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The Society ForHuman Performance In Extreme Environments |
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About the SocietyThe Society for Human Performance in Extreme Environments (HPEE) has been created to inspire and support research as well as to generate interest in furthering the presence of humans in extreme environments within a human performance realm.Extreme environments are those in which humans are not naturally suited and require much effort for adaptation. Operating within these conditions often affects and significantly compromises human performance. Among the environments considered extreme in nature are spaceflight, high-performance flight, general aviation, armed forces, special forces, undersea operations, arctic and isolated environments, mountaineering, medical/ emergency, firefighting, nuclear, chemical and all other environments in which the human must perform under highly stressed and challenging conditions. Operating within these environments often demands full utilization as well as understanding of human abilities, limitations, and the human environmental and technology interface. The importance of maximizing human performance and health in these environments is easily realized. While forums exist for displaying efforts directed primarily towards physiological and engineering adaptation to extreme environments, no such forum exists which places emphasis on the behavioral (psychological, cognitive, perceptual, psycho- physiological, social) and human-technology interface aspects of human performance. It is the intention of the Society for Human Performance in Extreme Environments to serve as such a forum. Standing on the threshold of extended duration spaceflight missions with multicultural crews, at no other time will our need for understanding human abilities and limitations be more crucial. Maximizing human performance involves not only an understanding of the human-technology interface, but an understanding of behavior and the human-environment interface as well. Critical incidents relating specifically to behavioral maladaptation and human factors issues have jeopardized numerous missions. Research pertaining to adaptation to a variety of stressed and extreme environments, ranging from arctic and underwater exploration to prisoner of war and field combat, to test-taking in stressed conditions will aid in our understanding of the adaptation problems inherent in all such environments. Much emphasis has been placed on the engineering systems and hardware needed to support human spaceflight, as well as to the physiological aspects of adaptation, which no one will dispute are critical. We are vitally aware of what can happen when engineering hardware fails, as is so tragically evidenced by the Challenger accident. HPEE supports the illumination of an issue far more subtle, yet with the capability, and certainty, of causing the same tragic consequences - the issue of human performance decrements in relation to operating within the spaceflight environment. Behavioral research must be integrated with the engineering, human factors, and life sciences in order to ensure a safe and furthered presence in spaceflight as well as many other challenging environments. For those who wish to display their research, work, and interests relating specifically to the behavioral and human performance issues inherent in these environments, as well as have access to others who share their interests and efforts, HPEE is an appropriate and dynamic forum in which to do so. The quality and diversity of its membership thus far is an illustration of the appropriateness as well as need for its existence. Advances in technology during the few years preceding the third millennium have truly entered humankind into a new age of exploration and challenge. This exploration has allowed us to grasp the heavens and dive the depths, and consequently to challenge the limits of our human abilities. To ensure our continuing presence in these and other extreme environments, efforts must be taken towards understanding and facilitating human adaptation to the conditions inherent in these environments. The time for such efforts is now. HPEE invites those with demonstrated contributions or interests related to incorporating humans into stressed and extreme environments to serve as contributing members. HPEE is a nationally registered, tax-exempt, nonprofit professional society.
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