The Department of Kinesiology offers education in Ergonomics and Occupational Biomechanics at both the Graduate and Undergraduate levels. The Department has one of the few specializations in Ergonomics at the Undergraduate level in Canada, and indeed in the world.
I am working half-time as the director of the newly-formed, WSIB-funded Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders and Disability based at the University of Waterloo. I therefore teachonly a half course load. Currently I teach in the Spring term. I teach a joint senior undergraduate/ Masters level course on the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders, Kin 620, Ergonomic Aspects of Occupational Musculoskeletal Injuries.
I supervise a fourth year seminar course, Kin 470E, on an aspect of ergonomics, ususally Design in Ergonomics.
I am also coordinator of the Ergonomics Option.
Injuries occur in the workplace every day. While this is a sad commentary on the quality of worker safety, it presents outstanding challenges to Ergonomists/Kinesiologists. The Department of Kinesiology of the University of Waterloo presents the only undergraduate ergonomic option in Canada. The ergonomics option is a unique opportunity to prepare those interested in making a contribution to the well-being of others.
Kinesiologists are concerned with the assessment and prescription of solutions to problems in the workplace that involve issues such as human-machine interaction, matching skill level with job demands, employee wellness, circadian rhythm, workplace boredom, fatigue, design of equipment in the interests of maximizing productivity and minimizing the risk of injury.
Students who follow the Co-op system of study will be rewarded with deeper insight into solving workplace problems. Our Department has been the leader in producing graduates who secure high paying jobs due to their Co-op job experience and comprehensive course work. The course requirements have been selected to provide students with a thorough background in the biophysical and behavioural sciences of human motion and related measurement and problem-solving skills.
Admission and graduation requirements are listed below.
Normally, Co-op Kinesiology students will apply at the end of Year One for admittance for the Fall term of Year Two.Students in their senior year have opportunity to engage in independent studies in conjunction with a faculty member. Courses include kin 470 (Senior Seminar), Kin 472 (Directed Studies), Kin 433 (Research Proposal) and Kin 431/2 ( A two term research project). Many of these are highly original pieces of work. Their quality is indicated by some being presented at academic conferences. The presence of our highly qualified faculty members and our very well equipped teaching and research laboratories allows the creation of some truly outstanding pieces of student work.
A flavour of their scope and depth is provided by the titles of projects I have supervised over previous terms:
Predicting grasp using fuzzy logic from a knowledge of object characteristicsFor information on jobs of our undergraduates please see the Departmental web page
Back to topNatale, J. Effects of Participative Change Process in the Sewing Industry:2003, Currently, Ergonomist at Honeywell