The National Center for Human Performance
The National Center for Human Performance
Dr. Thomas A. Krouskop, Director
Mission: To maintain and enhance human performance in the arts, sport, space exploration, military, and in the general public, through the ethical and appropriate applications of research and education in medicine and related sciences.
Congress Recognizes National Center for Human Performance
On Oct. 12, 2010, President Obama signed legislation that recognizes Texas Medical Center’s National Center for Human Performance as “The National Center for Human Performance” for its efforts in collecting, archiving and sharing research findings than enhance human performance in the performing arts, sports, space exploration and the military.
With this recognition, the United States has for the first time an official site where researchers throughout the nation whose efforts center on helping humans to perform better can join together to share expertise.
The legislation, part of Senate Bill 3729, also known as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010, designates The National Center for Human Performance as “an Institution of Excellence for Human Performance dedicated to understanding and improving all aspects of human performance.”
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson and Congressman Pete Olsen were particularly instrumental in educating Congress about the work under way at The National Center for Human Performance, and the entire Houston and Texas delegations in Washington D.C. supported their efforts.
The Center’s advisory board includes astronauts, former athletes, an Olympic coach, researchers and representatives from many Texas Medical Center institutions. Board members are listed under the "Advisory Board Members" heading.
The National Center for Human Performance 2012 Annual Meeting
The National Center for Human Performance held its Annual Meeting on November 8, 2012 at the John P. McGovern Campus at the Texas Medical Center. The 2012 Annual Meeting featured the following presentations below:
“Optimizing Neurobehavioral Performance: Sleeping for Speed and Accuracy” by Dr. David Dinges, Professor of Psychology and Chief of the Division of Sleep and Chronobiology in the Department of Psychiatry, and Associate Director of the Center for Sleep and Respiratory Neurobiology in the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
“Cognitive Contributions to Skills Learning” by Dr. Rachael Seidler, Associate Professor in the School of Kinesiology and the Department of Psychology and Associate Director of the Neuroscience Graduate Program at the University of Michigan.
“People Oriented Robots” by Dr. Robert Ambrose, Division Chief of the Software, Robotics and Simulation Division at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
If you would like further information, please call 713-791-6150 or email: tnchp@texasmedicalcenter.org