Episode #11: Interview with Joel Suss

Naturalistic Decision Making

Date: 6/29/2020

Show Description:

We’re pleased to be talking today with Joel Suss. Joel is Assistant Professor of Human Factors in the Department of Psychology at Wichita State University. His research work focus on understanding and improving perceptual-cognitive performance – in particular, anticipation, decision making -- in complex and challenging operational settings, such as law enforcement, security, military command and control, aviation, and emergency medicine. He has examined perceptual and cognitive aspects of CCTV monitoring and how automated, intelligent videos surveillance systems are changing the human operator’s role in security surveillance. Joel is perhaps best known known for his work investigating ways to train police officers to make better decision in stressful situations. Originally from Australia, Joel completed his PhD in Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors at the Michigan Technological University.

Where to find Joel:

Wichita State's Human Factor's Ph.D. Program

Online cognitive-skills training for improving police decision making: Can it work?

Professor investigates what makes a good law enforcement officer through lab research

Learn more about NDM:

NaturalisticDecisionMaking.org

Journal of Cognitive Engineering and Decision Making

Where to find hosts Brian Moon and Laura Militello:

Brian’s website

Brian’s LinkedIn

Brian’s Twitter

Laura’s website

Laura’s LinkedIn

Laura’s Twitter

Timestamps:

How Joel got involved in NDM and cognitive expertise in law enforcement [1:40]

The role of anticipation in police decision-making [12:30]

How do you help police be better calibrated in their responses? [15:37]

National Institute of Justice project to create tactical decision making exercises for police [17:35]

Law enforcement’s response to NDM approaches [21:55]

Cultural skepticism toward academics within law enforcement [26:30]

People within and outside the NDM community who influenced Joel’s career [30:25]

How have you benefited from helping others break into the NDM world? [34:25]

The role of mentorship as a supplement to NDM graduate programs [38:10]

Ways the NDM community can do a better job of developing young NDM researchers [44:05]

Joel’s current and future research focus [49:40]

Joel’s connection to Peter Fadde [55:07]

If you could instantly achieve expertise in anything what would it be? [56:15]