This project aimed to optimize supply storage and retrieval processes in the emergency department at CHOP. The goal was to reduce inefficiencies and improve access to critical supplies during patient care.

Observations revealed that clinicians and staff members spent excessive time locating supplies due to poorly organized storage systems. This led to delays in care and frustration among staff.

We introduced a categorized storage system to organize supplies for quicker retrieval during emergencies. This redesign reduced delays and improved accessibility for clinicians.

The redesigned system significantly reduced supply retrieval time, enhancing overall workflow efficiency and supporting timely patient care.

Through a collaboration with the Harron Lung Center, our team was tasked to address communication challenges for patients using non-invasive ventilation (NIV) devices, such as CPAP and BiPAP masks. The project aimed to improve patient experiences and communication in clinical and home settings.

Observations and interviews revealed that ventilator noise, mask discomfort, and weak respiratory muscles made communication difficult. Many patients removed their masks to speak, which worsened respiratory conditions and strained caregiver relationships.

The team developed Decibel, a wireless communication system integrated into NIV masks, featuring microphones and speakers to amplify patient voices and reduce background noise. This ensured patients could communicate clearly without removing their masks or compromising their therapy.

The system reduced unnecessary intubations by 40% and improved patient satisfaction, communication clarity, and therapy adherence. It was well-received by clinicians and patients alike.

As part of a project for CHOP’s cardiology department, I worked on redesigning wayfinding systems to improve navigation for patients and families. The project aimed to create an intuitive and accessible experience in a busy hospital environment.

Observations revealed that unclear signage and disorganized layouts led to delays and stress for patients and their families. Navigation challenges were especially significant for first-time visitors.

The wayfinding system incorporated thematic zones, directional signage, and color-coded pathways to simplify navigation. These updates reduced stress and improved wayfinding for patients and families.

The updated wayfinding concepts achieved a 43% reduction in navigation time, though full implementation is pending the completion of ongoing renovations.

This independent two-week project focused on creating an accessible navigation tool concept to support wheelchair users in urban environments. It was inspired by my interactions with individuals with mobility disabilities.

Research showed that navigation tools often lacked critical accessibility information, such as the availability of ramps, elevators, and step-free routes. This gap made it challenging for wheelchair users to navigate cities independently.

I designed a Google Maps add-on concept prioritizing wheelchair-accessible routes, with features tailored for ease of use and clear accessibility information. The design emphasized intuitive navigation and inclusion.

The concept received positive feedback for its potential to empower wheelchair users by improving their ability to navigate urban spaces independently.

While studying abroad at DIS in Denmark, I worked on an entrepreneurial project to create a community-building app concept for individuals with disabilities. The project aimed to address barriers to social engagement and promote inclusivity.

Research showed that individuals with disabilities often struggled to find accessible and inclusive events, leading to feelings of isolation and disconnection.

We designed Fireside, an app featuring accessibility filters and location-based recommendations. These features fostered inclusivity and simplified event discovery for individuals with disabilities.

The concept received positive feedback for its potential to empower users and reduce social isolation. It highlighted the importance of inclusivity in digital tools for community-building.

As part of a project at DIS in Denmark, I worked to optimize study environments by creating tailored zone recommendations for different learning needs. The goal was to enhance productivity and usability for students in shared spaces.

Research showed that students struggled to find suitable study environments, with limited spaces optimized for specific needs like quiet work or collaborative group activities.

We designed tailored focus zones that included quiet areas, collaborative spaces, and adaptable hybrid environments. These zones optimized usability for students with diverse learning preferences.

The proposed focus zones were well-received, offering a framework for creating study spaces that addressed diverse learning preferences and improved usability.

The Patient Safety Learning Lab 2 (PSLL2) at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is a four-year, AHRQ-funded initiative aimed at improving communication and safety during interdepartmental patient transfers. I joined the project in its first year as a design thinking and human factors engineering specialist on a multidisciplinary clinical team.

Observations revealed communication breakdowns, inconsistent handoff protocols, and documentation errors, increasing the risk of delays and patient safety incidents.

Extensive observations and interviews were conducted to understand communication gaps during patient transfers. The effort focused on synthesizing workflow inefficiencies and prioritizing problems to address, laying the groundwork for future solutions.

The project is currently in its second year, with early findings shaping the development of solutions to enhance transfer safety and efficiency.

In a Design for Manufacturability course, I worked on a project to create a dual-function product combining air freshening and waste management. The focus was on designing a product that was both user-friendly and cost-effective to manufacture.

Research revealed a demand for affordable solutions that managed household odors without adding complexity to daily routines. Existing products often lacked integration or were costly to produce.

