Prof. Ericka Rovira, PhD Professor of Engineering Psychology Behavioral Sciences & Leadership Robotics Research Center ericka.rovira [at] westpoint.edu About Education Research & Publications Ericka Rovira holds a Ph. D. in Applied Experimental Psychology and is a Professor of Engineering Psychology in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership at United States Military Academy, West Point, NY. Her research investigates human autonomy teaming in high-risk complex environments. Her interest lies in understanding how to improve trust and reliance in robots including team cohesion and the role of individual differences in cognition. Notably, Professor Rovira has most recently been awarded a Multi University Research Initiative grant for the next 5 years to study human autonomous teaming ($7.5 Million, 6 collaborators). Professor Rovira has held various leadership positions including Chair of the Engineering Psychology Program, Founder of the Excel Scholars Program (a program which increases the number of historically underrepresented cadets that compete and win post graduate fellowships), and President of the American Psychological Association’s Division 21: Applied Experimental and Engineering Psychology Division. Last Professor Rovira has been the recipient of the Dean's Award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Excellence (2023), the Scott R. Clark Innovation for Soldiers Award (2022), the Peter L. Zhu Scholastic Achievement Award from the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (2022), Outstanding Senior Teaching in the Department Behavioral Sciences and Leadership Award (2022), and the Department of the Army Superior Civilian Service Medal (2019). Ph.D. Applied Experimental Psychology - The Catholic University of America M.A. in Human Factors - The Catholic University of America B.S. Engineering Psychology and Biomedical Engineering - Tufts University Research Interests Human Robot Interaction, Trust in Autonomous Systems, Individual Differences in Normal Cognition, AI, Team Cohesion in Autonomous Systems Current Research Prof Rovira's research investigates human autonomy teaming in high-risk complex environments. Her interest lies in understanding how to improve trust and reliance in robots including team cohesion and the role of individual differences in cognition. Ericka is additionally investigating the role of individual differences in normal cognition as it relates to susceptibility to AI hallucinations. Selected Publications Pak, R., Rovira, E., & McLaughlin, A. C. (2024, October 2). Polite AI mitigates user susceptibility to AI hallucinations. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/hg76pPak, R. and Rovira, E. (2023). A theoretical model to explain mixed effects of trust repair strategies in autonomous systems. Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science, DOI: 10.1080/1463922X.2023.2250424Tempestini, G., Rovira, E., Pyke, A., Di Nocera, F. (2023). The Cybersecurity Awareness INventory (CAIN): Early Phases of Development of a Tool for Assessing Cybersecurity Knowledge Based on the ISO/IEC 27032. J. Cybersecur. Priv. 2023, 3, 61–75. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/jcp3010005Boyce, M.W., Thomson, R.H., Cartwright, J.K., Feltner, D.T., Stainrod, C.R., Flynn, J., Ackermann, C., Emezie, J., Amburn, C.R. and Rovira, E. (2022). Enhancing Military Training Using Extended Reality: A Study of Military Tactics Comprehension. Front. Virtual Real. 3:754627. doi: 10.3389/frvir.2022.754627Lakhmani, S. G., Neubauer, C., Krausman, A., Fitzhugh, S. M., Berg, S. K., Wright, J. L., Rovira, E., Blackman, J., & Schaefer, K. E. (2022). Cohesion in human–autonomy teams: an approach for future research. Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science, 1-38. https://doi.org/10.1080/1463922X.2022.2033876Pyke, A., Rovira, E., Murray, S., Pritts, J., Carp, C., & Thomson, R. (2021). Predicting individual differences to cyber attacks: Knowledge, arousal, emotional and trust responses. Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, 15(4), Article 9. https://doi.org/10.5817/CP2021-4-9