VITAE
Innovative academic leader with 25+ years of experience in interdisciplinary research, program development, and strategic collaboration across design, technology, health, and education. Proven success in building and directing research labs, interdisciplinary funding, graduate programs, and community-engaged initiatives. Expertise in fostering transdisciplinary partnerships, securing multimillion-dollar funding, and mentoring diverse student and faculty teams. Committed to elevating institutional impact through visionary leadership at the intersection of arts and technology.
Education
• Ph.D. Leadership and Change, Antioch University (2025)
Dissertation: Design Thinking for Health Environments
• M.S. Leadership and Change, Antioch University (2023)
• M.F.A. Studio Arts, University of the Arts (2000)
• B.Arch. with Design Honors, Carnegie Mellon University (1994)
• Executive Certificate, Healthcare Planning & Facilities Design, Cornell University (2016)
Leadership & Strategic Roles
• Founding Director, MS Design Program, Drexel University (2016–Present)
o Designed and launched interdisciplinary graduate program
o Led accreditation, curriculum development, and strategic growth
o Integrated program across 9 university departments
o Achieved STEM designation and expanded to BS/MS pathways
• Director, Design Research for Health Lab (2013–Present)
o Led transdisciplinary research with faculty from STEM, public health, and design
o Mentored 30+ student researchers; produced national presentations and publications
o Developed translational tools for aging-in-place and climate resilience
• Coordinator, Sustainability in the Built Environment Minor (2012–Present)
o Oversaw cross-university enrollment and curriculum
o Supported LEED credentialing and student career pathways
• Founder, URBN Steamlab LLC (2018–Present)
o Co-inventor of patented biodesign hydroponic system
o NSF I-Corps participant; led commercialization and student engagement
o
Research & Innovation Impact
• Funding Secured: Over $2.6M awarded; $12M under review
o NSF, NIH, AmeriCorps, AIA Upjohn, William Penn Foundation
o PI/Co-PI on federal, foundation, and entrepreneurial grants
• Intellectual Property:
o 2 patents pending for biodesign hydroponic systems
o Translational research in health, aging, and sustainability
• Publications:
o 9 peer-reviewed journal articles
o 4 book chapters; 1 book in progress (Biodesign in Context)
o 60+ conference presentations (international)
Mentorship & Student Engagement
• Directed thesis advising for MS Design and Interior Architecture
• Developed mentorship programs through The Environmental Collaboratory
• Led student teams to Biodesign Challenge, VentureWell, and NSF I-Corps
• Organized annual Design Research Symposium with 100+ attendees
External Engagement & Partnerships
• Collaborations with Bancroft, Penn Medicine, Swiss Center for Design & Health, Americorps, and community organizations
• Invited speaker at Parsons/MOMA, AIA Cincinnati, FICCI New Delhi
• Advisory roles with Center for Active Design, NSF Idea Lab, and The environmental Collaboratory
Service & Governance
• Faculty Senate Member, Drexel University
• Chair, Strategic Graduate and Lifelong Learning Committee
• Accreditation leadership for NASAD, CIDA, and NAAB
• Search committee chair and member for multiple academic leadership roles
Credentials & Affiliations
• Registered Architect (PA) | NCIDQ | AIA | LEED GA | NCARB
• Member: Design Research Society, Urban Health Collaborative, ASID
• Ethical Research Certifications (CITI, RCR)
Current Academic Rank
2021-Present
Associate Professor, Tenured, Department of Architecture, Design, & Urbanism
Past Academic Appointments
2015-2020 Assistant Professor Tenure track, Department of Architecture, Design, & Urbanism, Interior Architecture + Design Faculty, MS Design Founding Faculty CIDA Accreditation faculty team
2015-2017 Associate Director, Master of Science Interior Architecture + Design; Graduate program leader collaborated with undergraduate program leader.
2010-2015 Assistant Teaching Professor: Department of Architecture, Design, & Urbanism. Teaching areas: graduate interior architecture, thesis, studio, foundational graphics, Conceptual design, materials and construction, Successful CIDA Accreditation leader; NAAB assistance; NASAD faculty team
2003-2007 Assistant Professor: Full-time Non-Tenure track Temple University, Tyler School of Art: Architecture; Architecture Foundations Coordinator; Instructor Comprehensive Vertical Studio; Thesis Advisor; NAAB Accreditation Exhibit Coordinator
Research & Innovation
Innovation & Intellectual Property
Small business URBN Steamlab LLC; established 2018 CAGE: 8TRM4 | UEI: H1ZDCWGS8Z84
Small Women-owned Biodesign consultancy; Diana Nicholas and Shivanthi
Anandan: Product Garden Fresh Home/URBN Steamlab simple in-home hydroponic unit supporting Urban Family healthy eating and vegetable access. This unit requires no electricity and is completely compostable.
Patents Pending
2022 Anandan, S., & Nicholas, D. S. (2022). Hydroponic growing system (World Intellectual Property Organization Patent WO2022072392A1).
https://patents.google.com/patent/WO2022072392A1/en?q=(hydroponic) &inventor=anandan&oq=anandan+hydroponic
2020 Anandan, S., & Nicholas, D. S. (2020). An urban in-home system for growing fruits and vegetables (World Intellectual Property Organization Patent WO2020028463A1).
https://patents.google.com/patent/WO2020028463A1/en
Invitations, Awards, & Fellowships
2025 Invited Judge and Mentor Biodesign Challenge, Parsons New School and MOMA June 11-13, 2025, New York City
2024/25; 2025/26 Awarded Faculty Liaison, The Environmental Collaboratory: Joined the Collaboratory as Faculty advisor and collaborator – Launched TEC Coop Climate Cohorts program.
2024 Drexel Provost’s Award for Pedagogical Innovation: award for innovation in program development, coursework development, and implementation.
2024 Drexel Graduate College 2024 Social Change Award For Equity: Advisee Tanaya Deshpande Thesis Student and Research Assistant Winner.
2023 Invited Researcher Swiss Center for Design and Health (SCDH): Invited to do onsite research for my dissertation entitled: Design Thinking for Health Environments: Case study research on design and health complexity; Bienne Switzerland
2021 Honors College Fellow Award: Disaster Series: Buildings, Health, Climate, and Disaster
2021 Drexel University Writers Room Second Story Collective Faculty Fellow
2020 Mentee Award: Drexel Graduate College Research Award Winner Graduate College Award Winner - Most Original & Creative Work Thelmelis Abreu.
