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Casey Smith, Research Scientist and Engineer at NASA Ames Research Center

Casey L. Smith

Research Scientist & Engineer, Human Factors

Contents

Affiliation– NASA Ames Research Center

Division– Human Systems Integration Division (TH)

Email– casey.l.smith@nasa.gov

Phone– 650-604-5419

Professional Bio

Dr. Smith is a human factors specialist with the Human Autonomy Teaming Laboratory (HAT Lab) at NASA Ames Research Center. His work focuses on advancing human-machine interface design and examining how autonomy and system architecture influence human performance and operational acceptance in complex environments. Since joining NASA in 2019, Dr. Smith has played pivotal roles in several high-profile initiatives, including the Integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems into the National Airspace (UAS-NAS), Urban Air Mobility/Advanced Air Mobility (UAM/AAM), Air Traffic Management Exploration (ATM-X), and NASA’s Artemis Human Landing System (HLS) projects. Prior to his work at NASA, Dr. Smith served in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he gained critical experience in aircraft maintenance and safety management.

Education

  • Ph.D. Human Science, Saybrook University
  • M.S. Human Factors & Systems, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
  • B.S. Professional Aeronautics, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Research Interests

Investigating how humans adopt, adapt, and design techniques and technologies to modify themselves and others—exploring this phenomenon across disciplines, cultures, and historical contexts.

Awards/Honors

  • Excellence in Collaboration Award – Human Factors Task Force Team, NASA Headquarters Honor Award, 2024
  • Best Paper Award, Best Paper of Detect-and-Avoid Session – “Detect and Avoid and Collision Avoidance Flight Test Results with ACAS Xr,” 43rd Digital Avionics Systems Conference, 2024
  • Best Paper Award, Best Paper of Detect-and-Avoid Session – “Assessing Helicopter Pilots’ Detect and Avoid and Collision Avoidance Performance with ACAS Xr,” 42nd Digital Avionics Systems Conference, 2023
  • NASA Honor Award, Advanced Air Mobility IAS-1 Research Flight Team, 2023
  • Certificate of Appreciation, Ames Safety Awards Program (ASAP), 2021
  • Superior Accomplishment Award, NASA Ames – Human Systems Integration Division, 2021
  • Spotlight Award, Exploration Technology Directorate, 2021
  • Certificate of Appreciation, NASA Integrated Aviation Systems Program, 2020
  • Best Paper Award, Best Paper of Session – “UAS Pilot Performance Comparisons with Different Low Size, Weight and Power Sensor Ranges,” 39th Digital Avionics Systems Conference, 2020
  • Associate Administrator (AA) Award, Technology and Innovation – Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration in the National Airspace System, Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD), 2020
  • Ten Year Service Award, Ames Research Center, 2020
  • Ames Group Achievement Award – UAS-NAS ACAS Xu Team, NASA Ames, 2019

Publications

  • Vincent, M. J., Rorie, R. C., Keeler, J. N., Monk, K. J., Smith, C. L., and Sadler, G. G. (2021). UAS Integration in the NAS Flight Test 6: Full Mission Results, NASA/TM – 20205009771.
  • Smith, C. L. (2019). Investigating Human Metamodification through Superheroism: An Introduction to Modificatiology. Proquest.
  • Smith, C. L. (2012). The Effects of Familiarity and Persuasion on Risk Assessment. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Conference Proceedings

  • Rorie, R. C. and Smith, C. L. (2024). Detect and Avoid and Collision Avoidance Flight Test Results with ACAS Xr, 2024 AIAA/IEEE 43rd Digital Avionics Systems Conference (DASC), San Diego, CA.
  • Smith, C. L. and Rorie, R. C., (2024). Helicopter Pilot Evaluations of the Airborne Collision Avoidance System Xr in a High-Fidelity Motion Simulation, AIAA AVIATION 2024 Forum, Las Vegas, NV.
  • Rorie, R.C., Smith, C. L., Mitchell, M. L., and Schmitz, C. E. (2023). Assessing Helicopter Pilots’ Detect and Avoid and Collision Avoidance Performance with ACAS Xr, 42nd Digital Avionics Systems Conference, Barcelona, Spain.
  • Smith, C. L., Rorie, R. C., Chandarana, M., Tyson, T. L., Keeler, J. N., and Tran, V.  (2023). Helicopter Pilot Assessments of the Airborne Collision Avoidance System XR with Automated Maneuvering, AIAA AVIATION 2023 Forum, San Diego, CA.
  • Sadler, G. G., Chandarana, M., Rorie, R. C., Tyson, T. L., Keeler, J. N., Smith, C. L., Shyr, M. C., Wong, D., Scheff, S., and Dolgov, I. (2022). A Remote, Human-in-the-Loop Evaluation of a Multiple-Drone Delivery Operation, AIAA AVIATION 2022 Forum,  Chicago, IL.
  • Chandarana, M., Sadler, G. G., Keeler, J. N., Smith, C. L., Rorie, R. C., Wong, D., Scheff, S., Pham, B., and Dolgov, I. (2022). Streamlining Tactical Operator Handoffs During Multi-Vehicle Applications, 15th IFAC Symposium on Analysis, Design and Evaluation of Human Machine Systems (HMS), San Jose, CA.
  • Smith, C. L., Sadler, G. G., Tyson, T. L., Brandt, S. L., Rorie, R. C., Keeler, J. N., Monk, K. J., Viramontes, J., and Dolgov, I. (2021). A Cognitive Walkthrough of Multiple Drone Delivery Operations, AIAA AVIATION 2021 Forum, Virtual.
  • Rorie, R. C., Smith, C. L., Sadler, G. G., Monk, K. J., Tyson, T. L., and Keeler, J. N. (2020). A Human-in-the-Loop Evaluation of ACAS Xu, AIAA/IEEE 39th Digital Avionics Systems Conference (DASC), San Antonio, TX.
  • Keeler, J. N., Rorie, R. C., Monk, K. J., Sadler, G. G., and Smith, C. L. (2020). An Evaluation of UAS Pilot Workload and Acceptability Ratings with Four Simulated Radar Declaration Ranges, Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 64th International Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL.
  • Sadler, G. G., Rorie, R. C., Smith, C. L., Keeler, J. N., and Monk, K. J. (2020). Display and Automation Considerations for the Airborne Collision Avoidance System Xu, AIAA AVIATION 2020 Forum, Reno, NV.
  • Smith, C. L., Rorie, R. C., Monk, K. J., Keeler, J. N., and Sadler, G. G. (2020). UAS Pilot Assessments of Display and Alerting for the Airborne Collision Avoidance System Xu, Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 64th International Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL.
  • Monk, K. J., Keeler, J. N., Rorie, R. C., Sadler, G. G., and Smith, C. L. (2020). UAS Pilot Performance Comparisons with Different Low Size, Weight and Power Sensor Ranges, 39th Digital Avionics Systems Conference Proceedings, San Antonio, TX.