Bios suitable for use for speaking programs.
About 100 words, external
Dr. Kathryn Woodcock, C.C.P.E., I.C.A.E., P.Eng., is Professor at Toronto Metropolitan University involved in unique extracurricular training, research, and knowledge mobilization activities focused on human factors of amusement rides and attractions pertaining to guests, operators, and inspectors. Her work has been presented in over 75 peer-reviewed publications and over 200 industry and professional publications and presentations. Dr. Woodcock consults to designer/manufacturers and owner/operators and is also a member of TEA, IAAPA, Ontario TSSA Amusement Devices Advisory Council, and Executive Committee of ASTM Committee F24.
Instructor bio, industry professional development training
Dr. Kathryn Woodcock is Professor at Toronto Metropolitan University, teaching courses related to occupational health and safety and themed entertainment design and technology. She is a Canadian Certified Professional Ergonomist, IAAPA Certified Attractions Executive, and Professional Engineer. Dr. Woodcock is involved in unique extracurricular training, research, and knowledge mobilization activities focused on human factors of amusement rides and attractions pertaining to guests, operators, and inspectors. She consults internationally to designer/ manufacturers and owner/ operators, and is a frequent presenter to industry audiences. Dr. Woodcock is a member of TEA, IAAPA, Executive Committee of ASTM Committee F24, and Ontario TSSA Amusement Devices Advisory Council.
50-100 words
Dr. Kathryn Woodcock focusses on amusement rides and attractions, applying her expertise in human factors engineering to the experience of guests, operators, and inspectors. She is also extensively involved in professional training and consulting to designer/ manufacturers and owner/ operators. Dr. Woodcock also contributes to the industry community through TEA, ASTM Committee F24, IAAPA, and AIMS International, and others.
200-ish word bio
Dr. Kathryn Woodcock is Professor at Toronto Metropolitan University and director of the THRILL Lab, involved in unique extracurricular training, research, and knowledge mobilization activities focused on human factors of amusement rides and attractions. She produces and directs the Toronto Metropolitan Thrill Design Invitational Competition for postsecondary interdisciplinary teams, and teaches undergraduate courses in accident theory and safety evaluation, and themed entertainment for digital media graduate students. Her projects include accident and error analysis, task demand modelling, and interface design, pertaining to guests, operators, and inspectors, published in over 75 peer-reviewed chapters, journal articles and conference papers, and a U.S. patent. Dr. Woodcock consults to designer/ manufacturers and owner/ operators, and presents extensive professional development education through AIMS, NAARSO, IAAPA, TEA, and other industry organizations. She currently serves on the TSSA Amusement Devices Advisory Council, Executive Committee of ASTM Committee F24, and Themed Experience and Attractions Academic Society executive, and served previous terms on the IAAPA Global Safety Committee, AIMS International Board of Directors, and Canadian National Exhibition Association Board, and was included in the 2020 Blooloop 50 Theme Park Influencer list. She earned Bachelor and Master’s degrees in Systems Design Engineering at University of Waterloo, and PhD in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at University of Toronto, all specializing in human factors engineering. Dr. Woodcock is a registered Professional Engineer, Canadian Certified Professional Ergonomist, a Fellow of the Association of Canadian Ergonomists, and IAAPA Certified Attraction Executive.
700-word bio, for Toronto Metropolitan University
Dr. Kathryn Woodcock is a Professor in the School of Occupational and Public Health and since 2002, director of the THRILL Lab (Tools for Holistic Ride Inspection Learning and Leadership) involved in unique extracurricular training, research, and knowledge mobilization activities focused on human factors of amusement rides and attractions, and passionate about engaging the next generation of professionals.
Dr. Woodcock teaches accident theory and safety evaluation techniques in TMU’s undergraduate Occupational Health and Safety program, and themed entertainment design and technology in the Master of Digital Media program. She also produces and directs the Toronto Metropolitan University Thrill Design Competition presented by Universal Creative™ for interdisciplinary postsecondary student teams. Through the lab and its partners in industry, she facilitates field trip experiences to observe Technical Standards & Safety Authority (TSSA) inspections of the Canadian National Exhibition and tour other industry facilities with students from a variety of academic programs.
Her research focuses on human factors engineering in designed public spaces and activities, particularly in the domain of amusement attractions, and her projects include accident and error analysis, task demand modelling, and interface design, pertaining to guests, operators, and inspectors. She is extensively involved in Knowledge Transfer and Exchange activities in the attractions industry including professional training and standards development and consulting to designer/ manufacturers and owner/ operators. She was the principal applicant establishing TMU’s Mixed-reality Immersive Motion Simulator facility, and has also studied and published on health and work issues of deafness, disability, sign language interpretation and accessibility. Her research, innovation, and service have been published in over 75 peer-reviewed chapters, journal articles and conference papers and over 200 other presentations and publications for both industry and professional audiences.
Dr. Woodcock is a member of the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) and the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), and serves on Ontario TSSA Amusement Devices Advisory Council, Executive Committee of ASTM Committee F24, executive of Themed Experience and Attractions Academic Society and Chair of the Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies.
She is a registered Professional Engineer, IAAPA Certified Attraction Executive, Canadian Certified Professional Ergonomist, and a Fellow of the Association of Canadian Ergonomists. She earned Bachelor and Master’s degrees in Systems Design Engineering at University of Waterloo, and PhD in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at University of Toronto, all specializing in human factors engineering.
Through the 1980’s, she was a hospital vice-president who led a 600-person division through significant structural and strategic systems change and managed a $20 million budget (1990 dollars), while playing an active role in the Ontario Hospital Association and its province-wide safety association through the early years of Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act and establishment of Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) and Early Return to Work programs.
Following her doctoral studies and prior to joining TMU, she taught industrial and systems engineering and ergonomics at University of Waterloo and Rochester Institute of Technology (New York), and managed a research and policy unit in the Prevention Division of the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board of Ontario.
Dr. Woodcock has served on a wide variety of other local, provincial, national and international boards and councils including the Accessibility Standards Advisory Council for Ontario and Boards of The Canadian Hearing Society, the National Captioning Institute, Centennial College of Applied Arts and Technology, the Canadian National Exhibition, IAAPA Global Safety Committee, AIMS International Board of Directors, and others. Dr. Woodcock received the inaugural Safety Impact Award from the Technical Standards and Safety Authority in 2015, ASTM F24 Appreciation Award in 2017, and was included in the 2020 Blooloop 50 Theme Park Influencer list. Her service has also been recognized with honours including the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship and by professional societies and community organizations including the Citizenship Award from the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers and Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario, University of Waterloo Faculty of Engineering Alumni Achievement Medal, and I. King Jordan Award from the Association of Late-Deafened Adults. She is the longest tenured Deaf professor in Canada and was the first Deaf woman to receive a PhD in Engineering.
