Autumn 2025
Digital Copilots for Pilot Mental Health DRG
Instructors:
Professor Cecilia Aragon (HCDE)
Dr. Kimberly Perkins (Research Scientist, HCDE; Airline Pilot)
We are recruiting graduate students (undergraduates with relevant experience considered) to join an empirical study on how AI “digital copilots” can support pilot mental health and wellbeing—examining roles such as monitor, coach, companion, and gatekeeper. Students will design scenario-based evaluations, support expert interviews (pilots, regulators, clinicians), analyze qualitative/mixed-methods data to refine a taxonomy of pilot needs (acute stress, long-term resilience, crisis escalation), and probe design tensions (privacy vs. safety, empathy vs. compliance) shaping responsible AI. Expectations include self-discipline and independent research, meeting conference deadlines/milestones, and collaborative writing toward publishable outputs. Cohort capped at 4. To express interest, email Kimberly Perkins, PhD at pilot@uw.edu with a few sentences on how your background aligns with the DRG (include program/degree, relevant experience, and Fall 2025 availability/credit request).
Summer 2025
Mental health in the aviation industry
Instructors:
Professor Cecilia Aragon (HCDE)
Dr. Kimberly Perkins (Research Scientist, HCDE; Airline Pilot)
We are looking for students for Summer 2025 to join a Directed Research Group (DRG) focused on mental health in the aviation industry. This project examines how pilots and controllers navigate psychological distress, why some avoid seeking help, and what interventions have proven effective in fostering resilience. This DRG will contribute to a broader research effort aimed at informing policy and training systems across the aviation sector.
Activities of this research group will include cleaning and analyzing data from a large-scale industry survey (n = 1700+), designing an IRB application for a follow-up qualitative interview, and helping to produce a mixed-methods academic study. Students will be expected to engage in collaborative writing, contribute to data analysis, and support the drafting and submission of two peer-reviewed publications.
Ideal candidates will have experience or training in:
- Quantitative data analysis and statistical reasoning
- Qualitative research methods (especially interview design).
- Academic writing and collaboration
- Interest in aviation, mental health, and system-level policy change
This DRG will be limited to 5 students.
For questions, please email Kimberly Perkins at pilot@uw.edu.
To apply, please fill out this Google survey by June 12, 2025. Acceptance notifications will be sent by end of day June 16.