Samantha Smith

Samantha Smith is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology and Human Factors at Michigan Technological University (MTU), affiliated with the Institute of Computing and Cybersystems (ICC). Her professional background includes a PhD in Psychology (2017) from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, followed by an NRC Postdoctoral Associate position in the Human Performance Wing’s Applied Neuroscience Branch at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Science and Tech Fellowship Program (2017–2019).

Her research focuses on cognitive mechanisms underlying performance decline in sustained attention tasks, particularly in high-risk environments such as firefighting and military operations. Key interests include the interplay between cognitive and physical demands, cognitive state assessment, and multitasking strategies.

• Education:
• PhD in Psychology, University of Canterbury, New Zealand (2017)

• Research Highlights:
• Examining cognitive-physical task interactions in hazardous settings
• Developing methods to assess cognitive states under stress
• Optimizing human performance through multitasking frameworks

• Awards:
• Awarded AFRL Science and Tech Fellowship Program (2017–2019)