We created a dual-function product combining an air freshener and trash can, seamlessly integrating odor management into everyday use. The design balanced functionality with cost-efficient manufacturability.

The final design met production and cost goals, demonstrating scalability for mass manufacturing and potential for market adoption.

As part of an entrepreneurship course, my team developed RecoVRy, a conceptual business focused on addressing challenges in rehabilitation and physical therapy. The project culminated in a pitch to a panel of investors.

Research highlighted inefficiencies and accessibility gaps in traditional rehabilitation and physical therapy methods, limiting patient recovery outcomes.

Our team designed an innovative rehabilitation concept that aimed to address these challenges through accessibility-focused technology and patient-centered care. Together, we prepared detailed pitches outlining its potential impact and scalability.

The concept was well-received during pitch presentations, providing valuable entrepreneurial experience and insights into business development.

As part of an internship at Penn Medicine, I collaborated on improving guides for enteral feeding systems. The project aimed to simplify the setup process and enhance accessibility for patients and caregivers.

Observations and feedback showed that existing guides were unclear and difficult to follow, leading to misuse and delays in feeding system operation. These issues created frustration for users and increased the risk of errors.

I redesigned usability guides for enteral feeding systems, incorporating clear visuals, intuitive layouts, and simplified language. These changes helped patients and caregivers confidently manage feeding setups.

The new guides are now provided to all enteral feeding users at Penn Medicine, improving confidence and reducing setup errors. Their adoption has enhanced the overall patient and caregiver experience.

Smith Playground, the oldest and most historic playground in Philadelphia, sought to improve accessibility for children with autism and their families. The project aimed to create a wayfinding system that respected its historic significance while addressing sensory needs.

Research revealed that the lack of clear maps and sensory guidance made it challenging for children with autism to navigate the space. Parents also highlighted the need for better information about tactile and auditory features.

We designed a sensory-friendly map with tactile features and clear visual guides to help children with autism navigate the playground. The design balanced accessibility with the playground’s historic character.

The map improved accessibility and was praised for its thoughtful integration of sensory-friendly features, enhancing the experience for families while respecting the playground's legacy.

CHOP’s MRI department faced workflow inefficiencies due to disorganized supply systems and safety risks from misplaced items. These issues disrupted inventory management and patient care.

Research revealed that supplies were frequently retrieved from other rooms instead of the main supply area, leading to clutter, safety hazards, and inefficiencies.

A system combining color-coded labels, FIFO containers, transparent vertical storage, and modular shelving prototypes was developed to improve organization and accessibility.

The proposed solutions streamlined supply workflows, improved accessibility, and reduced waste. These prototypes addressed the root causes of inefficiencies, laying the groundwork for safer and more effective MRI operations.

During my internship at Penn Medicine, I collaborated on the Bluecoats project, aimed at addressing clinician burnout by improving workplace communication and feedback collection. The focus was on building trust and gathering actionable insights.

Research revealed that clinicians often felt overlooked and disengaged, resulting in limited feedback and strained communication with administrative teams.

I proposed strategies to foster clinician engagement, including structured feedback sessions and active listening initiatives. These approaches aimed to build trust and enhance workplace collaboration.

The ideas laid the groundwork for better communication and feedback mechanisms, supporting a more engaged and collaborative work environment.

As part of my internship at Penn Medicine, I worked on Coordn8, a project aimed at streamlining the processing of patient records. The goal was to reduce administrative workloads and improve efficiency in new patient onboarding.

Observations revealed that coordinators spent excessive time manually processing patient records and faxes, creating bottlenecks and delaying care.

I improved workflows by identifying key inefficiencies and proposed user experience changes to streamline record collection. These changes supported the implementation of a system using optical character recognition (OCR) and natural language processing (NLP).

The system reduced workloads for more than 30 new patient coordinators and saved significant time and resources, with plans to scale across departments.

As part of my internship at Penn Medicine, I collaborated on a project aimed at improving home care for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The focus was on designing solutions to support patients in managing respiratory exacerbations with the help of specialist nurses.

Observations and interviews revealed that patients lacked clear, accessible educational materials, making it difficult for them to manage their condition effectively at home.

I developed educational materials for COPD patients with visual aids and straightforward instructions to simplify at-home care management. These resources empowered patients to manage their respiratory health effectively.

The educational materials are now provided to all COPD patients at Penn Medicine, enhancing their ability to manage care at home and improving program outcomes.

As the manager of the IPD studio, I led efforts to redesign and optimize the space to better support student and team projects. The goal was to create a more functional and organized environment for collaborative work.

Feedback revealed inefficiencies in the studio layout, tool accessibility, and storage organization, leading to wasted time and frustration for users.

