- Affiliated Faculty, Industrial & Systems Engineering and Multidisciplinary Engineering
- Director of the Ergonomics Center, Texas A&M University
- Department Head, Environmental and Occupational Health, Texas A&M School of Public Health
- Phone: 979-436-9334
- FAX: 979-436-9590
- Email: mthowdy@tamu.edu
- Office: 212 Adriance Lab Rd.
- Website: Personal Website
Educational Background
- Doctorate of Philosophy, Interdisciplinary Engineering, Texas A&M University
Research Interests
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- Office Worker Obesity
- Classroom Ergonomics and Childhood Obesity
- Sedentary Behavior Interventions
- Remote Worker Research
Awards & Honors
- US Patent # 6,142,571- Ergonomic Footrest Apparatus for a Chair
- US Patent # 6,220,663- Lumbar Pump Assembly for a Chair
- US Patent # 6,296,312- Ergonomic Armrest Assembly
- US Patent # 6,290,295- Air Pump Assembly for a Chair
- US Patent # D458,777S- Onboard Instruction Guide
- US Patent # D463,441S-computer Accessories and Mouse Deck
- MALRC Fellow - Nov 2008
- National Science Foundation - STEM Grant Reviewer Oct 2008
- Industrial Advisory Board - member; TAMU ENTC department 2008
- U.S. Top 10 Most Innovative Product Designer, Healthcare Design Magazine, June 2008
- Buildings Magazine, Editor's Top 100 for 2007 - Ntune Seating System
- Platinum ADEX award in the 2005-06 Awards for Design Excellence for NeXtepTM and BalanceTM Chair in the Design Journal
- Platinum ADEX award in the 2004-05 Awards for Design Excellence for AbStoolTM in the Design Journal
- Platinum ADEX award in the 2004-05 Awards for Design Excellence for StandUpTM in the Design Journal
- Member, Canvass Committee for BSR/HFES 100 the proposed draft to the ANSI/HFS 100 - 1988 American National Standard for Human Factors Engineering of Visual Display Terminal Workstations (Issued Nov 2007 as new standard.)
Selected Publications
- Garrett, G., Zhao, H., Pickens, A., Mehta, R., Preston, L., Powell, A., & Benden, M. E. (2019). Computer-based Prompt’s impact on postural variability and sit-stand desk usage behavior; a cluster randomized control trial. Applied Ergonomics, 79, 17-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2019.04.003.
- Sharma, P., Benden, M. E., Mehta, R. K., Pickens, A., & Han, G. (2018). A Quantitative Evaluation of Electric Sit-Stand Desk Usage: 3-Month In-Situ Workplace Study. ISSE Transactions on Occupational Ergonomics and Human Factors, 6(2), 76-83. https://doi.org/10.1080/24725838.2018.1521351
- Sharma, P., Mehta, R. K., Pickens, A., Han, G., & Benden, M. E. (2018). Sit-Stand Desk Software Can Now Monitor and Prompt Office Workers to Change Health Behaviors. Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 61(5), 816-824. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018720818807043
- Garrett, G., Benden, M. E., Mehta, R., Pickens, A., Peres, C. S., & Zhao, H. (2016). Call Center Productivity Over 6 Months Following Standing Desk Intervention. IIE Transactions on Occupational Ergonomics and Human Factors, 4(2-3), 188-195. https://doi.org/10.1080/21577323.2016.1183534
- Hinckson, E., Salmon, J., Benden, M. E., Clemes, S. A., Sudholz, B., Barber, S. E., Aminian, S., & Ridgers N. D. (2016). Standing Classrooms: Research and Lessons Learned from Around the World. Sports Medicine, 46, 977-987. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-015-0436-2