In an announcement by the Government of Canada, the New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) has awarded four Waterloo Science researchers a total of $750,000 to advance groundbreaking research - including Dr. Elizabeth Irving from the School of Optometry & Vision Science (UWOVS).
Dr. Irving, alongside Suzanne Kearns, Associate Professor of Aviation, have been awarded $250,000 for the project Innovative Pilot Training and Evidence Based Visual Standards for Aviation.
This project will develop a novel scientific approach to pilot training and assessment as well as evidence-based vision requirements that will dramatically change flight education practice, guide regulatory standards and help mitigate the aviation gender gap. They will use flight simulation, gaze behaviour, cognitive task analysis, consensus modeling, computational modeling and artificial intelligence methods to develop objective metrics for pilot competency at different stages of training (i.e., novice, intermediate, expert). They will also investigate the effects of visual function on gaze behaviour and pilot performance for different levels of task difficulty and pilot expertise.
“Research that takes great risks advances the way we think about the issues that impact Canadians,” says The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. “The Government of Canada is supporting researchers who are exploring bold new directions that could change lives and position Canada at the forefront of global research and innovation."