Kelly Steelman

Kelly Steelman is an Associate Professor at Michigan Tech, serving as Department Chair in Psychology and Human Factors and as an Affiliated Associate Professor in Computer Science. Her work bridges human-computer interaction, attention modeling, and digital literacy, with a focus on human factors in aviation, technology training, and cognitive performance.

• Education: PhD in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2011)

Her research explores theory-based models of attention, visual workspace design, and sociotechnical systems to enhance digital literacy for older adults. She has contributed to human factors literature on topics such as perceptual salience, SEEV modeling, and driver/pilot workload.

Recent publications emphasize human-centered engineering, remote digital assistance, and educational interventions for technology adoption. She has also developed tools like SEEV Modeler for attention modeling and published on seductive detail effects in learning environments.

Her collaborations span cross-disciplinary teams, including work with the Human Factors & Ergonomics Society, and she has contributed to standards like the Human Readiness Level Scale (ANSI/HFES 400-2021).