Applied Cognitive Ergonomics Lab

Testing the Boundaries of Innovation

Karim Zahed

I am a 5th-year Ph.D. student in the Applied Cognitive Ergonomics Laboratory (ACE-Lab). My research focuses on modeling human behavior to understand how to engage individuals with technology that helps sustain healthy habits in various test beds such as Drowsy Driving, Mental Health, Diabetes, and Hypertension. My long-term research interests are in investigating human behavior and designing technologies and systems that encourage long-term usage by individuals. My research has provided me with extensive experience user centered design, usability testing, and understanding what makes users “tick”.

Education & Work

Education

  • Ph.D., Industrial & Systems Engineering, 2022 (Anticipated), Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
  • M.E., Industrial & Systems Engineering, 2017, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
  • B.E. with Distinction, Electrical & Computer Engineering, 2013, American University of Beirut, Lebanon

Work Experience

  • Future Pipe Industries Inc., Process Improvement Intern, Houston, TX (05/2016 – 08/2016)
  • Bayanat Airport Engineering and Supplies, Project Engineer, Abu Dhabi, UAE (11/2013 – 08/2015)
  • European Broadcasting Union, R&D Intern, Geneva, Switzerland (07/2013 – 08/2013)
  • MPR Associates Inc., Trainee in Product Development, Alexandria, VA (08/2012 – 09/2012)

Teaching

  • I have been the instructor of record for “ISEN 302: Engineering Economic Analysis” since Spring 2020. This experience has opened my eyes on University-level teaching and allowed me to educate undergraduate students on economic principles & project management. It has also provided an opportunity to inspire students in their career choices as reflected in their feedback.

Portfolio

During my doctoral journey I have directly led the development of the following two apps.

  • “HyperCoach” is a digital coaching app user that coaches patients withhypertension on self-managing their condition through an AHA approved Care Plan. By setting goals and monitoring individuals’ blood pressure, weight, heart rate, and step count we can assess the effect of our coaching plans on several outcomes. The study successfully improved the clinical outcomes of participants and showed significant relationships between users’ beliefs, behaviors, and outcomes.


  • “TremorApp” allows patients with diabetes to report hypoglycemic events through an iWatch and correlates these low blood sugar events with any associated hand tremors. The app helped provide unique insight on the perceptions of hypoglycemia compared to CGM readings.


Research

  • Product Management skills proven by coordinating work among interdisciplinary teams of researchers, developers, and designers to design and test smartphone apps to improve user health (Ex:HyperCoach for Hypertension, Tremor-App for Diabetes, Biofeedback for PTSD)
  • Rich user research skills by investigating how to persuade people to adopt healthy behaviors and engage with technology through various test beds such as PTSD, Diabetes, Hypertension, and drowsy driving.
  • Worked on several NSF funded projects as a PATHS-UP fellow and helped analyze data from under-served communities to improve the pervasiveness of Tele-Health to the support management of chronic conditions.
  • Mentored multiple undergraduate students on the process of user research and building a professional background.

Selected Publications

  • Zahed, K., Sasangohar, F., Mehta, R., Erraguntla, M., Qaraqe, K. (2020). Diabetes Management Experience and
    the State of Hypoglycemia: National Data Sample from an Online Survey, JMIR Diabetes. 5(2):e17890.DOI:10.2196/17890
  • Zahed, K., Smith, A., Sasangohar, F., McDonald, A.D. (2020). Investigating The Effect Of Education And Drowsiness Detection On Nurses’ Beliefs And Attitudes Towards Drowsy Driving. Accepted for publication in Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting.
  • Hegde, S., Zahed, K., Son, C., Markert, C., Sasangohar, F. (2020). Facilitating the Practice of Biofeedback Via Mobile Applications and Wearable Devices for Self-Management of Mental Health. Accepted for publication in Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting.
  • Zahed, K., Rao, A.H., & Sasangohar, F. (2019). Behavior Change and Persuasion in Mobile Health Interventions: A Critical Literature Review. In Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annua lMeeting(Vol. 63, No. 1, pp. 1697-1698).
  • Zahed, K., Sasangohar, F., Mehta, R., Erraguntla, M., Lawley, M., Qaraqe, K. (2018). Investigating the Efficacy of Using Hand Tremors for Early Detection of Hypoglycemic Events: A Scoping Literature Review. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, 62(1), 1211–1215. https://doi.org/10.1177/1541931218621278
  • Abbas, H., Zahed, K., Alic, L., Zhu, Y., Sasangohar, F., Mehta, R., … Qaraqe, K. (2018). A Wearable, Low-cost Hand Tremor Sensor for Detecting Hypoglycemic Events in Diabetic Patients. 3.
  • Zhu, Y., Zahed, K., Mehta, R. K., Sasangohar, F., Erraguntla, M., Lawley, M., … Qaraqe, K. (2018). Non-invasive Wearable System for Hypoglycemia Detection: A Proof of Concept User-Centered Design Process. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, 62(1), 1052–1056. https://doi.org/10.1177/1541931218621242
  • McKenzie, J., Zahed, K., Warner, J., Uster, H., Ferris, T. (2018). Survey and Modeling Approach to Predicting Driver Turnover in Long-Haul Trucking. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, 62(1), 1383–1383. https://doi.org/10.1177/1541931218621315
  • Karameh, F., Awada, M., Zahed, K., Mourad, F., and Nahas, Z. Modeling of Neuronal Population Activation under Electroconvulsive Therapy; Proceedings of the International Conference on Bio-inspired Systems and Signal Processing (2014): 229-238.