Nathan Lau

Dr. Nathan Lau is an Associate Professor in the Grado Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering and Faculty of Health Sciences at Virginia Tech. He holds dual appointments since 2020. Previously, he served as Assistant Professor in both departments from 2014-2020. His research focuses on cognitive engineering, human factors in complex systems, and cybersecurity interface design. Key projects include developing distraction alert systems, nuclear process control human-in-the-loop studies, and AI-driven medical training tools.

Education: Ph.D. and B.A.Sc. in Industrial Engineering from University of Toronto. Professional experience includes roles at University of Virginia, NuScale Power, and postdoctoral work in Toronto.

Research interests span human-Autonomy Teaming, medical device usability, and situation awareness metrics. He founded the Systems Cognition Engineering Laboratory (SCEL), advancing human-centered design principles. Current projects involve NSF-funded work on ACLS error reduction via AI collaboration and IARPA cybersecurity initiatives.

Teaching includes ISE 5604 (Human Information Processing) and ISE 4644 (Occupational Safety). He has over 100 publications in human factors, ergonomics, and medical systems. Active in professional service roles for HFES, ACM, and IEEE.