Caroline Cao

Caroline Cao is a Professor of Biomedical, Industrial and Human Factors Engineering at Wright State University (WSU), holding cross-appointments in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering and the Department of Surgery in the Boonshoft School of Medicine. She is also an Ohio Research Scholar in the Ohio Imaging Research and Innovation Network, a consortium involving WSU, Case Western Reserve University, and Ohio State University. Her research focuses on human factors engineering in medical systems, particularly enabling technologies for minimally invasive surgery, virtual reality simulation, robotics, and sensory augmentation. She has secured over $15 million in research funding as PI/co-PI, including NIH grants, and has led international collaborations, notably as a Research Chair in France (2010-2011).

• Educational Background: PhD in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering from the University of Toronto (2002)

Her work bridges engineering and medicine, emphasizing medical imaging innovation, commercialization, and job creation in Ohio. Key achievements include the NSF Career Award and leadership in interdisciplinary research networks.

• Labs/Teams: Director of the Ergonomics in Remote Environments Laboratory, fostering research on human-system interactions in complex environments.