Our people

Martin Thody

President

I'm currently the Senior Consultant for Human Factors at BAE Systems Submarines, working with a team of 30+ human factors professionals with a diverse educational and experiential range. My 40-year professional background includes roles in UK defence, nuclear and global oil & gas. I commit to promoting the importance of human factors to make a difference in enhancing user experiences, optimising organisational performance, and ensuring safety and wellbeing. I recognise that CIEHF is at our core. It's our ultimate support network, our centre for professional standing, and is essential to our individual and collective growth and sustainability. I've served on the CIEHF Professional Affairs Board, including being the lead for CPD and now I'm part of the Strategy Working Group, actively contributing to our future direction. I have a passion for continuous learning and mentorship underscoring my enduring commitment to nurturing each generation of human factors professionals.

Mark Young

Past President

I have worked in ergonomics / human factors for nearly 30 years, in both academia and industry. Early on in that career, I made CIEHF my professional home, and have long been an active supporter of the Institute – as a postgraduate working on the conference secretariat, then on Council as Chair of the PR & Communications Committee between 2007 and 2011. I re-joined Council in 2018. This is an exciting time for CIEHF as we fully emerge from the pandemic years stronger than ever, flourishing where other learned societies have struggled. We recently rebranded, we have a new CEO and we are building a new strategy to take us forward. In 2024, we celebrate the 75th anniversary of our professional body, and I have been chairing a working group to mark this milestone with a public exhibition, seeking to promote wider interest in the Institute and human factors in line with our strategy. Building on this, my priorities for CIEHF are to raise our profile and, in particular, to foster the growth of ‘grassroots’ ergonomics and human factors. Industry is crying out for trained human factors professionals while university programmes have been declining. I aim to address this through reinvigorating our engagement with schools, stimulating demand for such courses and, ultimately, inspiring the next generation of human factors specialists.

Fran Ives

President Elect

My journey in ergonomics and human factors began in the late nineties at Loughborough University, where I pursued a BSc in Ergonomics. I was immediately captivated by the field's breadth and real-world applications. My career started in the automotive sector before transitioning to the nuclear industry. At British Energy (now EDF), I gained valuable experience applying human factors principles, laying a strong foundation for my career.  

Two decades ago, I moved into healthcare, embedding human factors within my organisation and contributing to national efforts to advance its understanding and implementation. Since joining Health Innovation West Midlands in 2020, I have established a dedicated Human Factors Service, providing strategic leadership and collaborating with health and social care organisations to integrate human factors principles into their operations.  

Passionate about improving safety, efficiency, and system performance, I have contributed through academia, leading a community of practice, hosting the All Systems Ergo podcast, co-leading the CIEHF regional network group, and mentoring human factors professionals.  

When President, I will focus on inclusivity, influence and innovation. My key objectives include:

• Expanding the reach and recognition of human factors across industries, ensuring our profession is valued at the highest levels of decision-making.
• Strengthening member engagement through mentorship, networking and continuous learning opportunities.
• Fostering collaborations between academia, industr, and policymakers to advance the application of human factors principles in real-world settings.

Bob Bridger

Treasurer

I last served as Treasurer from 2013-2016 during which time we renegotiated the Institute's journal publishing agreements, which greatly improved the Institute's finances. Now, with new initiatives in place, such as the Learning Pathways, the Institute is in a different, but much better, position. This brings to light new matters such as how the income from these sources is accounted for, reported and utilised. The Institute has expanded its outreach activities, such as the publication of white papers. I will also support the development of the Institute's publishing activities, possibly in a more commercial direction but within its charitable status.