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Andrea Macedo Salas

@andreamacedosalas

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Human factors researcher applying user-centered design to healthcare and safety-critical systems.

United States

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What I'm looking for

I seek roles where I can apply human factors research and usability methods to improve safety-critical healthcare products, collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, and translate data into actionable design and policy improvements.

I am a Human Factors and Applied Cognition Ph.D. student focused on applying user-centered design and experimental methods to improve safety-critical systems in healthcare and other high-stakes settings.

As a graduate researcher at the LACE Lab, I design and run AR and usability experiments, perform task analyses, and collaborate with software specialists to create immersive scenarios that support cognition and reduce workload.

I have interned in hospital patient safety and human factors roles, leading workflow optimization, safety usability testing, and wireframe/prototype evaluations; I synthesize quantitative and qualitative data (R, SPSS, SAS) into actionable recommendations.

I communicate findings to cross-functional teams and stakeholders, publish academic work, and bring bilingual (English/Spanish) capabilities to drive inclusive research and design outcomes.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Graduate Researcher

Current

LACE Lab

Aug 2021 - Present (4 years 6 months)

Design and run experimental AR studies to evaluate cognitive aid performance and reduce workload in high-stakes healthcare tasks, synthesizing qualitative and quantitative findings into actionable insights for research teams and publications.

Augmented Reality Experimental Design Task Analysis Usability Testing Survey Design

Human Factors Intern

Children's Hospital Colorado

May 2024 - Aug 2024 (3 months)

Acted as human factors expert on cross-functional teams to optimize hospital workflows and product designs, identifying risks and recommending usability improvements through walk-throughs and structured assessments.

Workflow Assessment Usability Testing Task Analysis User Research Qualitative Synthesis

Human Factors Research Intern

User View

Oct 2023 - Feb 2024 (4 months)

Led safety usability testing and coordinated participant recruitment, documenting findings and delivering concise summaries to inform iterative design and safety improvements.

Usability Testing Documentation Cross Functional Collaboration Microsoft Office

Research and Design Intern

LeanGeeks

Apr 2022 - May 2023 (1 year 1 month)

Co-led usability testing for product prototypes and converted mobile diary study data into strategic design recommendations, guiding product enhancements and client decision-making.

Usability Testing Diary Study Analysis Wireframing Prototyping User Research Cross Functional Collaboration Presentation

Researcher

Ascend

Aug 2021 - Dec 2021 (4 months)

Directed redesign of a nonprofit website and email interfaces using heuristic evaluations and task analyses, conducting usability tests and delivering prioritized prototypes to improve donor engagement.

Usability Testing Task Analysis Prototyping Recommendations Accessibility

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

North Carolina State University

Doctor of Philosophy, Human Factors and Applied Cognition

Activities and societies: Graduate researcher at LACE Lab; advisor Dr. Anne C. McLaughlin; research on augmented reality, diabetic retinopathy screening, and cognitive ergonomics.

Ph.D. student in Human Factors and Applied Cognition conducting experimental AR studies and usability research focused on healthcare applications; expected graduation May 2025.

Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana

Bachelor Degree, Psychology

Activities and societies: Human factors internship experience in hospital workflow and user experience optimization; usability testing and task analysis.

Bachelor degree in Psychology with a focus on human factors and hospital workflow optimization through usability testing and risk assessment.