Uwe Reischl, professor of health sciences, presented a research paper at the 55th annual meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society held Sept. 19-23, in Las Vegas, Nev. The paper, titled “Thermal Properties of Reflective Helmet Exposed to Infrared Radiation,” was based on research conducted in the Public Health Ergonomics Laboratory using a novel thermal manikin technology developed at Boise State. The thermal manikin allows measurement of heat transfer through personal protective equipment during exposure to challenging thermal environments. The paper presents a strategy for optimizing the thermal characteristics of protective equipment to enhance worker health and safety, comfort, and productivity. Prof. Ravindra Goonetilleke of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in Hong Kong co-authored.