Joseph L. Gabbard

Joseph L. Gabbard is a Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech's College of Engineering, holding the Grado Faculty Fellowship. His research focuses on Human Factors Engineering, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Usability Engineering with applications in driver safety, emergency response training, and educational technology. He earned a Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. in Computer Science, along with a B.A. in Sociology.

He leads projects on AR interfaces for transportation safety, including studies on HUDs and driver distraction mitigation. His work bridges immersive technologies with practical applications like triage training for emergency responders and classroom behavior management simulations. Notable contributions include winning a Microsoft HoloLens Academic Research Grant (2015) and advancing AR design principles through rigorous human performance evaluations.

Key research themes include the cognitive impacts of AR systems, spatial awareness in dynamic environments, and adaptive training methodologies. His publications span AR HUD safety metrics, exergaming design patterns, and AR-driven emergency protocols. Collaborations with industry and government emphasize translating academic insights into real-world solutions for transportation, healthcare, and education sectors.