UB - University at Buffalo, The State University of New York

Clive D'Souza earned his B.E. in mechanical engineering in Goa, India, before coming to UB for an M.S. in mechanical engineering. He decided to pursue a Ph.D. in ISE while working on a multidisciplinary research project involving the ME, ISE, and architecture departments. He credits the ISE faculty with helping him to realize that his interests intersected well with human factors engineering. "The human component is more fascinating to me than pure technology," he says. "There's a strong emphasis on the human in the system. In other disciplines the human is often left out because it's just too difficult to consider. Here we treat that human element like a science."

Clive likes the department because students get the opportunity to work on a broad range of projects. "The faculty plays an important role," he observes, in "guiding you into the research area that suits you." He cites as one of the department's assets its "strong balance between cognitive and physical ergonomics." The size of the department is an important factor in its success: "everyone knows each other here; it's very close-knit. I think that not only adds to the academic experience, but it really maximizes your time. You really become colleagues because there's interaction on so many different levels, with students and faculty."

"My program has almost been customized for me," says Clive. There are so many options---TAships, GAships, research groups, courses in outside departments, that, he says, "I've had so much input in the kind of education I've gotten. You can do things your way here." Clive wants to continue doing research after he gets his degree, either in industry or in academia.