2019 Drexel Freddie Reisman Faculty Creativity Award: Garden Fresh Homes Bio-substrates funding award for Exhibit Installation
2018 NIH Health in Building Round table (HIBR) Fellows First Cohort Member: HIBR Scholars Funding Award: Travel Award and Presentation at Annual symposium July 2018
2018 Mentee Award: Student Conference on Global Challenges Map The Gap Research Project Outstanding Presentation Award Thanh My Nguyen and Samantha Stein: 11th Annual Conference
2018 Mentee Award: Drexel Common Good Award Advisee Thanh My Nguyen: University Finalist for her work with The Scattergood project Map the Gap with Dr. Yvonne Michael and D.S. Nicholas and Design Research Thesis
2016 Drexel Honors College D.S. Nicholas, Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year: Research Award
Societies & Affiliations
2021-2025 American Society of Interior Design Member
2019-Present Urban Health Collaborative (UHC) Faculty Affiliate
2016-2024 Design Research Society Member
2014-2020 Environmental Design Research Association Member
2011-2017 Interior Design Educators Council Institutional Affiliate Member
2007-2018 City Certified Women Owned Business (WBE) City of Philadelphia
2014 AIA Health and Design Research Consortium, Member Drexel Team .
Research & Entrepreneurial Funding
Under Review and Planned
2025 Submission Date Sept 1, 2025, $125,000 External Foundation
Role: Principal Investigator
Funder: Sara Ralston Foundation
Two years of funding to extend MCSAP to 5 more residences, 10 Apartments, and 1 @ 6 unit Assisted-living Pod.
2025 $1,455,000 Federal Innovation Funding submitted 7/11/2025
Role: Senior Personnel
Funder: National Science Foundation SBIR Fast-Track: Garden Fresh Home a novel in-home plant hydroponics system, NSF Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer Fast-Track Pilot Programs.
Dir for Tech, Innovation, & Partnerships (TIP) - Translational Impacts (TI), SBIR Fast-Track. Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR)
Awarded 2025:
2025 $50,000 Federal Entrepreneurial Funding: Customer Discovery
Role: Principal Investigator
Funder: National Science Foundation NSF I-Corps National Program; PI Diana Nicholas Ph.D., Shivanthi Anandan Ph.D., Jonathan Deutsch Ph.D., graduate student: Michael Oguntuase; Garden Fresh Home: In-home growing unit
Awarded 2023-2024:
2024 $3,500 External Foundation
Role: Principal Investigator
Funder: Farnese Foundation Farnese Foundation awards the Drexel Design Research for Health Lab a contribution to fund the inaugural Farnese Research Assistantship
2024 $3,000 Federal Entrepreneurial Funding: Customer Discovery
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Funder: National Science Foundation
Northeast Regional National Science Foundation (NSF) I-Corps Propelus program at Princeton University; Team URBN Steamlab, Technical Lead
Diana Nicholas, Entrepreneurial Lead Shivanthi Anandan, and Innovation
fellow Michael Oguntuase (Drexel Business Master’s Student), attended Northeast regional National Science Foundation (NSF) I-Corps Propelus program April 4-26 2024.
2024 $5,000 Internal Award
Role: Research Team Member
Funder: The Environmental Collaboratory
PI: Rachel Sherman, MS, Co-PI: Jonathan Deutsch, Ph.D.; Climate Hub: Curriculum on climate and food https://drexel.edu/environmentalcollaboratory/research/climate-hub-grant
2023 $1,000,000 Federal Funding
Role: Key Personnel and Research Team Member
Funder: National Science Foundation: Program: Civic Phase 2
PI: Ayana Allen-Handy, Ph.D., Co-PI: Rachel Wenrick Founding Director Writer’s Room; Pennsylvania: Philadelphia - Placekeeping: a Co-designed Model for Intergenerational Co-housing and Coalition Building in a University-Adjacent Community. NSF Award #2322329.
Sabbatical Awarded 2022-23
2023 Research Sabbatical Award
Two term sabbatical salary award Exploring the nature of hospital innovation for urban change Winter/Spring 2023-2024
Awarded 2022:
2022 $15,000 External Foundation
Role Primary Investigator
Funder: AIA UpJohn Research Foundation Grant, Foundation Funding
Diana Nicholas with Co-Primary Investigators Rachel Wenrick and Ayana Allen Handy; Age-Friendly University and Community Creative Spaces
2022 $200,000 Federal Funding
Role: Key Personnel,
Funder: AmeriCorps Federal Agency
PI: Ayana Allen-Handy, Ph.D., Co-PI: Rachel Wenrick Founding Director
Writer’s Room; Drexel University Arts-centered Community Action: How Public Arts Programming Strengthens Civic Infrastructure and Promotes Civic Innovation 3-Year Funding.
2022 $100,000 External Foundation
Role: Co-Investigator
Funder: William Penn Foundation.
Jenna Hirsch PI; Yvonne Michael Co-I, D.S. Nicholas Co-I, Debra Ruben Co-I, Nancy Epstein Co-I “If You Build It They Will Come” This team is studying the implementation of play spaces in terms of several established measures of spatial success and is making recommendations for future funding of spaces, associated journal article can be found here: https://doi.org/10.51250/jheal.v3i2.62. A publicly available report published in 2023: https://drexel.edu/uhc/research/projects/play-spaceevaluation/.
2022
$10,000 College of Nursing and Health Professions Seed Grant
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding Age-well Pilot Grant College Of Nursing And Health Professions:
D.S. Nicholas Pi; Rachel Wenrick Co-Pi; Aging-in-place Study Of Creative Spaces At Ross Commons
2022 $10,000 State Funding
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Funder: Pennsylvania Council on The Arts Programming Grant.
Rachel Wenrick PI; D.S. Nicholas Co-PI in support of the 2022 Symposium
2022 $7,500 Internal Award
Role: Principal Investigator
Funder: Westphal Rankin Scholars in Residence
D.S. Nicholas, Joseph Hancock, Yvonne Michael, June He, To bring Liz Sanders, author of “The Convivial Toolbox,” to give a community-based participatory workshop to students across the University on her generative research process called Maketools; 80 students, faculty, and community members and practitioners attended.
Awarded 2021:
2021
$7,300.00 Internal Award
Role: Principal Investigator
Honors College: Spring/Summer Part Time Coop Student Awarded: Received Coop Student to assist with Research (In-Kind Funding)
2021 $4,500.00 Internal Award
Role: Principal Investigator
Honors College: Spring/Summer Additional compensation as part of the Honors College Symposium on Disaster
2021 $3,000 Internal Award
Role: Principal Investigator
Writers Room Faculty Fellowship awarded through $200,000.00 External Fund Grant to Writer’s Room, Barra Foundation for Second Story Collective: Creative Intergenerational Co-housing: Aging-in-place Mantua and Powelton.
Awarded 2020:
2020
$162,000 Federal Funding
Role: Key Personnel
Funder: AmeriCorps Federal Agency
Additional third year of funding Allen-Handy, A., Wenrick, R., Kashock, K., Nicholas, D. (2018). Anti-displacement: The untapped potential of university-community cooperative living.
Awarded 2019:
2019
$3,000.00 Federal Funding
Role: Co-Principal Investigator.
Funder: National Science Foundation Program: NSF Innovation-Corps (NSF-I-Corps) Drexel University. March 1-March 16, 2019. Garden Fresh Home team Shivanthi Anandan, Diana Nicholas, and Matthew Self. PI: Shintaro Kaido. Role: Team member
2019 $100,000 Foundation Entrepreneurial Funding: R&D
Role: Co-Principal Investigator with 50/50 effort split
Funder: Drexel Ventures Diana Nicholas, Shivanthi Anandan Garden Fresh Home
2019
$499,174 Federal Funding
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Funder: National Science Foundation Program: Innovation in Graduate Education
National Science Foundation; “IGE: Creative Interdisciplinary Research in Graduate Education (CIRGE)” PI- Fraser Fleming, Department Head
Chemistry; Co-PI D.S. Nicholas, AIA; Co-PI Paul Gondek, Ph.D.; Co-PI Jen Katz-Buonincontro, Ph.D.; Co-PI Dan King, Ph.D. NSF 17-585 Innovations in Graduate Education Program.
