Dr. Ernesto Alfredo Bustamante

ONE OF A KIND E Ernesto A. Bustamante Salom was born on October 6, 1979 in Merida, Venezuela. He studied in Merida from elementary school through high school. At the age of 17 he came to the United States of America to obtain a college degree. As he did in all his activities, he succeeded obtaining the best grades in his classes with Summa Cum Laude honors. After obtaining his Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Old Dominion University (ODU), he went back to Venezuela and worked in the Centro de Investigaciones Psicologicas (CIP) at the University of the Andes as a research assistant. At CIP he was known for his productive participation in the design and evaluation of the Venezuelan Military Aviation School candidate selection process. He developed a test to measure spatial ability; test which has been used by CIP in different selection processes. He went back to the Unites States of America to continue his education and pursuit a Doctorate degree. At the age 27 he obtained a Ph.D. in Human Factors at ODU in 2007. After that, Dr. Ernesto A. Bustamante started his professional carrier as a university professor in the Phycology and Communications Department at the University of Idaho. During his years as a professor, he was very successful. Some of his accomplishments at the University of Idaho included: founding a research laboratory for graduate students, tutoring many undergraduate and graduate students, had many publications in prestigious human factor journals and the most dearly loved accomplishment to him was receiving great evaluation scores and comments from students and faculty. He also contributed to the reestablishment of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) student chapter at the University of Idaho in which he was the sponsor since January 2008 until August 2011. This organization under his sponsorship won the Silver Standard Award & Chapter Gold Standard Award. Dr. Bustamante was an active member of more than 15 professional organizations all over the United States. He published many highly recognized articles for magazines, newspapers, and academic journals. "The end of his life represents a loss for the field of Human Factors Psychology, and personal loss of great measure. At Old Dominion University (ODU) Ernesto had gained a well-deserved reputation as a fine scholar and departmental citizen, eager and willing to help students and faculty with teaching and research. His expertise in research design and statistics was well known, and he could be reliably counted on to share that expertise when needed. He was a leader in my research laboratory and his own research projects contributed to aviation safety and signal detection in all dominions." James Bliss, Associate Professor, Old Dominion University (2011) He always succeeded in the academic and professional fields. He was known as a very intelligent and creative person with an extraordinary sensibility. His striking personality always stood out. He was very passionate about all activities he engaged. He had very little tolerance for mediocrity and very demanding of himself. Besides all these competencies, he was known for having a great sense of humor. Many of the people that got to know him called him a genius; unique in his specie. "There are millions of average people, but you were an outlier in all dimensions of the human behavior spectrum. At you best, you were super-human. I never met someone so willing to sacrifice their own time for other people. I have never met anyone as non-judgmental as you. I never met ANYONE like you, and statiscally never will. You are a genius!!!" Ryland Clark. Research Scientist Human Factors. Center of Excellence. Honeywell ACS Labs (20011) Dr. Bustamante is a perfect example of the "Butterfly Effect" because he has left a profound mark to those who were fortunate to know him. He keeps having a great impact in the life of his students, friends and family. Even one year after his dead, his former students remember him with profound love and admiration. The Psychological Research Center of the University of the Andes has institutionalized and sponsored The Award of Excellence and Creativity Dr. Ernesto Bustamante Salom, which is an annual monetary price awarded to a students of the ULA that resembles Dr. Bustamante's qualities. This award was created to honor his life and his legacy. Dr. Ernesto A. Bustamante left life on earth on Tuesday, August 23, 2011.