Dalhousie University — Halifax, Nova Scotia
Celebrating Dr. John F. McCabe's legacy. Building the Human Factors community he helped create.
About the Colloquium
Dr. John F. McCabe devoted nearly four decades to the School of Health and Human Performance at Dalhousie University, from 1975 to 2012. A professor, researcher, and mentor, he shaped a generation of Human Factors and Ergonomics practitioners, researchers, and leaders across North America and beyond.
The McCabe Colloquium brings that community together—students, alumni, practitioners, and researchers—to celebrate his legacy and carry forward the work he championed: applying the science of human factors to make systems, workplaces, and lives genuinely better.
The event is organized by alumni of the Dalhousie School of Health and Human Performance, in partnership with the university.
"The colloquium's objective is to celebrate Dr. John McCabe's academic legacy by continuing to build the Human Factors community he was instrumental in creating." — From the inaugural colloquium, September 2022
Dr. McCabe's scholarship centred on applied ergonomics in high-stakes environments including surgical teams and industrial settings. His former students are now leaders in healthcare, engineering, government, defence, and industry across Canada and internationally.
The Program
Each colloquium blends academic rigour with the warmth of a community reunion. Past programs have included:
Current students present research in Human Factors, Ergonomics, and related fields, connecting the next generation to a community of practitioners and mentors.
Alumni and practitioners tackle questions at the frontier of Human Factors, from AI integration to complexity management to the evolution of the profession.
A candid conversation with leaders in the field about where Human Factors science is headed and what it means to practice it with purpose.
The colloquium serves a geographically distributed community. Both attendance formats are supported, with meaningful participation available to all.
Past Events
Held at Dalhousie University, Halifax. Over 40 attendees joined from academia, industry, government, and healthcare, including participants from Emera, WCB Nova Scotia, Halifax Regional Municipality, Michelin North America, Defence Research and Development Canada, and Memorial University. Students, alumni, and partner organizations joined both in person and virtually.
In Person VirtualThe first colloquium launched with a panel discussion on the future of Human Factors in design, a student research pitch session, and a fireside chat on managing complexity, themes drawn directly from Dr. McCabe's own scholarly legacy. Co-organized by former students and Dalhousie faculty.
In Person VirtualStay Connected
The McCabe community spans students, researchers, practitioners, and industry partners across Canada and beyond. Sign up to receive announcements about upcoming events, calls for student presenters, and news from the Human Factors community.
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Community Partners
The McCabe Colloquium draws participants and support from organizations across Atlantic Canada and beyond. We are grateful to those who invest in building this community.
Sponsoring the McCabe Colloquium connects your organization with Human Factors professionals, researchers, and students across Atlantic Canada. We are building a formal sponsorship package and would welcome a conversation.
Get in Touch