2019 $4,473.00 Research Award: Drexel Faculty Creativity Award; Awarded to D.S. Nicholas for Garden Fresh Home
Role: Principal Investigator
Awarded 2018:
2018
$248,983 Federal Funding
Role: Key Personnel
Funder: AmeriCorps Federal Agency
Allen-Handy, A., Wenrick, R., Kashock, K., Nicholas, D. (2018). Antidisplacement: The untapped potential of university-community cooperative living. AmeriCorps
2018 $5,000 Internal Award
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Funder: ExCITe Seed Funding Research students funded Project: Map the Gap Reducing the Burden of Local Housing Insecurity via EvidenceInformed Digital Design: Map the Gap is a digital tool that connects tenants, landlords, community-based organizations, government agencies, and other resources in Philadelphia. Research Awarded Spring 2018
2018 $1,000 Lindy Center Seed Funding
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Funder: Lindy Center Seed Funding Research student-funded Project D.S. Nicholas, Westphal College of Media Arts & Design: Research; Yvonne
Michael, Dornsife School of Public Health: Epidemiology; Samantha Stein, University of Pennsylvania; Thanh My Nguyen, Alumna Westphal College of Media Arts and Design: Research Awarded Spring 2018
2018 $1,000 Research Award: Health in Buildings Round Table (HIBR) Scholar
Funding; Funds awarded to travel to the NIH for symposium event and presentation of research Awarded summer 2017
Role: Principal Investigator
Awarded 2017:
2017
$106,000.00 External Foundation
Role: Co-Principal Investigator with 50/50 effort split
Funder: Scattergood Foundation
Nicholas, D. S., Michael, Y.L. Health and Design Research for Innovation Program; Scattergood Foundation; Three year funding. Funded amount
$106,000.00
2017 $4,000 External Foundation
Role: Co-Principal Investigator with 50/50 effort split
Funder: Scattergood Foundation
Nicholas, D. S., Michael, Y.L. Health and Design Research for Innovation Program; Scattergood Foundation.
A Complete Listing of Funded Student Researchers and Funding 2012-2024: 32 Total Students
• https://designcare4health.com/more-about-us
Invited Research Consulting: Health Design Thinking
Funded 2025
Care Journey Mapping: working with families to unpack their Autism Diagnosis Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics – Breaking Bread Sessions Dr. Neeraja Ravindran Children’s Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati, OH
Bancroft Aging in Place Study Flicker Center 2025 Under Consideration 2025
Care Blueprinting: Place Outcomes Research Award, “Building Emotional Resilience and Empowerment with Families Post-Negative Genomic Screening Results” Nicole White, Ph.D., MBA Assistant Professor of Development Behavior Pediatrics Children’s Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati, OH
Recent Funds Not Awarded 2024-2025:
2025 $500,000 Federal Funding Submitted 05/15/2025
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Funder: National Science Foundation IGE: Track 1: GENIUS: Group Eurekas Nurtured by Intelligent User-friendly Software Fleming, Fraser (PI), Nicholas Diana (CO-PI), Ku, Weimo (CO-PI), Elisabeth Van Brockstaele (CO-PI)
2025 $10,000,000 Foundation LOI Funding Submitted 07/30/2025
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Funder: Burroughs Wellcome Fund: Centers for Centers for Climate and Health Excellence: Drexel Chex
Team: Mathy Stanislaus (PI), Nicholas Diana (CO-PI), Usama Bilal (CO-PI), Ana Diez Roux (CO-PI), Mira Olsen (CO-PI)
2025 $126,966 External Foundation
Role Co-PI and external collaborator
Latrobe Prize
PI Ajla Aksamija Submitted through University of Utah “Design Strategies for Healthy Retrofits Across Different Building Typologies”, submitted May 15, 2025
2025 $50,000 External Foundation
Role: Finalist Science Center Foundations Fellowship
2024 $46,400 Foundation Funding
Role: Principal Investigator
Funder: Research Retirement Foundation for Aging Salus-Drexel Aging Shared Approaches: Collaborative research in aging-in-place, evidence, and care. PI; Nicholas, D.S. Co-PIs: Wenrick, R.; Niemiec, J.
2024 $70,000 External Foundation
Role: Principal Investigator
Funder: American Society of Interior Designers Foundation
ASID Transform Research Grant; PI: D. S. Nicholas Ph.D.; Co-PIs: Salus University Missy Vitek, Dean, Global, Interprofessional, and Specialized Programming; Director, MSc in Clinical Optometry degree program: Lauren Sponseller, Dean Occupational Therapy Anna Grasso, Associate Professor & Academic Fieldwork Coordinator, Occupational Therapy Program Fabiana Perla, Associate Professor, GISP Blindness and Low Vision Studies; Co-PIs: Drexel University: June He Westphal; Jacklynn Niemiec, Westphal; Yvonne Michael DSPH (Co-PI)
2024 $174,782 Federal Funding
Main Grant Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Funder: USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
With a $58,000.00 Drexel Subaward
Role: Principal Investigator
Funder: USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
STTR Phase I: Garden Fresh Home development Grant Diana Nicholas Ph.D., Shivanthi Anandan Ph.D., Jonathan Deutsch Ph.D., student: Michael Oguntuase; Garden Fresh Home: In-home growing unit. Submitted 16th September 2024 by URBN Steamlab with a proposed subaward to Drexel University.
2024 $475,000 Federal Funding
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Funder: National Science Foundation
IGE: Track 1: GENIUS: Group Eurekas Nurtured by Intelligent Userfriendly Software Fleming, Fraser (PI), Nicholas Diana (CO-PI), Ku, Weimo (CO-PI), Elisabeth Van Brockstaele (CO-PI)
Scholarly Products
Book Accepted 2024/25:
Leslie Atzmon & Diana Nicholas. (Expected Publication 2027). Biodesign in Context. Lived Placed Publishing, international press, publisher/Peer-reviewed.
Peer-Reviewed invited Book Chapters and Preface
1. Atzmon, L. and Nicholas, D. (2026) Emergent design research: Biodesign-inaction, In Ed. Gibson, M. and Owens, K. Navigating the landscapes of design research: Finding your way. Routledge
2. International: Nicholas, D. (2025). Preface: Last woman standing. In Reynders, D. Arts education+: The evolving field of inclusive arts education. Savannah Bay.
3. Nicholas, D., Anandan, S. (2023). URBN Steamlab and Biophilic Environments: Science, art and design. In L. Atzmon (Ed.) Design and science: Catalyzing collaborations. University of Michigan / Routledge.
4. Nicholas, D. (2023) Novel territories: Gender and the urban residential interior. In G, Marinic (Ed.), The interior urbanism reader. University of Kansas, Taylor and Francis.
