Sara Howard

Sara Howard is a Senior Research Fellow (Human Factors) at Flinders University's College of Business, Government and Law, where she serves as Focus Area Lead for 'Optimising human and technology performance in small and medium-sized enterprises' within the Flinders Factory of the Future. With over 15 years of applied research experience and five years of consulting expertise, she applies socio-technical systems frameworks to facilitate digital technology adoption across multiple sectors including defense, finance, health, and manufacturing.

Her research interests center on human-technology interaction, with particular expertise in workload and usability assessment, human factors, ergonomics, and change management. She frequently conducts site visits, manages technology trials in real-world environments, and provides recommendations for implementation strategies based on empirical evidence.

Howard's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on emerging workplace technologies, with significant contributions to understanding augmented reality applications in industrial settings, human-robot interaction safety, and addressing harmful workplace behaviors through evidence-based approaches.

• University Medal for Outstanding Academic Merit Throughout Undergraduate Studies

As an experienced mentor, Howard formally and informally guides staff on research methodologies and stakeholder engagement while supervising placement students and PhD candidates. Her work spans both academic and industry contexts, with notable projects including the Manufacturing Growth Accelerator Program and research on chronic disease self-management. She maintains strong connections with diverse stakeholders across government, private, and not-for-profit sectors.