Posted on 7th Oct 2011 @ 2:37 PM

Ergonomics is one of the fastest-growing fields in the U.S. As companies become more aware of how ergonomics can impact productivity and health care costs, the people who are knowledgeable in ergonomics and related fields are becoming more in demand. In fact, some of them are even considered “celebrities.”

Here are five of those "celebrity" ergonomic professionals. We’re sure we'll continue to hear these names in the months and years to come. 

Alan Hodge.

A professor in the Department of Design and Environmental Analysis at Cornell University, Dr. Hodge was the 2003 recipient of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society's Alexander J. Williams Jr. Design Award. He is the director of the Human Factors and Ergonomics research and teaching programs at Cornell. Dr. Hodge has published 34 chapters and 180 journal articles on ergonomics, and has co-authored a book entitled Healthy Buildings.

Michael Maddox.

Dr. Maddox is the founder of Sisyphus Associates, a consultancy firm which specializes in human factors and behavior. He has a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering/Human Factors from Virginia Tech University and is a Human Factors columnist for Industrial Engineer magazine. Dr. Maddox's areas of expertise include workplace ergonomics, effects of fatigue and stress, and human error.

Pamela McCauley-Bush.

You could say that Dr. McCauley-Bush wrote the book on ergonomics, because she has authored a textbook on that very subject (as well as 60 other technical papers). She serves on the faculty of both the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Central Florida. Dr. McCauley-Bush is a nationally-recognized expert in the fields of ergonomics, human factors, and biomechanics.

Barry H. Beith.

Dr. Beith is a past president of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and is also a member of the United Kingdom's Ergonomics Society. He founded HumanCentric with the mission of having a positive impact on the human side of technology. A professor at North Carolina State University, Dr. Beith has been an authority in the fields of human factors, design, and evaluation for over three decades.

Anthony Andre.

Arguably the next "shooting star" in the ergonomics genre, Dr. Andre is the founder of Interface Analysis Associates, a consulting firm which assists clients with their human factors, usability, and ergonomics issues. He is the current president of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, as well as a professor at San Jose State University. Dr. Andre has authored over 100 publications on topics ranging from ergonomics and human factors to office environments and usability testing of computer software.

Since television has managed to make superstars out of chefs, clothing designers, and homebuilders, it's not out of the question that we may soon see a reality TV show about ergonomics. Like maybe "Project Office" or "Ergonomics Apprentice" or "The Human X Factor." If this happens, you can bet that these five individuals will be at the top of producers' lists for celebrity judges.