DEFEATING TERRORISM : Principles described here , though focusing on aviation security , apply to all aspects of human interaction with technology to facilitate homeland defense . What Can Human Factors / Ergonomics Offer ?

" THE TIMES CHANGE AND WE MUST CHANGE WITH THEM. " In light of the events of September 11, 2001, this is indeed true. In response, a panel was convened at the 45th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society in early October 2001 to explore some human factors/ergonomics (HF/E) implications of the attacks and the ways in which future attacks may be avoided through the application of our science. The following article, an extension of that discussion , seeks to communicate ways HF/E can address the vast range of technical challenges that, because of these acts of terrorism, now face society. First, we describe some of the existing HF/E research that is relevant to the challenges posed by the events of September 11. (After all, HF/E professionals are not newcomers to the concerns that have been identified.) Second, we provide a brief summary of some areas in which we see opportunities for HF/E science to contribute. We are especially intent on disseminating this information broadly. In the past, HF/E has shown the fallacy of oversim-plistic technological fixes in which the human element is either overlooked or neglected completely. Human-centered solutions to problems involving complex human-machine systems are much more liable to be permanent and obey the principle of primum non nocere (first, do no harm). Through these strategies, HF/E professionals can provide effective answers to crucial issues of security, emergency response, and military action. Without such input, well-intentioned, immediate technical responses to the identified problems of terrorism may not only fail but even ultimately support terror-ists' aims by inadvertently inducing unnecessary disruption. The one thing that most criticisms of current systems and proposed solutions have in common is the human element. Examples abound of the vulnerability of pilots, flight attendants , passengers, and the inhabitants of targeted locations to a determined foe; the fallibility of security personnel; and the enormous range of choices faced by everyone involved in responding to the events of September 11. Although the examples we provide focus primarily on preventing and mitigating future terrorist attacks against the flying public, HF/E principles and solutions can and should be applied to the vast majority of all concerns for homeland security. We fully realize that many readers will already be familiar with much of the material we have presented. However, our purpose is twofold. First, this article is a " call to arms " to HF/E …