Measuring the Human in Complex Systems: Cognitive Workload in Pilot–ATC Communication and Beyond
Fehime Utkan-Toprak
Communication breakdowns between pilots and air traffic controllers (ATCs) have been identified as a leading contributing factor in fatal aviation accidents. Previous research has relied largely on cockpit voice recordings, voluntary safety reports, and accident investigations, which are retrospective and largely subjective. Objective assessment of communication challenges in multicultural flight environments is therefore needed. This seminar presents doctoral research examining language-related communication challenges through physiological, acoustic, and subjective measures of pilots’ cognitive workload. In total, nineteen pilots participated in simulated flights involving communication with ATCs who were native and nonnative speakers of English, under normal and high workload conditions. Findings indicated that native American-English-speaking pilots experienced significantly higher cognitive workload when communicating with nonnative-English-speaking ATCs under both workload conditions. Prediction models were developed to quantify workload during these interactions, with potential applications in task allocation between captains and first officers. These findings provide a basis for understanding communication demands and informing interventionsto support aviation safety in multicultural flight environments.
Beyond aviation, the seminar discusses broader applications of human performance evaluation in occupational and product-use contexts, demonstrating how objective measures and user research can improve safety and user experience and inform design decisions.
Short Bio
Fehime Utkan-Toprak earned her Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering, specializing in Human Factors and Ergonomics, from Western Michigan University in 2020. Her dissertation examined pilot’s mental workload in flight operations. Her research interests include neuroergonomics and quantitative user experience research. She also served as a Senior User Experience Researcher at Newell Brands, a Fortune 500 company, where she designed and conducted user research studies that informed product design decisions across globally recognized brands.
She contributed to numerous funded human factors research projects, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-funded program, and taught undergraduate and graduate courses in ergonomics and biomechanics. She holds the Associate Ergonomics Professional (AEP) credential awarded by the Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics (BCPE). She is currently an adjunct instructor in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Hacettepe University, where she teaches ergonomics.
Venue
Friday, November 6, 2026, 4.00 pm
IE Building, Halim Doğrusöz Auditorium (IE 03)