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Dr. Divya Chandra

Principal Technical Advisor for Aviation Human Factors

Dr. Divya ChandraDivya C. Chandra, PhD is the principal technical advisor in aviation human factors at the U.S. DOT Volpe Center. She holds a PhD in experimental psychology from the University of Michigan, as well as degrees in aeronautical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Michigan. Chandra is also an instrument-rated private pilot.

Since 2009, she has supported FAA in understanding how pilots deal with the challenges of flying tightly defined flight paths to support performance-based navigation (PBN) operations. PBN can improve both safety and efficiency of flight operations. Previously, Chandra worked on the design and evaluation of flight deck technologies such as electronic flight bags, displays of traffic information, and aeronautical charts for both paper and electronic displays. Her work has been used by industry to improve the usability of systems that support pilots every day. Chandra’s research has also impacted international recommendations for electronic flight bags and aeronautical charts. Her current interests include how air carrier pilots respond to system malfunctions and the integration of new entrants into the national airspace.

Chandra’s projects involve significant collaboration with the aviation industry, regulators, operators, manufacturers, and other research organizations. She has been an active member of government and industry working groups including SAE International and the FAA Aeronautical Charting Meeting. Chandra has served as a member of the organizing committees for the IEEE Digital Avionics Systems Conference (DASC) and the HCI Aero Conference for multiple years.  

She joined the U.S. DOT Volpe Center in 1999. Before joining the U.S. DOT Volpe Center, Chandra was a technical staff member at MIT Lincoln Laboratory. She has also been a part-time lecturer for MIT and Tufts University, teaching courses on human-systems engineering and engineering forensics to undergraduate and graduate students.

View a list of reports by Divya Chandra, PhD.