Drexel Engineering will continue the Dean’s Lecture Series on May 14 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in Mitchell Auditorium with Dr. Dario Salvucci, professor of computer science whose research focuses on understanding human multitasking in the context of driving and driver distraction. Salvucci will highlight the theory of "threaded cognition," which uses computational cognitive models to simulate multitask behavior and account for potential interference between two tasks.
At the lecture titled, “Walk, Text, and Chew Gum: A Computational Approach to Understanding Human Multitasking,” Salvucci will explain the domain of driving and driver distraction, and outline how computational models of driver performance can enable practical tools for evaluating the potential distraction of new in-vehicle systems such as in-dash touch screen systems.
Salvucci received a bachelor's degree in computer science from Princeton University and his doctoral degree in computer science from Carnegie Mellon University. His work in the areas of cognitive science, human factors and human-computer interaction focuses on computational models of human cognition and behavior, with particular emphasis on multitasking and driving. Salvucci has received a National Science Foundation CAREER Award, the Drexel College of Engineering Outstanding Teaching Award, the Fred Burggraf Prize at the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting and the Siegel-Wolf Prize at the International Conference on Cognitive Modeling. He also serves on the Franklin Institute Committee on Science and the Arts and the editorial boards of ACM ToCHI, Human Factors, and Psychological Review.
The Dean’s Lecture Series is free and open to the University.