Dissertation
Nicholas, D. S. (2025). Design thinking for health environments: Case study research on innovation, design leadership, and healthcare complexity. https://aura.antioch.edu/etds/1124
Journal Articles (peer-reviewed)
Total Published: 9; since achieving tenure: 3 with 2 under review listed below
1. 2023 Peer-reviewed international outlet Michael, Y., Nicholas, D., Ruben, D., Epstein, N., Dickinson, S., & Hirsch, J. (2023). Increasing healthy play: A multi-pronged evaluation of context, design, and perceptions for play space improvements. Journal of Healthy Eating and Active Living, 3(2), 100–106. https://doi.org/10.51250/jheal.v3i2.62
2. 2023 Peer-reviewed international outlet Hurwich, T., Nicholas, D., Fleming, F., Gondek, P.; Katz-Buonincontro, J., King, D. Designing and iterating for interdisciplinary, creative research in graduate teams; International Journal of Designs for Learning
3. 2022 Perignat, E., Fleming, F. F., Nicholas, D., King, D., Katz-Buonincontro, J., & Gondek, P. (2022). Effective practices for high performing interdisciplinary faculty teams College Teaching. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/87567555.2022.2086525
4. 2020 Nicholas, D., Michael, Y., & Anandan, S. (2020). Covid-19 home signposts. Enquiry The ARCC Journal for Architectural Research, 17(2), 41–62. https://doi.org/10.17831/enq:arcc. v16i2.1073International Outlet
5. 2019 Peer-reviewed international outlet Nicholas, D., (2018). Material home: Novel interventions in the urban abode. Adaptive Intervention| International Journal of Interior Architecture + Spatial Design, 118-121. http://www.iijournal.org/volumes/International Outlet
6. 2019 Peer-reviewed international outlet Stein, S., Nicholas, D., Michael, Y., Nguyen, T., and Giordano, K. (2019). Integrating practical and epistemic actors: Co-constructing a knowledge organization system to address housing insecurity in West Philadelphia Journal of Advances in Classification
Research Online, 29(1), 30–34. https://doi.org/10.7152/acro.v29i1.15465 International Outlet
7. 2018 Peer-reviewed international outlet Michael, Y., Nicholas, D. (2018). Designing with dignity: Health and design research for underserved communities. The Plan Journal: Designing for Impact, Spring 2018, 303-317. doi 10.15274/tpj.2016.01.02.06 http://www.theplanjournal.com/article/designing-dignity-health-anddesign-research-under- served-communities International Outlet
8. 2017 Peer-reviewed international outlet Nicholas, D., Townsend, K., & Michael, Y. (2017). Designing with dignity: Social determinants of health and design research. The Design Journal, 20(sup1), S2238–S2246. https://doi.org/10.1080/14606925.2017.1352740 International Outlet
9. 2015 Peer-reviewed international outlet Knittel, C., Nicholas, D., Street, R., Schauer, C., Dion, G., (2015). Self-folding textiles through manipulation of knit stitch architecture. Fibers 3, no. 4, 575–87. https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6439/3/4/575 International Outlet Research Report Issued
2023 Hirsch, J., Michael, Y., Nicholas, D., and Ruben, D. If you build it, will they come? An evaluation of design, context, and engagement. January 27, 2023. https://drexel.edu/uhc/research/projects/play-space-evaluation/
Conferences
Published Conference Paper Proceedings & Abstracts
2017-present Peer-reviewed conference papers or abstracts in proceedings with associated event presentations Overall total: 29;
1. 2026 Forthcoming Peer-reviewed international outlet: Atzmon, L., Nicholas, D. (2026) Biodesign in time: The roles of complexsystem and emergent thinking. Design Across Time: The 20th International Conference on Design Principles and Practice; 25-27 February 2026 Rome.
2. 2025 Forthcoming Peer-reviewed international outlet Nicholas, D., & Anandan, S. (2025). Garden fresh home, insightful design thinking and higher education innovation. International Conference of Education, Research, and Innovation 2025, Sevilla Spain.
3. 2025 Peer-reviewed international outlet: Nicholas, D.S. (2025) Equity, dignity, and a culture of care: An evidence based design approach. Video and Poster Published European Healthcare Design 2025 Congress & Exhibition, at the Royal College of Physicians, London.
4. Paper accepted, not published 2025 Peer-reviewed international outlet Nicholas, D.S. (2025) Design thinking for health environments: Case study research on innovation, design leadership, and healthcare complexity Cumulus June 2025 Nantes: Ethical Design Leadership. Nantes, France.
5. 2024 Peer-reviewed international outlet: Nicholas, D., Deshpande, T., Singh, T. (2024) Aging community and codesign: The urban place keeping design education experience; International Conference of Education, Research, and Innovation 2024
6. 2024 Peer-reviewed international outlet: Deshpande, T., Nicholas, D. (2024) Mind Palace: Exploring connections between memory, accessibility & personal storytelling. International Conference of Education, Research, and Innovation Fall 2024
7. 2024 Peer-reviewed international outlet
Nicholas, D., Lockman-Fine, M., Hillis, M., Fulton, T., Sugrue, J., Meyers, E., Riddick, D., Lindberg, K., & Chen, B. (2024). Biodesign and aging: speculative inclusion, exclusion, and the importance of a transdisciplinary approach to the future. Border Control: Incursions and Excursions, 53–55.
8. 2024 Peer-reviewed international outlet
Nicholas, D., Singh, T., Deshpande, T., Prabhakar, A., Wenrick, R., & AllenHandy, A. (2024). Intergenerational creative spaces, co-living, community: Design for longevity. DRS Biennial Conference Series. https://dl.designresearchsociety.org/drs-conferencepapers/drs2024/researchpapers/364
9. 2023 Peer-reviewed international outlet
Nicholas, D., and Anandan, S. (2023) Design thinking and new program innovation: Case study research in higher education evolution post pandemic, 195–201. International Conference of Education, Research, and Innovation 2023 Seville, Spain, 2023.
10. 2022 Peer-reviewed international outlet
Hurwich, T., Nicholas, D., Fleming, F., Gondek, P., Katz-Buonincontro, J., King, D., & Perignat, E. (2022). Designing For creative research in graduate education. International Conference of Education, Research, and Innovation 2022 Proceedings, 195–201. https://doi.org/10.21125/iceri.2022.0081 In-person presentation, Sevilla by D.S. Nicholas International Event/Outlet
11. 2021 Peer-reviewed international outlet
Nicholas, D. Slow engagement & widening the frame – emerging models of social innovation and design culture (2021). Roma 2021: Cumulus Design
Cultures. Digital Presentation by D.S. Nicholas International
12. 2020 Peer-reviewed international outlet
Nicholas, D., Michael, Y., Anandan, S. (2020). Integral Living Research: Synergies in research, advocacy, and healthy living. Design Research Society (DRS): Synergies Brisbane https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2020.274
Digital Presentation by D.S. Nicholas International Event/Outlet
13. 2020 Peer-reviewed international outlet
Nicholas, D., Anandan, S. (2020). Garden fresh home: Sustainable food production for urban families. Sustainable Development of Energy Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES): First Asia Pacific conference proceedings, 009201-009209. Accepted for Journal Publication, invitation not taken up.
