Aaron M. Yoder

Aaron M. Yoder, PhD, is an Associate Professor jointly appointed in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) and the Department of Environmental, Agricultural and Occupational Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). He devotes 10 % effort to UNL and 90 % to UNMC, directs or co-directs the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (CS-CASH) and Nebraska AgrAbility, and is a key faculty member of the Biomedical Engineering, Health, and Safety Systems emphasis area.

Education & Certifications:

• PhD — field not explicitly stated in text, but research record indicates advanced training in agricultural safety/ergonomics/biomedical engineering.

Research Interests:
Yoder’s work sits at the intersection of engineering, public health, and behavioral science. He designs and evaluates technology-enabled interventions—from wearable sensors that monitor heat strain during field work to immersive virtual reality modules that teach youth safe tractor operation. His portfolio spans:

• ergonomic redesign of agricultural machinery for vulnerable populations (women, aging farmers, workers with disabilities);
• implementation-science approaches that translate evidence-based safety programs into real-world practice across U.S. states and low-middle-income countries;
• use of social marketing and narrative storytelling to shift attitudes and behaviors around roll-over protective structures (ROPS), all-terrain vehicles, and colorectal cancer screening in rural communities;
• real-time IoT dashboards for first responders and heavy-machinery operators that fuse environmental and physiological data to prevent injury and illness;
• mental health and substance-use surveillance among farming populations, with recent work in Nigeria and the Central States cattle-feeding sector.

Publication Trends:
Across the 15 most recent papers (2023-2025) a clear trajectory emerges: rigorous mixed-methods evaluation of large-scale safety interventions; integration of wearable sensors, VR, and IoT into occupational health practice; and a growing global focus on low-resource settings. Heat-stress mitigation, cancer-screening promotion, and ATV/ROPS safety dominate the engineering–public-health interface.

Scientific Awards & Recognition:
No specific awards are enumerated in the supplied text.

Funding, Leadership & Mentorship:

• Principal or Co-Investigator on numerous CDC/NIOSH and USDA-NIFA grants supporting CS-CASH, AgrAbility, and international collaborations.
• Leads multidisciplinary teams of engineers, epidemiologists, extension educators, and community partners across Nebraska, the Midwest, and sub-Saharan Africa.
• Active mentor to graduate students and post-doctoral fellows in Biological Systems Engineering and the College of Public Health (specific student names not provided).

Labs & Centers:
Yoder directs activities within the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (a CDC/NIOSH-funded Agricultural Safety and Health Center) and Nebraska AgrAbility (USDA-NIFA), leveraging state-of-the-art motion-capture, sensor fabrication, and VR development laboratories shared between UNL and UNMC.