Meet Camille whose research focuses on human reliability analysis and has great luck finding four-leaf clovers
Name: Camille Levine
Year in Program: Third year Ph.D. student
Advisor: Dr. Katrina Groth
Research interests: Human reliability analysis, human factors engineering in complex systems, Bayesian networks for characterizing risk
Dissertation Topic: Expanding the causal logic foundations of human reliability analysis
What drew you to engineering?
I was initially interested in becoming an engineer so that I could directly apply mathematical and scientific principles to large-scale, real-world problems. Along the way, I realized that I could use it as an outlet to further develop my creativity and soft skills, such as drawing complex system diagrams, writing and speaking about technical concepts, and collaborating with others to arrive at the best solution.
What made you choose UMD and the ENRE Program?
I discovered the ENRE program while I was an ENME undergrad researching medical device errors. After being introduced to the fascinating variety of projects being pursued in the reliability engineering department, I decided to apply for grad school and join the SyRRA lab. Overall, my time at UMD has been a great experience, and I’m grateful to be part of this world-class program.
What do you want people to know about Reliability Engineering that they may not be aware of?
For my specific area, human reliability, it’s an increasingly important field to study. Great advances in materials science and systems engineering have been made over the years, which leaves human operators as the least reliable components in a system. Lots of methods exist for identifying potential errors and calculating their probability. However, to err is human. This means human error will never be fully eliminated- so the best we can do is characterize potential issues, implement strategies to reduce them, and give people a little extra grace when they mess up.
A fun fact about you? (Not related to engineering!)
When walking outside, I always find a lot of four-leaf clovers! (I’d say I have better than average luck, all things considered.)
Top