Rachael Wynne

Research Fellow

Contact: RWynne@usc.edu.au

Rachael Wynne is a Research Fellow, and part of the Centre for Human Factors and Sociotechnical Systems. She is working on projects related to driver distraction and the safety of autonomous vehicles.

She has a background in Psychology (B.PsySci Hons), and has submitted her PhD at USC in 2021. Rachael’s PhD research investigated the validity of common driving research methods and the application of these methods to study visual attention in learner drivers. In 2017 and 2018 Rachael represented USC at the Asia-Pacific Finals of the 3 Minute Thesis competition, having placed first at the USC competitions.

Over 2020-2021, Rachael completed a post-doctoral fellowship with the Human Factors Engineering team, part of the Transportation Research Group at the University of Southampton. In this time, she worked on the Innovate UK funded Open Flight Deck project, exploring ways to optimise the future aviation environment.

She has worked as a Research Assistant in the Centre on projects investigating visual attention of novice and experienced drivers, beach driving, design of CCTV networks, and hazard perception in cyclists. Since 2013, Rachael has held various teaching roles at Australian Catholic University, USC, the University of Southern Queensland, and the University of Otago (New Zealand).

Her primary research interests centre on the intersection of Human Factors and cognitive psychology – specifically the way experience and expectation influence our interactions with the environment, and the subsequent effect that has on our attention and memory.

Recent Publications

Parnell, K. J., Wynne, R. A., Griffin, T. G. C., Plant, K. L., & Stanton, N. A. (2021). Generating design requirements for flight deck applications: Applying the Perceptual Cycle Model to engine failures on take-off. International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction, 37(7), 611-629.

Wynne, R. A., Parnell, K. J., Smith, M. A., Plant, K. L., & Stanton, N. A. (2021). Can’t touch this: Hammer time on touchscreen task performance variability under simulated turbulent flight conditions. International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction, 37(7), 666-679.

Beanland, V., & Wynne, R. A. (2019). Effects of roadside memorials on drivers’ risk perception and eye movements. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 4, Article number 32.

Wynne, R. A., Beanland, V., Read, G. J. M., & Salmon, P. M. (2019). You look familiar: Learner driver hazard identification on familiar and unfamiliar roads. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, 63(1), 2001–2005.

Beanland, V., & Wynne, R. A. (2019). Does familiarity breed competence or contempt? Effects of driver experience, road type and familiarity on hazard perception. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, 63(1), 2006–2010.

Wynne, R. A., Beanland, V., & Salmon, P. M. (2019). Systematic review of driving simulator validation studies. Safety Science, 117, 138-151.