NIH Awarded Grant: Care for Veterans and Healthcare Providers

A Community-Based, Collaborative Course for Industrial Design and Biomedical Engineering Students

PI: Pamela VandeVord,
Co-PIs: Christopher B. Arena, Elham Morshedzadeh, Brad D. Hendershot, John L. Robertson, Andre A. Muelenaer, Elias A. Lianos,

In design research needs identification should be investigated based on different communities. For this matter, proper and sufficient engagement of these communities is an undeniable core for design researchers. Healthcare in design education hasn’t been fully explored because of its sensitive nature. This paper is a study in progress that creates a unique opportunity for Industrial Design and Biomedical students through an immersive course to experience the professional environment in healthcare. Considering the important role of the communities in user’s need identification we chose veterans as the target group because of their special conditions. This exceptional target group and their healthcare providers will bring another layer of emphasis on the definition of needs in relation to the communities involved. This program will give any design educator an extraordinary experience in Community-Based Research and Design in Healthcare. This proposal has been granted by the National Institutes of Health starting from Spring 2020.