Catherine Burns, PEng (She/Her)

Catherine M. Burns is Professor in Systems Design Engineering at the University of Waterloo, Canada and Associate Vice President, Health Initiatives at the Office of Research at the University of Waterloo. In her past administrative roles she has been engaged with institutional and tri agency funding programs, research partnerships, Waterloo’s equity in research action plan, and research computing. Catherine was the founder of the Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology at Waterloo and led the centre from a faculty to an institutional centre over 8 years. In 2020 she chaired Waterloo’s Health Initiatives Task force to develop a health strategy in response to Waterloo’s 2025 Strategic Plan. In her role as AVP, Health Initiatives she is responsible for advancing Waterloo research in health and health technology. Catherine holds a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Human Factors and Healthcare Systems, has contributed over 300 publications and is the co-author of seven books and the PI on an NSERC CREATE Training program in biomedical technology and entrepreneurship which has trained over 40 graduate students from various faculties across campus.

• Human factors engineering, Systems engineering, Safety, Ergonomics, Design Process, Cognitive engineering, Human error, Decision making, Interface Design and Integration, Usability Testing and Interactive Technology, Ecological Interface Design, Cognitive Work Analysis, Graphical interface design and visualization

• 1998, Doctorate Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Canada
• 1994, Master's Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Canada
• 1992, Bachelor's Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo, Canada

• 2017 Outstanding Performance Award, University of Waterloo
• 2016 Award for Excellence in Graduate Supervision, Faculty of Engineering
• 2015 Fellow, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society
• 2014 Outstanding Performance Award, University of Waterloo
• 2013 Outstanding Performance Award, University of Waterloo
• 2010 Outstanding Performance Award, University of Waterloo
• 2009 Research Excellence Award, Faculty of Engineering
• 2008 NSERC Discovery Accelerator Supplement
• 2007 Outstanding Performance Award, University of Waterloo
• 2006 Teaching Excellence Award, Faculty of Engineering

• 2022-pres Associate Vice President, Health Initiatives
• 2019-2021 Executive Director, Sponsored Research and Health Initiatives
• 2017-2019 Executive Director, Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology
• 2012-2017 Director, Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology

• P.Eng.
• Fellow, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society

• BME 162 - Human Factors in the Design of Biomedical and Health Systems
  • Taught in 2018, 2019
• SYDE 642 - Cognitive Engineering Methods
  • Taught in 2018

* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.

• Tetui M., Tennant R., Patten A., Giilck B., Burns C.M., Waite N., and Grindrod K., Role satisfaction among community volunteers working in mass COVID-19 vaccination clinics, Waterloo Region, Canada, BMC Public Health, Volume 23, Sweden, 2023.
• Salmon P.M., Baber C., Burns C., Carden T., Cooke N., Cummings M., Hancock P., McLean S., Read G.J.M., and Stanton N.A., Managing the risks of artificial general intelligence: A human factors and ergonomics perspective, Human Factors and Ergonomics In Manufacturing, Volume 33, 366-378, Australia, 2023.
• Tennant R., Allana S., Mercer K., and Burns C.M., Exploring the Experiences of Family Caregivers of Children With Special Health Care Needs to Inform the Design of Digital Health, JMIR Formative Research, Volume 6, Canada, 2022.
• Dikmen M., and Burns C., The effects of domain knowledge on trust in explainable AI and task performance: A case of peer-to-peer lending, International Journal of Human Computer Studies, Volume 127, Canada, 2022.
• Tennant R., Allana S., Mercer K., and Burns C.M., Caregiver Expectations of Interfacing With Voice Assistants to Support Complex Home Care: Mixed Methods Study, JMIR Human Factors, Volume 9, Canada, 2022.
• Tennant R., Tetui M., Grindrod K., and Burns C.M., Understanding Human Factors Challenges on the Front Lines of Mass COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics: Human Systems Modeling Study, JMIR Human Factors, Volume 9, Canada, 2022.
• Tennant R., Tetui M., Grindrod K., and Burns C.M., Multi-Disciplinary Design and Implementation of a Mass Vaccination Clinic Mobile Application to Support Decision-Making, IEEE Journal of Translational Engineering in Health and Medicine, Volume 11, 60-69, Canada, 2023.
• Whaley C., Bancsi A., Ho J.M.-W., Burns C.M., and Grindrod K., Prescribers’ perspectives on including reason for use information on prescriptions and medication labels: a qualitative themat, BMC Health Services Research, Volume 21, Canada, 2021.
• Stolee P., Elliott J., Giguere A.M.C., Mallinson S., Rockwood K., Sims Gould J., Baker R., Boscart V., Burns C., Byrne K., Carson J., Cook R.J., Costa A.P., Giosa J., Grindrod K., Hajizadeh M., Hanson H.M., Hastings S., Heckman G., Holroyd-Leduc J., Isaranuwatchai W., Kuspinar A., Meyer S., McMurray J., Puchyr P., Puchyr P., Theou O., and Witteman H., Transforming primary care for older Canadians living with frailty: Mixed methods study protocol for a complex primary care inter, BMJ Open, Volume 11, Canada, 2021.
• Mercer K., Carter C., Burns C., Tennant R., Guirguis L., and Grindrod K., Including the reason for use on prescriptions sent to pharmacists: Scoping review, JMIR Human Factors, Volume 8, Canada, 2021.