Barry Kantowitz

Barry H. Kantowitz, Ph.D., professor of industrial and operations engineering in the College of Engineering, professor of psychology in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, and research professor in the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), retired from active faculty status on August 31, 2012.

Professor Kantowitz received his B.A. degree from The City College of New York, CUNY in 1965, his M.A.  degree from Queens College, CUNY in 1967, and his Ph.D. degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1969. He joined the Purdue University faculty as an assistant professor in 1969, and was promoted to associate professor in 1972, and professor in 1979.
He served as chief scientist in the Human Factors and Organizational Effectiveness Research Center at the Battelle Memorial Institute (1987-93), and as the human factors scientific advisor to the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (1991-99). He was director of the Battelle Human Factors Transportation Center from 1993-95 and chief scientist from 1993-99. He joined the University of Michigan faculty in 1999 as professor of industrial and operations engineering, director of UMTRI, and senior research scientist (now research professor) at UMTRI. He was appointed professor of psychology in 2000, and served as director of UMTRI until 2004.

Professor Kantowitz's research focused on human attention and information processing. His basic research contributions have emphasized the importance of information theory and response processes in the psychological refractory period and in a hybrid model of timesharing. His applied ergonomic research has improved safety and efficiency in aviation, nuclear power, and intelligent surface transportation systems; he led several multi-million dollar projects that improved operator interfaces. He is the author of over 100 papers in peer-reviewed journals, more than two-dozen books, and eighteen book chapters.

The Regents now salute this distinguished faculty member for his dedicated service by naming Barry H. Kantowitz professor emeritus of industrial and operations engineering, professor emeritus of psychology, and research professor emeritus.