Senior Research Fellow in Human Factors
College of Business, Government and Law
Building on a background in applied health sciences (prosthetics and orthotics), Dr O’Keeffe has worked in diverse roles focused on human factors, ergonomics and workplace health and safety. Valerie's experience spans health and safety policy development and enforcement, management systems consultancy and auditing, research, ambulance and disability services, clinical and occupational rehabilitation, and training and education, where she has worked for SafeWork South Australia, SafeWork Australia and SAI Global Assurance Services.
As a researcher, Valerie's current projects apply human factors, ergonomics and organisational psychology as vehicles to promote successful and sustainable technology adoption at work. Her aim is to improve individual and organisational performance through greater inclusivity, health and safety, and business capability. Previous projects have examined worker performance in the service industries including the influence of job quality and design on worker, business and customer outcomes. Valerie has an interest in job design, particularly the management of psychosocial hazards and the prevention of psychological injury at work, also researching the regulation of and policy frameworks for managing psychosocial risks at work.
Valerie's teaching speciality is human factors and organisational safety in the future of work, with an emphasis on sociotechnical systems, behaviour and work health and safety.
PhD (Social Psychology), UniSA
Master of Ergonomics, University of Queensland
Bachelor of Psychological Science, UniSA
Graduate Diploma Occupational Health, University of Adelaide
Graduate Diploma Social Science (Rehabilitation), University of SA
Graduate Certificate in Public Sector Management, Flinders University
Diploma Applied Science (Prosthetics and Orthotics) Latrobe University
Australian Councillor, International Ergonomics Association, 2020
Fellow of the Australian Institute of Health and Safety, 2020
Fellow of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of Australia, 2019
Emerald Publishing/EMFD Award for Outstanding Doctoral Research in Healthcare Management, 2015
Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of Australia David Ferguson Postgraduate Student Award, 2015
Valerie's teaching interests are human factors, ergonomics, safety management systems and psychosocial risk
Valerie has recently completed a two year term as General Secretary and Executive of the Board of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of Australia and is currently serving as the Australian Councillor on the International Ergonomics Association.
Valerie is a Certified Professional Ergonomist of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of Australia and a Certified Chartered Safety Professional of the Australian Institute of Health and Safety
Valerie is a member of the Editorial Board of the journal Safety Science