Lora Cavuoto, a widely respected educator in the occupational safety and health field and a member of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) for seven years, is ASSP’s 2022 William E. Tarrants Outstanding Safety Educator.
Cavuoto, Ph.D., CPE, is an associate professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) at the University at Buffalo in New York. She has been the director of the university’s occupational health and safety training program since 2017.
Cavuoto has written nearly 70 journal articles, more than 30 conference proceedings, and many technical reports, in addition to delivering technical presentations at national and international conferences. Her research promotes healthier and more productive work environments by integrating human factors and ergonomics principles.
A resident of South Wales in suburban Buffalo, Cavuoto joined the university in 2012 to strengthen its ergonomics research to prevent occupational injury and illness, and to teach courses in human factors engineering. In 2020, she received the school’s highest award for undergraduate teaching and mentorship.
“Dr. Cavuoto not only embodies scientific excellence, creativity, and a commitment to education – she is also a leader and collaborator,” said Ann Bisantz, Ph.D., dean of undergraduate education at the university. “Her student evaluations are typically among the highest in the department, and among the best at the university overall.”
Each of Cavuoto’s industry-funded research projects over the last five years has involved students, providing them with practical experience and exposure to the challenges faced in industries worldwide.
“Dr. Cavuoto is one of the most impactful occupational safety and health scholars of her generation,” said Victor Paquet, Sc.D., professor, and chair of the university’s ISE department. “She has made significant educational and research contributions in ergonomics and biomechanics, assessment of work-related injury risk, use of wearable technologies to prevent injuries, and the improvement of patient safety through robotics and surgery design.”
Cavuoto has mentored more than 40 students on senior capstone projects and dissertations aimed at solving occupational safety and health engineering challenges and better protecting workers on the job.
“She instills an enthusiasm for student learning by carefully guiding students toward the right answers to complex problems,” Paquet said. “She strongly believes that being approachable and accessible are vital components of a successful learning environment. The way that Dr. Cavuoto operationalizes her teaching philosophies and dedication to her students has enabled her to become the exceptional teacher and mentor that she is today.”
Cavuoto will be honored at ASSP’s Safety 2022 Professional Development Conference and Exposition, held June 27-29 in Chicago. The global event will bring together thousands of safety professionals to learn about best practices, industry trends, and the latest product innovations in the occupational safety and health field.
Each year, ASSP honors a member who demonstrates outstanding achievement in occupational safety and health education. These top instructors help students reach their full potential and become results-producing safety professionals. ASSP’s Outstanding Safety Educator Award is named after William E. Tarrants, a pioneer in safety education who was an ASSP Fellow and president (1977-78).
