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 100\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\n\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMedia Relations Contacts: Abby Vogel (404-385-3364); E-mail: (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:avogel@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eavogel@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or Kirk Englehardt (404-407-7280); E-mail: (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:kirk.englehardt@gtri.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ekirk.englehardt@gtri.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or John Toon (404-894-6986); E-mail: (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E)\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETechnical Contact:\u003C\/strong\u003E Dennis Folds (404-407-7262); E-mail: (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:dennis.folds@gtri.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Edennis.folds@gtri.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E)\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Vogel\n\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Dennis Folds brings his background in human-machine interaction to position"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"Dennis Folds, who earned his Ph.D. in engineering psychology from Georgia Tech in 1987, was recently named GTRI chief scientist. As chief scientist, he will meet with current and prospective customers and oversee GTRI\u0027s independent R\u0026amp;D program.","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Dennis Folds Named GTRI Chief Scientist"}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2008-10-31 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:03:19","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2008-10-31T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2008-10-31T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"70847":{"id":"70847","type":"image","title":"Dennis Folds","body":null,"created":"1449177314","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:15:14","changed":"1475894623","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:43"},"70848":{"id":"70848","type":"image","title":"Accessibility","body":null,"created":"1449177328","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:15:28","changed":"1475894623","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:43"},"70849":{"id":"70849","type":"image","title":"Seasprite","body":null,"created":"1449177328","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:15:28","changed":"1475894623","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:43"}},"media_ids":["70847","70848","70849"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.gtri.gatech.edu\/","title":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"360","name":"accessibility"},{"id":"2097","name":"arthritis"},{"id":"7138","name":"chief"},{"id":"3821","name":"dennis"},{"id":"351","name":"development"},{"id":"4186","name":"electronic"},{"id":"7137","name":"Folds"},{"id":"342","name":"Georgia"},{"id":"416","name":"GTRI"},{"id":"7142","name":"human factors"},{"id":"7140","name":"independent"},{"id":"1499","name":"Institute"},{"id":"5748","name":"Integration"},{"id":"7141","name":"IRAD"},{"id":"1328","name":"laboratory"},{"id":"3983","name":"program"},{"id":"365","name":"Research"},{"id":"167562","name":"scientist"},{"id":"167243","name":"systems"},{"id":"1037","name":"tech"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=avogel6\u0022\u003EContact Abby Robinson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3364\u003C\/strong\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["abby@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}