The top 10 most viewed conference digital presentations moved online due to the COVID-19 Travel Ban presented by D.S. Nicholas International Event/Outlet.
14. 2019 Nicholas, D., Stein, S., Giordano, K., Nguyen, T., and Michael, Y. (2019). Map the gap: Iteratively bridging theory and practice to address housing insecurity in the urban environment. Architecture Research Centers Consortium (ARCC): Praxis 2019, conference proceedings, 276-287.
https://www.arcc-journal.org/index.php/repository/issue/view/27 In-person presentation, Toronto by D.S. Nicholas International Event/Outlet
15. 2018 Nicholas, D., Stein, S., Nguyen, T., Krespan, E., Tracy, D., and Michael, Y. (2018). Health Design Research Innovation Project. Happiness Architectural Research for a Global Community | Temple University, Jefferson University, and Drexel University, conference proceedings, Vol. 1, 256–264. http://www.arcc-arch.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/2018Proceedings-Volume-1_ UDL-1.pdf In-person presentation, Philadelphia by D.S. Nicholas
16. 2018 Published Poster and Presentation: Nicholas, D., Anandan, S., Yvonne Michael; Integral Healthy Living Poster Presentation. In ARCC Conference Proceedings (Vol. 1, pp. 256–264). Philadelphia: Architectural Research Centers Consortium
17. 2018 Nicholas, D., Stein, S., Nguyen, T., Krespan, E., Tracy, D. and Michael, Y. (2018). Health design research and housing insecurity: Design, dignity, and community. Social equity by design, Designing through community: Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA) 49, conference proceedings, 148-150.
18. 2017 Peer-reviewed international outlet
Nicholas, D., Anandan, S. (2020). Integrated space: The novel design research experience. Envisioning architecture, space/time/meaning: Proceedings of the 13th European Architectural Envisioning (EAE) conference. https://eaeanet.wixsite.com/eaea/conferences In-person presentation, Glasgow by Dr. S. Anandan International Event/Outlet
19. 2017 Peer-reviewed international outlet
Nicholas, D., Townsend, K., Michael, Y. (2017). Design research and social determinants of design and health research. What is the design for the next? What is the ‘next’ focus of design? European Academy of Design (EAD): Rome 2017, S2238. https://doi.org/10.1080/14606925.20 17.1355614 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/14606925.2017.1355614
In-person presentation, Rome by D.S. Nicholas International Event/Outlet
20. 2017 Peer-reviewed international outlet
Nicholas, D., Krespan, E., and Anandan, S. (2017). Mind as a thing, redoing the iterative in design education. REDO Cumulus Conference Proceedings, 99–106 https://www.designskolenkolding.dk/en/publications/redocumulus-conference-proceedings In-person presentation, Kolding by D.S. Nicholas International Event/Outlet
21. 2017 Peer-reviewed international outlet
Nicholas, D., Anandan, S. (2017). The novel design research lab experience: Teaching and trans-disciplinary mentorship for 21st-century. 11th International Technology, Education and Development (INTED) conference proceedings, 9467-9473. DOI: 10.21125/inted.2017 Remote Presentation by D.S. Nicholas International Event/Outlet
Peer-reviewed Conference Presentations (no publication)
Other peer-reviewed conference presentations only: no associated proceedings
1. 2025 Deshpande T., Nicholas, D., Wenrick, R., Handy A., Lockman-Fine, M., He J., Sanders, E., Co-creation and community engagement at Drexel’s DRDR4H Lab. Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC) 2025.
2. 2024 M. Oguntuase, D. Nicholas, and S. Anandan (2024) Graden Fresh Home Presented at 2025 National Science Foundation, ICorps Regional Convening, Princeton University.
3. 2023 Active Living Conference: Michael, Y., Nicholas, D., Ruben, D., Epstein, N., Dickinson, S., & Hirsch, J. If you build it, will they come? an evaluation of design, context, and engagement of KABOOM! Play Everywhere Installations in Philadelphia, PA. Presented at the Active Living Conference | GP RED, National Institute of Health, March 15, 2023. https://www.gpred.org/activelivingconference/.
4. 2023 Allen-Handy, A., Meloche, A., Sterin, K., Likel, R., Mathew, K., Thomas-EL, S., Richardson McCullough, C., Datts, K., Wenrick, R., Nicholas, D., Kaschock, K., Drummond, D., Jung, U., Jenkins, G., & Welsh, D. (2023, April). And before you know it, a culture is moved out: A case study of gentrification and residential displacement in West Philadelphia. 51st Annual Conference of the Urban Affairs Association. Nashville, TN.
5. 2022 Society For Risk Management: Fischer, J., Van der Tuyn, M., Nicholas, D. (2022) Applying design thinking principles to develop interdisciplinary risk management. The Society for Risk Analysis –European Conference 2021, June 13-16 in Espoo, Finland Solutions International Event/Outlet
6. 2021 Columbia University: Sterin, K., Meloche, A., Welsh, D. McCullough, C., Allen-Handy, A., Wenrick, R. & Nicholas, D. (2021). Integrating the arts into community-led critical participatory action research. Workshop presented at the 38th Annual Winter Roundtable Conference at Teachers College, Columbia. Virtual Conference. International Event/Outlet
7. 2019 Poster Presentation: D.S. Nicholas, Samantha Stein, Yvonne Michael, Kristin Giordano: Map the Gap: Design Research for Eviction Prevention as a part of the Urban Health Collaborative 2019 Symposium: Re-imagining Health In Cities: Challenges And New Directions.
8. 2019 Conference Session Presentation: D.S. Nicholas, Samantha Stein, Yvonne Michael, Kristin Giordano: Map the Gap: Design Research for Eviction Prevention as a part of the EDRA50 Sustainable Environments: NYU.
Session: Place Making 13 on Saturday, May 25, 2019, in Brooklyn.
