Nadine Sarter is a German‑American engineer and researcher specializing in human factors, cognitive engineering, and ergonomics. She holds a faculty appointment at the University of Michigan, where she serves as a professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and is affiliated with the University’s Institute for Social Research.
Sarter earned her doctoral degree (Ph.D.) in ergonomics and human factors engineering from the University of Stuttgart in Germany. Her research focuses on the design and evaluation of complex socio‑technical systems, with particular emphasis on human‑automation interaction, mental workload, situation awareness, and safety in aviation and other safety‑critical domains. She has published extensively in peer‑reviewed journals and conference proceedings on topics such as adaptive automation, cockpit design, and the use of physiological and performance measures to assess operator state.
In addition to her academic work, Sarter has collaborated with industry partners, including aerospace manufacturers and governmental agencies, to apply human‑centred design principles to operational environments. She has held leadership roles within professional societies, serving as a Fellow of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and contributing to committees that develop standards and guidelines for human‑system integration.
Sarter’s contributions have been recognized through awards and honors for both research excellence and service to the field of human factors engineering. Her work continues to influence the development of safer, more effective interfaces for complex technological systems.