Catherine Trask new programme director for Technology, Work and Health

“I am trained as an Occupational Hygienist within the University of British Columbia faculty of medicine in Canada. Before coming to Sweden I worked for a decade within the College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan, so I am used to approaching Ergonomics from the health perspective. As a Canada Research Chair I had protected research time and good access to funding, but not many local collaborators in the area of Ergonomics and Work Environment and I was very disconnected from advanced education – my last institution did not have an ergonomics course so my job had no mandate for education.”

What made you choose to come to Sweden and KTH?

“Some people buy a red sports car when they are looking for a mid-life adventure, and other people move to a new country! In all seriousness, there is a sense of adventure in coming to a new place. The things that really attracted me to KTH were its international reputation and the great researchers in the Ergonomics Division, but also the fact that it is a fundamentally an engineering school. This provides a really different perspective and context for looking at ergonomics issues.

It has been a shake-up and a chance to view things in a different way, which has not always been easy, but has always been a very broadening experience. I really would like to thank all my colleagues who have helped me to settle in at KTH, and for their continued support and patience since I am still learning many things (including Swedish!)”

Why did you apply for this position?

Right from the start, I was excited to contribute to Masters Training in Ergonomics and Work Environment Engineering. The master’s programme is in its second decade now so it is relatively young and still constantly developing, updating, and improving. 

What do you look forward to the most?

Over the last 1.5 years we have made some big changes to the Master’s programme, so now I am looking forward to some stability in the framework so that we can look into the refining the details of each course. Employers, alumni, and recent graduates tell us that practical exercises, applied skills and real-life projects are the most useful, so those are the things we will further develop in the program over the next periods.

What is your research field today?

Looking over my publications from the last few years, it seems pretty diverse! There are some articles on workplace fatality epidemiology, clinical approaches in musculoskeletal health, workplace interventions, investigations of workplace exposures, and explorations of interventions and solutions to foster occupational health and safety. My biggest research passions are in developing and evaluating workplace solutions and addressing inequities in workplace exposure/injury. 

Text: Åsa Karsberg