Rice mourns Ken Laughery, emeritus professor of psychological sciences

Ken Laughery, an emeritus professor of psychological sciences at Rice, died April 20 in Janesville, Wisconsin, following a lengthy battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was 83.

Kenneth Laughery. Submitted photo.

Born in 1935 in Rowes Run, Pennsylvania, Laughery received a Bachelor of Science degree in metallurgical engineering and a master’s degree and doctorate in psychology from Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) in Pittsburgh.

Laughery came to Rice in 1984 as the Henry R. Luce Professor of Engineering Psychology and was later named the Herbert S. Autrey Professor of Psychology. He retired from teaching in 2002 and took the position of emeritus professor of psychological sciences.

“Ken was not only well-known and well-respected, but incredibly well-liked,” said Mike Byrne, a professor of psychological sciences at Rice. “He was so welcoming when I first started as a new assistant professor and I thought it was great to get special treatment, but it wasn’t unique — he was like that with everyone. After he retired, it was always great to see him at Human Factors and Ergonomics Society meetings. He was always easy to find because there was usually a crowd of friends around him, laughing and smiling. He brought that out in people.”

“After he retired, it was always great to see him at Human Factors and Ergonomics Society meetings. He was always easy to find because there was usually a crowd of friends around him, laughing and smiling. He brought that out in people.”

A world-renowned expert in the field of human factors, Laughery dedicated his career to investigating risk perception in consumer safety and responsibility allocation for consumer safety and safety communications, and conducted groundbreaking research in these fields. He was the author of more than 200 publications that included books as well as articles and papers in scholarly journals.

His passion for his profession led him to an active role in the national Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, where he served in numerous positions over many years, including multiple terms on the executive council and a term as president in 1992. His contributions to the science and practice of his profession culminated in Laughery receiving the society’s 2004 Arnold Small Distinguished Service Award. He was also active as a fellow of the International Ergonomics Association and served as treasurer and as a member of the Executive Committee.

Laughery was widely considered to be one of the best expert witnesses in the field of human factors, working on more than 650 cases and testifying in over 115 trials. In this capacity, he used his scholarly background and credentials to help lawyers demonstrate and juries understand that workplace and consumer injuries were often the result of poor design and dangerous jobs, not human mistakes.

Prior to his time at Rice, Laughery studied artificial intelligence at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, served in the Army as a research psychologist and was a professor of psychology and industrial engineering at the State University of New York at Buffalo and a professor and chair of the psychology department at the University of Houston.

A lifelong lover of travel, Laughery spent a sabbatical year in England in 1969 and had the opportunity to visit every U.S. state, every continent and 68 countries.

Laughery is survived by his wife, four children, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

“While ambition, smarts and hard work had much to do with Ken’s successes, equally important were his kindness, generosity, sense of humor and loving nature,” read a tribute from the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.  “Those who knew him understood that this man succeeded as much because of his heart as his head.”

A memorial service celebrating Laughery’s life will be held at 1 p.m. June 22 at his home in Janesville. Those interested in joining his friends and family to honor and share memories of him should contact Brenda Laughery by June 8 at brenda3050@gmail.com or 608-774-1166.

Memorials may be made in Laughery’s honor to Agrace Hospice Inpatient Unit, 2901 N. Wright Road, Janesville, WI 53546.