9. 2019 Conference Session Presentation: Student Presenters Stein, S., Giordano, K., Nicholas, D., & Michael, Y. (2019). Cultivating Process-Based Educational Spaces: A Case Study of Project-based Collaboration in a Lifelong Philadelphia Learning Community. INTED2019 Proceedings, 7066–7066. https://library.iated.org/view/STEIN2019CULInternational Event/Outlet
10. 2019 Pre-conference Intensive Session Presentation: D.S. Nicholas Integral Living Research: Tools and Solutions for Sustainable and Healthy Living in Under-served Communities as a part of the Pre-Conference Intensives at the EDRA50 conference. International Event/Outlet
11. 2018 Invited Scholar Funded Poster Presentation: D.S. Nicholas Integral Healthy Living: Stress and Living; Health in Buildings Round table: National Institute of Health July Washington D.C. Poster Presentation: Funded International Event/Outlet
12. 2018 Conference Session Presentation: D.S. Nicholas, William Mangold Collaborative Presentation on Design Pedagogy Interior Design Educators Council 2018 Boston: Design Matters: Conference Presentation with Graduate Interiors Community Studio
13. 2018 Presentation Featuring Design Research Thesis: D.S. Nicholas, Erin Okoniewski; EDRA 49: Session Presentation, Social Equity by Design. Oklahoma City Design Research, Environments for Autism
14. 2018 Research Project Presentation: Student Researchers Presenting: Stein, Samantha; Nguyen, Thanh; Nicholas, D.S. Map the Gap, 11th Annual Student Conference on Global Challenges, Drexel. Session Presentation
15. 2018 Research Project Presentation: Student Researchers Presenting: Stein, Samantha; Nguyen, Thanh; Nicholas, D.S.; Michael, Yvonne. Map the Gap 2018 Stanford Research Conference; Stanford University. Poster Presentation
16. 2018 Research Project Presentation: Student Researchers Presenting: Stein, Samantha; Nguyen, Thanh; Nicholas, D.S.; Michael, Yvonne. Map the Gap, ST Global 2018 Washington DC. Session Presentation International Event/Outlet
17. 2018 Research Poster Project Presentation Health Conference: Yvonne Michael, D.S. Nicholas ASPPH Scattergood Project; The 12th Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) Spring 2017 Institute, entitled Inter-professional Education: Building a Framework for Collaboration, May 3-5 Washington, DC. Poster presentation International Event/Outlet
Research Speaking
National Keynote, Juried, & Featured
Speaking
1. 2025 Invited Keynote and Juried Presentation, D.S. Nicholas and Dr. Leslie Atzmon, The Growing Edge: Past as Prologue; Biodesign Symposium: How to grow a biodesigner, June 2025, Parsons/MOMA New York. https://www.biodesignchallenge.org/biodesign-symposium-2025
2. 2025 Center for Active Design Annual Research Advisory Council Annual Meeting member presenter: presented the MCSAP to a national audience of EBD practitioners.
3. 2025 Featured Speaker: Course-in-a-Box: Participatory Design. Invited speaker and video in this learning series sponsored by Willima Penn Foundation and developed by Debra Ruben and Ulrike AltenmullerLewis.
4. 2024 James Bean, Valerie Gay, D.S. Nicholas, & Moderated By Donna De Carolis. Plenary session: Ready. Set. Fail: Unleash the Innovator Within [Panel]. Drexel Emerging Graduates Conference, Cultivating Creativity to
Foster Innovation DEGS 2024. https://drexel.edu/graduatecollege/professionaldevelopment/emerging-graduate-scholars-conference/2024-keynote/
5. 2023 Panelist with South Street Headhouse District Katrina JohnstonZimmerman, Assistant Director; North 10: Joshua Klaris, Executive Director; Temple University Public Policy Fellow/ Community Engagement Professional: Naida Elena Montes, Ph.D.; Second Story Collective: Charles Lomax, Chairman & CEO, Lomax Real Estate Partners; D.S. Nicholas, Associate Professor and Founding Director MS Design Research, Drexel University; Rachel Wenrick, Executive Director for Arts & Civic Innovation, Drexel University Glen-Gery. “Trailblazers in Community Development [Philadelphia].” https://www.glengery.com/node/4121.
6. 2023 Invited workshop Second Story Collective: A blueprint for community co-design and engagement PACDC. “2023 PACDC Equitable Development Conference” https://pacdc.org/2023-pacdc-equitabledevelopment-conference-register-today/.
7. 2023 International Event/Outlet 2023 May 19th, Invited speaker Swiss Center for Design and Health: Invited to speak for the launch of the book: Atzmon, L. (Ed.). (2022). Lenses of Invention: URBN Steamlab integrating science, art, and design. In Design and Science. Bloomsbury Visual Arts. https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/design-and-science-9781350061934/
8. 2023 NSF Idea Lab Presentation: Session sponsored by The Council of Graduate School Idea Lab 3: Building an Interdisciplinary Approach to Graduate Training, Thursday, March 9th The presentation was given by D. S. Nicholas, NCIDQ, AIA, NCARB, LEED GA “Designing For Creative Research In Graduate Education IGE Idea Lab 3” The presentation covered the Graduate ITOC minor, the team process and the iterative classes.
9. 2022 Invited Keynote Speaker: D.S. Nicholas Cincinnati AIA Visions May 2022 Diana Nicholas. (2022, May 30). VISION Keynote: Design-Led CoStrategy4HEALTH [Keynote speech]. Vision Symposium AIA, Cincinnati, Ohio. https://aiacincinnati.org/ programs/events/081122-visionkeynote-radical-practice
10. 2022 International Event/Outlet 2022 D.S. Nicholas Invited Distinguished Speaker for Master Class on ‘Design Thinking in Hospitals’, during FICCI HEAL, on October 10, 2022, at FICCI, Federation House, New Delhi. During a session organized by Tulika Puri.
11. 2021 Invited Lecture Series Speaker George Fox University ArtTalk Series: Nicholas, D. (2021, February 2). Design, Research, and Social Impact Practices [Invited Speaker]. Art Talk Lecture Series, George Fox University.
12. 2020 Invited Keynote Speaker: D.S. Nicholas “Connecting Healers and Makers” Tactics for lasting collaboration; Faimer Health Matters FAIMER partners with CraftNOW to present the Global Health Matters Forum Each year, the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER) hosts a morning of presentations and interactive dialogue on a topic related to health and well- being. This year, on March 25, 2020, a cross-section of Philadelphia’s maker community
joined health professionals and educators from across the globe. International Event/Outlet
13. 2020 Invited Speaker: D.S. Nicholas Biodesign Substrates: URBN Steamlab: Discussion of gallery installation and lab processes in growing Bio-mix Gallery Opening Design and Science, February 2020: Esther Klein Gallery, University City
14. 2019 Invited Panelist: D.S. Nicholas Processes in Design and Science: Gallery Opening Design and Science, September 2019: University Gallery; Eastern Michigan University
15. 2019 Invited Keynote Speaker: D.S. Nicholas 2019 ST Global Conference, Washington DC; National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Washington DC. “D.S. Nicholas presents her work, Integral Living Research” International Event/Outlet
16. 2019 Invited Speaker: D.S. Nicholas Research/Rewind Design Research Association “Design Research Methods and Social Science Research, a primer” April 2019, Frog/ Capgemini Design, Philadelphia, PA
17. 2019 Invited Speaker: D.S. Nicholas Dialogue: On Community, Power, and Privilege - Programs Slought. (2019). Retrieved April 18, 2019, from http://slought.org/resources/dialoguing_on_community_power_and_pri vilege A day of facilitated workshops and collective reflection on socially just relations in Philadelphia, on Friday, April 19, 2019, from 10:30 am-2:30 pm. D.S. Nicholas presented her work, Integral Living Research, which is predicated on ongoing collaborations
18. 2019 Invited Round Table Panel Participant: D.S. Nicholas Eastern Michigan University: Exhibit Opening Design and Science. The “Design and Science” exhibition will examine projects that merge design and science through biodesign. A round-table discussion with exhibition participants Audrey Speyer, D.S. Nicholas, and Jason Ferguson, to be led by University of Michigan Stamps School of Art and Design professor Deepa Butoliya and EMU biology professor Brian Connolly. International Event/Outlet
Recent Research Projects Press Coverage
2025 West Philadelphia uses art to confront neighborhood problems and threats to democracy. (2025, April 2). [Online]. In PBS Newshour Art in Action. PBS. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/west-philadelphia-uses-art-toconfront-neighborhood-problems-and-threats-to-democracy
2025 Beatrice Forman & Joe Yerardi. (2025, March 8). Mantua is getting younger as the rest of the city ages. It’s also getting less affordable. Philadelphia Inquirer. https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia/mantuaphiladelphia-neighborhoods-median-age-affordable-housing-20250308.html 2025 “Innovation Celebrated and a Community Connected at the I-Corps Northeast Hub Annual Meeting | NSF I-Corps Hub Northeast Region.” Accessed August 5, 2025. https://icorpsnortheasthub.org/news/2024/innovation-celebrated-andcommunity-connected-i-corps-northeast-hub-annual-meeting.
