Biography

Gretchen A. Macht, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical, Industrial & Systems Engineering at The University of Rhode Island.

Dr. Macht is a computational, community ergonomist in the environment of public service and government, and the Executive Director of the Engineering for Democracy Institute (EDI). The Engineering for Democracy Institute (natîre URI VOTES) is a one-of-a-kind, state-of-the-art, one-stop-shop for election officials to get support for their uniquely complex election issues through applied engineering solutions. She initiated the URI VOTES project after a Rhode Island statewide Kaizen of the 2016 Presidential Election. Using engineering principles, including simulation, optimization, advanced statistical analyses, and facility layout and planning, the EDI has created tools and guidelines, helped implement legislative changes, and addressed current election challenges. Dr. Macht’s work already has a national impact through its generalizability and has directly assisted in twelve states, representing over 24 million registered voters.

Her research has been supported by collaborations with the Rhode Island Secretary of State, the Rhode Island Board of Elections, Democracy Fund, Stanford-MIT Healthy Elections Project, National Science Foundation, Partnership for Large Election Jurisdictions, Elections Trust Initiative, and the US Elections Assistance Commission. Her public talks were sponsored by The Boston Society of Architecture, RI Common Cause, Center for Technology and Civic Life, and the Bipartisan Policy Center. 

Since joining the URI faculty in 2015, Dr. Macht has mentored seven Ph.D. and 20 master’s students, with over 50 undergraduates participating in her research group, spanning six URI colleges and hailing from five continents. In the meantime, she co-leads Girl Scout Troop 418.

Dr. Macht was presented the 40 Under Forty Award by Providence Business News in 2019, designated an Election Expert by MIT in 2021, a finalist for the 2022 URI Teaching Excellence Award, and appointed a Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Science Policy Fellow in 2023, and awarded the 2024 URI Advanced Career Faculty Research and Scholarship Excellence Award, as well as been featured in USA Today and NPR.

Professor Macht received her degrees from The Pennsylvania State University, with her Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering with a specialization in Human Factors and Ergonomics, her M.S. and B.S. in Industrial Engineering with tracks in Manufacturing, as well as a Postdoctoral Scholar in Architectural Engineering.