LOCATION:

John Radcliffe Hospital, Level 5, Headley Way, Headington, Oxford, OX3 9DU

Laurie is a Human Factors Scientist and Research Fellow based within the Quality, Reliability, Safety & Teamwork Unit (QRSTU) at the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, the University of Oxford. The research group is dedicated to studies of quality and safety interventions in surgery. 

Her main research project is focused on designing and evaluating Human Factors interventions in the RESPOND study (Rescue for Emergency Patients Observed to uNdergo acute Deterioration) but she is also involved in others including a teamwork project comparing elite sports teams and military leaders to improve surgical teams; the RUPERT project (Rational Use of Personal protective Equipment: a Randomised Trial and quality improvement intervention), examining PPE during the Covid crisis,  and a comparative study comparing Safety I and Safety II concepts. 

Laurie’s role also involves supporting training courses provided by the Patient Safety Academy and developing Human Factors courses within the university. 

Previous roles have been in academia where she has been teaching Human Factors internationally, predominantly in aviation, working as a Human Factors Specialist in airlines, the regulator (NZCAA) and the government (NZ Ministry of Transport) and completing her research for her PhD with the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Australia.

She has a BSc (Hons) in Health Sciences, a MSc in Health, Safety and the Environment and a PhD in cognition and Human Factors in single pilot operations from Griffith University, Australia. She currently is an Associate Lecturer for Emirates Aviation University, Dubai in Aviation Human Factors in Safety and Security and Risk Assessment courses.

She is particularly interested in exploring neuro-ergonomics, intuition and metacognition training, team work and transferring skills learned in aviation to the medical field.