2024 Bouchard, C. (2024, May 3). Van Buren is working with Philadelphia College on a historical art project. Bangor Daily News. https://www.bangordailynews.com/2024/05/03/aroostook/aroostook-
culture/van-buren-maine-drexel-university-westphal-college-historical-artproject/
2023 Douglas Whitmire. “If You Build It, Will They Come: An Evaluation of Design, Context, and Engagement.” Urban Health Collaborative (blog), January 27, 2023. https://drexel.edu/uhc/research/projects/play-spaceevaluation/.
2023 Dezeen Staff. “Drexel University Spotlights 15 Architecture and Design Projects.” Dezeen, August 4, 2023. https://www.dezeen.com/2023/08/04/drexel-university-architecturedesign-projects-dezeen-schoolshows/.
Research Exhibits
2024/25 Coordinator and Advisor of Research-based Exhibits: Digital Twins: Curated by and featuring the work of the MS Design Research Students class taught by artist Talia Greene. URBN Center Philadelphia September 2024., and Micah Lockman-Fine Student
Jury accepted into Exhibit Pearlstein Gallery Summer 2025.
2024 Biodesign Challenge competition and exhibition: Biodesign for aging Nicholas, D., Lockman-Fine, M., Hillis, M., Fulton, T., Sugrue, J., Meyers, E., Riddick, D., Lindberg, K., & Chen, B. (2024, June). Collected Dermafutures: The Museum of Notable Realities Drexel University 2024 [Competition]. Biodesign Challenge 2024, Parsons School of Design. https://www.biodesignchallenge.org/drexel-university-2024 2020 and 2019
Design and Science, Esther Klein Science Center Gallery, February, Philadelphia PA associated with the exhibit catalog and book chapter listed below Piece Title: “Garden Fresh Home: Biodesign Substrates” D.S. Nicholas, Shivanthi Anandan.
Exhibit Catalog
Atzmon, Leslie. Design and Science Exhibition Catalogue (2019). Eastern Michigan University Gallery. D.S. Nicholas and Shivanthi Anandan Pp. 36-38. https://issuu.com/leslieatzmon/docs/issuu_d_and_s_catalogue_
Selected Creative Book Projects: https://issuu.com/mouthoflowers
Research Advising & Mentorship
Student Presentations & Public Recognition
2025 Sinduja Balan and Diana Nicholas. “Designing for Dignity: Changing the Paradigm of Assisted Living Facility through Long Term Intergenerational Living.” In EDRA - EDRA56 Designing Communities for Climate Action and Resilience. Halifax: EDRA, 2025. https://edra.confex.com/edra/EDRA56/meetingapp.cgi/Home/0.
2025 T. Deshpande, D. Nicholas, R. Wenrick, A. A. Handy, M. Lockman-Fine, J. He, E. Sanders. Co-Creation and Community Engagement at Drexel’s DRDR4H Lab, IDEC 2024
2025 Emily Malina AMPS Conference Session: Arizona + Virtual Societies, Spaces, Screens; Session Hybrid Spaces III, Title of Presentation: Our New Situationship: Screen-Based Technology and Embodied Presence, December 11-13
2025 Emily Malina Thesis Award for Integrating Research into Design
2024 Tasha Singh Outstanding Research- Departmental Award Interior Design Masters Graduate Award
2024 Tasha Singh, Metropolis 100: Thesis Student and Lab employees who won a place in the 2024 Metropolis 100
2024 Gabe Thayer, Beyond the Burr Baiada Fellowship
2024 Gabe Thayer, Beyond the Burr ICorps Regional Drexel Cohort
2023 Alumna Paper and Presentation: Krespan, E., & Feller-Johnson, N. (2023). Applied Student Archetypes In Disruptive Design Education. International Conference of Education, Research, and Innovation2023 Proceedings, 8540–8546. https://doi.org/10.21125/iceri.2023.2175
2022 Drexel Emerging Graduates Conference: Dean’s Award for Best In-Person Research Poster Presentation Alisha Prabhakar MS Program in Design Research, Westphal College of Media Arts and Design: What’s Your Version of Safe Space?
2022 Baiada Institute Impact Innovation Hub Fellowship W: Eva Snaiden, Michael Olk, Mary Kahle for "Campus Food Insecurity Toolkit" for students experiencing food insecurity on campus
2020 Mentee Award: Drexel Graduate College Research Award Winner Graduate College Award Winner - Most Original & Creative Work Thelmelis Abreu,
2020 Elise Krespan, Alumna Dual BIO/DSRE; and Nicole Feller-Johnson, Alumna Dual FASH/DSRE; Presented DSRE Special Topics Remotely at the NSIA 2020: Emerging and Experimental Agendas in Design Education Faculty of Architecture, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
2020 Megan Marie Mastrobattista 2020 Interactive Spaces Conference: Florida State University (Advisor D.S. Nicholas)
2019 Greg Sieber Aquatic Fabulations on the Schuylkill: Speculative Bodies of Translation Society for Social Study of Science, New Orleans.
2019 Student Team, including Elise Krespan, was featured in Geoff Larcom. (2019, September 3). The “Design and Science” art exhibition debut at Eastern Michigan University EMU Today.
https://today.emich.edu/story/story/11099
2019 Nicholas St. Angelo Nick presented his thesis (Advisor: Liana Dragoman) at the Fifteenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability in Vancouver, Canada.
2018 Mentee Award: Drexel Graduate College Research Award Winner Most Original & Creative: Advisee Nicole Feller-Johnson, Dual MS Programs in Fashion & Design Research, Westphal College of Media Arts and Design.
