AEC 2026: We Came. We Learned. We Ergo'd.

Four days. Hundreds of ergonomists. One unforgettable conference. AEC 2026 proved once again that when the best minds in ergonomics get in the same room, the whole industry moves forward.

Thank you. To every attendee, speaker, presenter, exhibitor, and sponsor who made this year's conference extraordinary: we couldn't do this without you. Your energy, expertise, and passion for advancing ergonomics made AEC 2026 something special.

A special thank-you to our keynote speakers Mark Benden and Cassini Nazir for inspiring us to think bigger — and to all of our speakers and presenters who packed every session with insight and innovation.

Congratulations to this year's Ergo Cup® winners and AEC Award recipients — your work is proof that great ergonomics saves lives, reduces injury, and delivers real results.

Coming soon: Conference candids, awards photo albums, and podcast interviews recorded live at AEC 2026 will be available here shortly. Stay tuned.

Save the date — #AppliedErgo2027 will take place March 22–26, 2027 at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta in Atlanta.

Ergo Cup® 2025 Winners

Sponsored by The Ergonomics Center of North Carolina and Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at NC State University

Ergonomics Program Improvement Initiative
ToyotAbility — Toyota Motor Manufacturing, San Antonio, TX

New Product or New Job Design Solutions
Unboxed Manufacturing: Seats on Pack — Tesla Inc., Palo Alto, CA

Task Focused Workplace Solutions — Manual Material Handing Tasks
Eyewash Ergo Handle — Cintas, Bedford, VA

Task Focused Workplace Solutions — Repetitive and/or Awkward Posture Tasks
The Smooth Lacerator — Toyo Tires of North America, White, GA

Task Focused Workplace Solutions — Miscellaneous or Multi-Task
Advanced Rocket System Platform Rollover — Lockheed Martin Corp., Camden AR

Task Focused Workplace Solutions — Maintenance or Other Non-Standard Tasks
Wireless Bobbin Lock Detection — Michelin, Anderson, SC

Ergo Excellence Award Winners

Return on Investment
Radiator Sliders — Honda Development and Mfg. of America

Ergonomic Risk Reduction
Arm Support for Phi Harness — Gulfstream Aerospace

Innovation
MexTech Mixer — Gulfstream Aerospace

Presentation Quality
May the Force Be with You: Jedi Training for Perfecting Door Garnish Installation — Honda of Canada Mfg.

Transferability/Scalability
Project Rise: A No Bending Solution — Amazon

Simplicity
Remove Wheels Tanks — PPG

Practitioner of the Year Award

Sponsored by OccuCare Injury Prevention
Murray Gibson, Saturn Ergonomics Consulting

Young Investigator Award

Sponsored by Texas A&M Cetner for Worker Health
Oshin Tyagi, University of Michigan

Student of the Year Awards

Sponsored by CNA Insurance

  • Kathy Min, University of California at Berkeley
  • Hamidreza Mohammadhosseinzadeh Golabchi, University of Alberta
  • Pius Gyamenah, Arizona State University
  • Lukas Peterson, Minnesota State University

PHOTOS: Attendees' POV + Award Winners

View and download these moments captured throughout the conference at the Rosen Centre Hotel. You can also find photos of this year's AEC award recipients as well as the winning teams with their Ergo Cup® trophies.

#AppliedErgo 2025 Album | AEC 2025 Awards Album

KEYNOTES: Watch these extraordinary presentations

Attendees enjoyed and learned from two experts who delivered unique, dynamic, and often humorous views on ergonomics and its real-world applications. Watch the replay of the 2025 keynote presentations.

Karl Zelik, Ph.D. | Mike Courtney

Ergo Cup® finalists demonstrations

Click on any of these links below to watch a demonstration by an Ergo Cup® finalist team in the Exhibit Hall during #AppliedErgo2025.

#AppliedErgo2025 Podcast Breaks: Hear what attendees gained from the event

"Problem Solved: The IISE Podcast" continues its series of brief interviews capturing attendees' insights and experiences at the Applied Ergonomics Conference. These mini-episodes offer a glimpse into the diverse perspectives of professionals and students who participated in the event. Click on the name of an attendee listed below to find and listen to their interview:

Thank you for being an integral part of the Applied Ergonomics Conference. We look forward to your continued engagement and hope to see you at future events.

Join us to plan the future of AEC

We're looking to add more volunteers to our ranks — join the AEC conference committee! Bring your ideas and passion for ergonomics to help us plan our conference activities. Click on the button below to fill out our volunteer form.

Volunteer for AEC

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