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Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership

Warfighter Effectiveness Research Center

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About WERC
Research
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People

Advancing interdisciplinary research to strengthen warfighter decision-making, resilience, and human–machine teaming.

Located in USAFA’s Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership, the Warfighter Effectiveness Research Center (WERC) conducts mechanistic, interdisciplinary research on the social, cognitive, and neural processes that shape warfighter performance in realistic operational contexts. By integrating behavioral science, neuroscience, engineering, robotics, and immersive technologies, WERC develops explanatory models and applied tools that strengthen decision-making, resilience, and human–machine teaming. In parallel, the Center advances scientific understanding, integrates cadets into cutting-edge research, and translates findings into practical insights that support operational readiness and future force development.

What We Do

Research

WERC conducts mechanistic, theory-driven research on the cognitive, social, affective, and neural processes that shape performance in operational contexts, with an emphasis on generalizable and reproducible science.

Education

Cadets are integrated into all phases of WERC research, gaining hands-on experience with advanced methods such as virtual reality, neuroimaging, robotics, and AI-enabled agents while developing as scholar-warriors.

Operational Impact

WERC translates research into tools, frameworks, and training approaches that enhance resilience, trust calibration, and decision-making for warfighters operating in dynamic and contested environments.

WERC studies human performance, decision-making, and resilience using behavioral science, neuroscience, engineering and new technologies.

View Our Research Projects
A white robot with a black camera head featuring dual lenses labeled "ZED." Sleek design and neutral background convey a modern, technological feel.
A cadet in uniform walks a robotic dog down a well-lit hallway, showcasing a moment of companionship and duty.
A cadet operates a tablet to remotely control a robot in a tactical environment.
A cadet in camouflage uniform wearing a high-tech cap with numerous wires, illustrating advanced brain-interface technology. Focused expression, modern setting.

Hear from our cadets and the WERC director

Featured Research Areas

Human-Machine Teaming
Optimizing trust, coordination, and decision-making in teams that include automomous and AI-enabled systems.

Cognitive Security
Safeguarding human cognition and decision-making from misinformation, influence, and adversarial manipulation.

SPICE (Social Processes in Isolated, Confined, and Extreme Environments)
Understanding how stress, isolation, time pressure, and environmental constraints affect team performance and resilience.

Metatheory
Developing mechanistic frameworks that strengthen theory building, reproducibility, and the translation of behavioral science to applied contexts.

Partners & Affiliations

WERC collaborates with U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force organizations, Department of Defense research partners, and academic institutions to ensure research relevance and impact.

Some of our current partners include

  • George Mason University
  • UC Merced
  • University of Colorado at Boulder
  • Clemson University
  • University of Texas, San Antonio

How to Partner

New Summer Faculty Fellowship Opportunity – The U.S. Air Force Research Lab Summer Faculty Fellowship Program offers hands-on exposure to Air Force research challenges through 8- to 12-week research residencies at the WERC for full-time science, mathematics, and engineering faculty at U.S. colleges and universities.

Windows on Science (WoS) – Foreign scientists are funded to visit U.S. Air Force sites.

CRADA – Agreement by which researchers are able to form partnerships with non-federal entities.

Educational Partnership Agreement – agreement used to loan/donate equipment to educational institutions.

Engineer & Scientist Exchange Program (ESEP) – Provides on-site working assignments for U.S. military and civilian engineers and scientists in allied and friendly governments’ organizations, and the reciprocal assignment of foreign engineers and scientists in U .S. defense establishments.

U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet Summer Research Program (CSRP) – Behavioral Science students (cadets) entering their final/senior year of study participate in 5-6 week undergraduate summer internships funded by host/sponsor.

Memorandum of Agreement – Agreement by which researchers are able to form partnerships with federal entities.

BAA – This is a way to collaborate with the WERC through a cooperative agreement. Interested parties should submit a white paper addressing the areas noted in the BAA to the POC noted on the link. Once on the grants.gov site, open the .pdf and search for “DFBL WERC” to find the relevant portion of the BAA.

If you are interested in any of the above opportunities, please contact the WERC Director. Dr. Richard Niemeyer.