Conference: Fostering Innovation through Enhanced Understanding of Healthcare Equity and Inclusion: A National Design Competition in Rehabilitation and Assistive Devices

该奖项支持在夏季生物力学，生物运输和生物工程会议（SB3C）上举办的全国设计竞赛，来自全国各地的本科团队提交他们的康复和辅助设备设计。摘要将由教师专家审查，前六名团队将被邀请出席会场，并在一个特别的讲台上展示他们的作品。每位决赛选手都将获得旅行和原型开发方面的支持。竞赛的一个创新元素是一个互补性研讨会，其目标是与医疗公平及其对技术创新的影响相关的问题。通过参与竞赛，参加会议的本科生将学习生物固体力学、生物流体力学、设备设计、康复、细胞和分子力学、功能组织工程、生物传热传质和生物工程教育。该项目旨在促进学生参与设备设计和开发过程，同时提高对医疗保健差距问题的认识。本科设计竞赛将进一步扩大其利益和影响，通过促进包括来自传统黑人学院和大学（HBCUs）和主要本科院校的团队。作为该项目的一部分所开发的材料将与参与之前和未来竞赛的教师导师共享。参加会议的本科生将参加一个研究驱动的活动，包括技术会议、研讨会和教师、临床医生、监管机构和行业代表的演讲，他们在设备设计、康复、残疾和许多其他领域具有专业知识。这笔资金将使那些可能无法参加学术会议的学生有可能旅行。参加会议为学生提供了宝贵的交流机会，包括研究生院和就业方面的联系。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award supports a national design competition to be hosted at the Summer Biomechanics, Biotransport, and Bioengineering Conference (SB3C) where undergraduate teams from across the country submit their designs for rehabilitation and assistive devices. The abstracts will be reviewed by faculty experts and the top six teams will be invited to attend the venue and present their work in a special podium session. Each of the finalists will receive support for travel and prototype development. An innovative element of the competition is a complementary workshop that targets issues related to healthcare equity and its impact on technological innovation. Undergraduate students attending the conference through their involvement in the competition will learn about bio-solid mechanics, bio-fluid mechanics, device design, rehabilitation, cellular and molecular mechanics, functional tissue engineering, bio-heat and mass transfer, and bioengineering education. This project aims to promote student engagement in the device design and development process while raising awareness of healthcare disparity issues. The undergraduate design competition will further broaden its benefits and impact through fostering the inclusion of teams from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and primarily undergraduate institutions. The materials developed as part of this project will be shared with faculty mentors involved in prior and future competitions. Undergraduate students attending the conference will participate in a research-driven event with technical sessions, workshops, and presentations by faculty, clinicians, regulatory, and industrial representatives who have expertise in device design, rehabilitation, disabilities, and numerous other areas. Funding will make travel possible for students who otherwise might not attend an academic conference. Attendance at the conference provides valuable networking opportunities for the students, including contacts for graduate school and employment.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.