Since 2000, Benchmark Research & Safety, Inc. (BRS) has helped provide clients from federal/state/local agencies, private industries, and small non-profit organizations with practical solutions to complex problems. Our diverse staff includes psychologists, scientists, researchers and project managers who have graduate and undergraduate degrees from leading universities in human factors psychology, experimental psychology, mechanical engineering, and social sciences. Staff members have published in excess of 60 peer-reviewed publications, proceedings, and book chapters on such diverse topics as warnings, hazard communication, risk perception, hazard analysis, decision making, textual format, drug and nutrition labeling, display design, older adults, and data collection methods.
Curt C. Braun, Ph.D. is the president, CEO, and founder of BRS. Dr. Braun’s has brought psychological and human factors principles to a variety of industries including aviation, software development, public administration and research, and wildland management. In each field, Dr. Braun has worked to identify and shape the psychological and system design factors that promote human performance. Dr. Braun has been actively providing training to individuals charged with the management of the nation's wildland fires on topics ranging from decision-making, team development, team processes, and human behavior in the fire environment. Besides running BRS, Dr. Braun is also an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Idaho where he has taught courses in the design of complex systems, research methods, statistics, and ergonomics. Dr. Braun has worked in the field of human factors/ergonomics for more than 15 years, with many of those years focused on warnings and risk communication. Dr. Braun holds Ph.D. in Applied Experimental and Human Factors Psychology from the University of Central Florida.
Eric F. Shaver, Ph.D. is a senior consultant with BRS where he specializes in human factors/ergonomics and safety. Dr. Shaver has expertise in safety information including the development and evaluation of warnings, instructions, and manuals; risk perception; human error and decision making; and the development and presentation of safety education and training materials. Prior to joining BRS, Dr. Shaver worked for Applied Safety & Ergonomics, Inc. as a human factors specialist where he assisted in providing clients with litigation support, developing and evaluating safety information, and directing research projects. Dr. Shaver holds a Ph.D. in Ergonomics Psychology from North Carolina State University and a M.S. in Human Factors Psychology and a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Idaho. He is a full member of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society where he has been an active member of the Safety & Forensic Professional Technical Groups. Dr. Shaver is also a member of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z535.3 Subcommittees on Criteria for Safety Symbols.
