Sara Bayramzadeh, Ph.D., The Elliot Professor in Healthcare Design in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design was featured in Healthcare Design magazine for her leadership in the healthcare design program.
Bayramzadeh’s approach to the curriculum requires students to find a practice-based mentor who specializes in their area of interest. Students meet with their mentors throughout the semester to learn from their real-world expertise and expand their professional networks.
Her efforts to immerse students in practice has manifested in other ways, too. For example, in 2021 she brought a group of students to participate in the student design charrette held at the Healthcare Design Conference + Expo in Cleveland where they used research data and evidence-based design concepts to design an ambulatory surgery center that reflects age equity within the community.
Additionally, she led a research study on Level 1 trauma rooms funded by a $2.4 million grant through which she provided mentorship to six graduate research assistants and two nursing students. During the project, Bayramzadeh delivered a learning experience that integrated the research into the overall design studio. The project included collaboration with trauma clinicians through interviews and design thinking sessions to develop a journey map and analyze data to inform the construction of a full-scale mock-up.
Through her leadership and mentorship, Bayramzadeh is providing critical exposure not only to industry professionals but to methods and hands-on learning opportunities necessary for students to succeed.