Brett Molesworth

Professor Brett Molesworth is a Professor of Human Factors and Aviation Safety at the School of Aviation, University of New South Wales. A qualified pilot with a Commercial Pilot Licence and advanced aerobatics rating, he focuses on aircrew and cabin crew behavior in normal and abnormal situations. His research develops tools to measure pilots' risk propensity, including an implicit association test for risky flying behavior, and applies techniques to enhance risk management skills.

Key research areas include

• Aircraft noise effects on communication and cognitive performance
• Noise-cancelling headphone efficacy
• Cross-industry safety applications (road, medicine)
• Young driver speed management interventions
• Runway incursion prevention
• Pilot mental health during crises

Recent publications span Drone Systems, Safety Science, and Transportation Research Part F, addressing topics like integrated airspace operations, noise-induced cognitive fatigue, and communication errors. His work has earned multiple Human Factors and Ergonomics Society awards and competitive ARC grants for driver safety and noise research.

Scientific awards include

• Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Training Technical Group Best Student Paper Award (2018, 2015)
• Alan Welford Award for Best Journal Paper (2014)

Grants funded projects on

• Young driver speed management (2022, 2018)
• Runway incursion prevention (2022)
• Aviation headset noise reduction (2018)
• Learned helplessness in noisy environments (2018)