AAHID and Steelcase Health Award Second Graduate Research Fellowship
AAHID and Steelcase Health by Steelcase Award Second Graduate Research Fellowship – Second Fellowship Study to Focus on Nursing Station Design Issues
Washington, D.C. – July 12, 2010 – The American Academy of Healthcare Interior Designers (AAHID) and Steelcase Health have announced the recipient of the 2010 AAHID / Steelcase Health Graduate Research Fellowship as Chia-Hui Wang.
The purpose of the program is to promote the importance of interior design research and to contribute to the body of knowledge for healthcare interior design, consistent with the mission of AAHID. It also reflects Steelcase Health’s mission through research and evidence-based design to change the way people experience healthcare environments.
The fellowship is designed to assist new investigators in initiating the research aspect of their education by providing seed money to afford graduate students the opportunity to pursue new or novel areas of research. Earlier this year, Steelcase Health and AAHID announced that Steelcase Health has agreed continue its support of the Graduate Research Fellowship for the next five years.
Chia-Hui Wang, M. Arch, LL.M., the 2010 AAHID / Steelcase Health Fellow, is a doctoral student in the School of Architecture, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In Taiwan, she works as an assistant professor in the Department of Architecture, Hwa-Hsia Institute of Technology, where she teaches courses in both architecture and law. She also co-teaches the Architectural Design of Healthcare Organizations course at Taipei Medical University.
Ms. Wang is one of the pioneers performing evidence-based design research in the field of healthcare architecture in Taiwan and the author of over 60 publications, including journal articles, conference papers, and technical reports. Her research interests include healthcare architecture, long-term care facility design, and justice architecture.
Ms. Wang’s research will focus on finding the best practice of designing nursing stations. She will explore the effects of physical design, specifically in terms of an innovatively designed decentralized nursing station, on staff communication as well as patient outcomes, which, ultimately, will improve communication and patient outcomes in acute care.
“We are very pleased to award this fellowship to such an outstanding candidate,” said Jocelyn Stroupe, President of AAHID. “The significance of the proposed research study by Ms. Wang, her qualifications, the clarity of her goals and her potential to make significant contributions to our industry in the future really made her the right choice in the selection committee’s mind.”
“Steelcase Health is excited to partner with AAHID and participate in this wonderful program,” said Phyllis Goetz, Global Director of Steelcase Health by Steelcase. “Steelcase Health strongly believes in evidence-based design and thorough research to better healthcare environments and we believe that Ms. Wang’s research will further that effort.”
AAHID and Steelcase Health will assist Ms. Wang in the development of her research and design exploration and the award is intended to support the recipient by providing funds to cover educational and necessary expenses during 2010.
“It is with great honor that I accept the responsibility of being named the 2010 AAHID / Steelcase Health Fellow,” said Ms Wang. “I am truly humbled by AAHID’s and Steelcase Health’s generosity and am also very excited about the opportunity to explore the impacts of architectural design on patient outcomes and communication as it relates to various nursing station designs.”
About AAHID
The American Academy of Healthcare Interior Designers certifies the knowledge, skills and abilities of healthcare interior designers. Board Certified Healthcare Interior Designers are distinguished and qualified by education, examination and work experience to practice healthcare interior design. The AAHID appellation recognizes excellence, commitment and knowledge. It further distinguishes preeminent healthcare interior designers from other architects, designers, decorators and interior designers. AAHID promotes research of healthcare interior environments and seeks collaboration opportunities to develop improved products for healthcare interiors with Industry Partners.
About Steelcase Health
Steelcase Health is a company focused on healthcare environments and how products within these environments can help make them more comfortable, efficient and conducive to the healing process. For more information, visit Health.
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