The studio layout was revamped with reorganized storage, improved tool accessibility, and enhanced collaboration spaces. These updates optimized workflows and reflected user feedback.

The redesign enhanced workflow efficiency, improved accessibility, and created a more user-friendly space for students and teams.

As part of a collaboration with Penn Nursing, I worked with a team of nurses to develop a mobility aid for elderly individuals. The project focused on creating a solution to support safe sitting-to-standing transitions.

Observations and interviews revealed that instability during transitions posed a significant fall risk for elderly patients. This reduced their confidence and limited their mobility.

The Handstand prototype featured a lightweight, portable armrest to provide stability during sitting-to-standing transitions. This design prioritized safety and reduced fall risks for elderly patients.

The prototype was well-received during testing for its effectiveness in reducing fall risks and improving patient confidence. It highlighted the importance of integrating engineering solutions with clinical insights.

The Wagner Free Institute of Science, a historic natural history museum in Philadelphia, sought to make its exhibits more accessible to low-vision visitors. The project focused on creating tactile alternatives to enhance visitor engagement.

Observations revealed that low-vision visitors struggled to engage with the museum’s traditional exhibits, limiting their ability to interact with the collections.

We created 3D-printed tactile replicas of museum exhibits, allowing low-vision visitors to engage with the collections through touch. These replicas made the museum’s artifacts more inclusive while maintaining their historic integrity.

The tactile exhibits significantly improved accessibility for low-vision visitors, enriching their engagement with the museum while preserving its historic integrity.

At Grinnell College’s Career Learning Services, I worked on a project to transform graduate outcome data into visually engaging formats. The goal was to make the data easier to understand and use for students, faculty, and stakeholders.

Existing reports were text-heavy and stored in spreadsheets, making it difficult to identify trends or extract actionable insights. This limited the ability to make informed decisions based on the data.

We developed dynamic visualizations like heatmaps and trend graphs to transform static graduate data into interactive, user-friendly insights. This shift allowed stakeholders to explore employment trends and industry outcomes intuitively.

The visualizations improved data accessibility, enhancing the ability of CLS staff to share insights with stakeholders and support student career planning.

As the manager of the STEW Makerspace, I led a comprehensive renovation to enhance its usability and functionality for community and student projects. The renovation included building a new wood workshop and optimizing the overall layout.

Feedback and observations revealed inefficiencies in the makerspace layout, a lack of proper tool organization, and limited capacity to support diverse projects.

I oversaw the renovation, which included reorganization of tools and workstations, new visual signage for guidance, and the implementation of updated safety and user procedures. Additionally, I managed the acquisition of new tools to expand the space’s capabilities.

The renovation significantly improved workflow efficiency, tool accessibility, and user satisfaction, transforming the makerspace into a more effective and inclusive resource.

As part of a project for Grinnell College’s Computer Science department, I worked on improving the accessibility of DrRacket, an IDE widely used in introductory programming courses. The goal was to make the software more inclusive for students with disabilities.

Observations and interviews revealed significant barriers for students with disabilities, including poor screen reader compatibility, low visual contrast, and difficult navigation. These issues limited equitable participation in programming courses.

The redesign of DrRacket’s interface introduced customizable themes, enhanced screen reader compatibility, and simplified navigation. These features addressed usability gaps and made the IDE more accessible to students with disabilities.

The updated design enhanced usability and inclusivity, earning positive feedback from students and faculty. It contributed to creating a more equitable learning environment in the department.

During my internship with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), I was tasked with improving technical training materials for engineers and contractors. The project focused on enhancing the clarity and accessibility of instructional resources.

Existing training materials were text-heavy and difficult to follow, leading to confusion and inefficiencies during technical installations.

I developed a step-by-step video tutorial with annotated visuals and close-up demonstrations to simplify RJ45 cable installation. This resource enabled engineers and contractors to confidently complete tasks with minimal errors.

The tutorial was well-received by the team and improved training efficiency for FAA engineers and contractors.

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Created for our high school engineering fair in collaboration with the Gwinnett Fire Department, the project focused on designing and building HOTARU, a hexacopter drone for hazmat response. The goal was to enhance safety and efficiency during hazardous material emergencies.

Discussions with the Gwinnett Fire Department revealed delays in assessing hazardous environments with traditional tools, increasing risks to first responders.

Our team built a functioning drone equipped with sensors to remotely assess hazardous conditions. The design emphasized rapid deployment, modular adaptability, and reliable data collection to support emergency response.

The working prototype was successfully presented at the engineering fair, showcasing its potential to improve hazmat response and ensure first responder safety.