2018 Thanh My Nguyen ARCC Map the Gap; Advised by myself and Dr. Yvonne Michael EDRA 2018 Map the Gap; Advised by myself and Dr. Yvonne
Michael
2018 Elise Krespan (Dual BIO/DSRE) Venture Well 2018 Presented URBN Steamlab work Co-advised by Dr. Shivanthi Anandan and D.S. Nicholas
2018 Erin Okoniewski EDRA 2018 DSRE Thesis Presentation (Dual DSRE/INTR) Advised by D.S. Nicholas for DSRE and INTR Christina Grimes
2019-2025 Drexel Emerging Scholars Conference Presenters Accepted and Presented: Feller-Johnson, Nicole Marie, Okoniewski, Erin E, Nguyen, Thanh My, Krespan, Elise M, Sutkowski, Rosalind Ann, Rable, Sarah C, Marconi, Amanda Marie, St Angelo, Nicholas Francis, Rathjen, Marco,
Mastrobattista, Megan M, Abreu, Thelmelis, Chen, Junyi, Scally, Simone E, James, Wilynda J, Xu, Yiming, Brzozowski, Andrew Joseph, Loseva, Oxana, Sepha, Segrue, Hashwin Panjani, Emily Malina, Zovi Khrimian, Kate Potyomkina
Student Thesis & Research Advising
2016-Present Design Research Thesis Advisor and IRB Coordinator Thesis publication listed below
Lab adjacent Master of Science Interior Architecture Thesis Advisees 2024-2025 Sinduja Balan
2023-2024 Tanaya Deshpande: Mind Palace: Aging and Cognitively Aware Creative Space
2023-2024 Tasha Singh: Common Space Intergenerational Living 2020-2021 Emily Grigsby
2013-Present Custom Design Major Senior Project Advisor
2010-Present MSIAD Graduate Thesis Advisor
Published Student Master’s Thesis Projects 2019-Present can be found here: https://designcare4health.com/more-about-us
2024/25 Ph.D. Committee Membership:
Maya Hillis; Environmental and Peace Engineering
Rghad Balkyoor; Digital Media
Sasan Bahrami; Digital Media
Service to the Research Community
2024 Collections Creator & Editor
Created scholarly collection with Lived Places Publishing six forthcoming volumes: The Human-Centered Design Studies Collection seeks work revealing lived experiences globally and locally at all scales driven by human-centered design. This collection will include course readings on health, justice, poverty, and technology in our challenging and complex 21st-century environment.
https://livedplacespublishing.com/page/design-studies
Drexel Design Research Symposium
Symposium Founder, Chair, And Planner 2016-2024
Drexel Design Research Symposium” arrange, coordinate, and deploy full-day symposium featuring regionally and nationally known speakers and events. Symposium years and themes: Featured Speakers, Collaborators, and Industry Representatives include Knoll Furniture, Penn Center for Health Care Innovation, IBM, Center for Functional Fabrics, Healthy Rowhouse Project, Kieran Timberlake, Amherst University, Perkins Will, Dornsife Center, Scattergood Foundation, The Alliance of Community Service Providers among others. This is an urban and global health-related event, with an average of 100 attendees regionally and nationally.
Recent Yearly Symposia Themes
2023 Design Research Symposium: Aging Catalysts for Health: 60 Attendees with student-facilitated design sprint
2024 Farnese Symposium; Healthy Aging, AI and Hope
2016-Present Other Research Events Planning
2020 Conference Planning Health in Buildings Round table 2020 Conference, Washington DC Conference Planning: Town Hall and Interactive Sessions Co-Chair Urban and global health-related activities Large national/internationally attended event
2020 Conference Planning Creativity Conference with CIRGE Group: Conference Co-chair in collaboration with APA Division 10 and Jennifer KatzBuonincontro and Elaine Perignat Urban and global health-related activity Large national/internationally attended event
2019 Invited Moderator Urban Health Collaborative 2019 Symposium: Reimagining Health In Cities: Challenges And New Directions. Session Info: Urban Design and Action Strategies To Improve Health Moderator: D.S. Nicholas, Anita Chandra, DrPH, MPH, Vice President and Director, RAND Social Economic Well-Being, RAND Corporation; Joanna Frank, President and CEO, Center for Active Design; Mark Stevenson, Ph.D., Professor of Urban Transport and Public Health, University of Melbourne; Adam Freed, MUP, Principal, Bloomberg Associates; Discussant: Ira Goldstein Ph.D., President, Policy Solutions, Reinvestment Fund
2019 Conference Planning Committee Urban Health Collaborative 2019 Symposium: Reimagining Health In Cities: Challenges And New Directions. Urban and global health-related activity Large national/internationally attended event
2018 Invited Session Chair ARCC Conference Building Science and Technology Session Large national/internationally attended event
2016 Invited Moderator ARCC/EAEE International conference Topic Chair and Session Moderator: Community and Urban Participation Large national/internationally attended event
Recent Advisory + Conference Topic Chair + Peer Reviews
2023-2025 Invited Member Center for Active Design (CfaD) Research Advisory invited member The Center for Active Design is the leading non-profit organization using design to foster healthy and engaged communities. CfAD operates the Fitwel healthy building certification system. The advisory listing can be found here: https://www.fitwel.org/centerforactivedesign
2024 Cotswold Foundation Postdoc Awards: Drexel Reviewer
2024 Track Chair Accepted Session: Design Research Society Reimagining Care Through Evidence: Design Research, Patient-Centered Solutions, And A Culture of Care for Healthy Societies
2024 Paper Reviewer Design Research Society Conference
Teaching
Academic Year 25/26Course Teaching Responsibilities
NOTE: Does not include independent study advising average 3 independent studies per term
Service
Service To Drexel University Administration
2016-Present Founding Director Master of Science Design
• Director Duties include
• Maintain curriculum rigor
• Propose and maintain a yearly budget and coordinate with other departmental budgets and requests as needed.
• Supervise adjuncts and standing faculty in program delivery
• Scheduling and planning course offerings
• Maintaining curriculum listing in the catalog
• Academic advising of students in their paths
• Identify research and career opportunities
• Marketing and recruitment events
• Build cohort numbers yearly
• Work with faculty to identify opportunities for entering students
• Manage adjunct faculty and develop special topics
• Institutional Review Board Thesis coordinating for thesis cohort
• Work with graduate admissions to identify, review, and process applications
• Transcript and portfolio review of students, as well as personal interviews
• Work with the International Students and Scholars Department
• Accepted Students’ correspondence – developing a plan of study for each student, determining start date, and prerequisite courses
• Coordinating and advising students in student design competitions
• Curriculum: Maintain up-to-date sequence sheets and plan of study sheets
• Semi-Annual Curriculum Revisions
• Advise on Financial Aid, including Graduate Assistantships, Deans Fellowships
• Update and maintain student records
Sustainability in The Built Environment Minor
2012-Present Coordinator & Advisor
• Work with standing faculty to ensure enrollment average enrollment: 30-35 students total
• Supervise adjuncts and standing faculty in program delivery
• Market the minor to ensure a more cross-university population
• Advise students on entrance into the minor
• Evaluate coursework for inclusion as electives in the minor.
• Meet and confer with student advisors to ensure processes are followed and students’ credits are attributed correctly.
• Update and maintain student records.
• Academic advising in collaboration with Student Services Department Service
2021-2022 Department of Architecture, Design & Urbanism ARFAA Lecture Committee
2011-2016 Department of Architecture, Design & Urbanism Technology Committee: Assisted with all technology decisions and purchases for the Department Programs, including hardware and software discussions
2010-Present Department Standing Faculty Curriculum Committee
2015-2016 MS Design Working Group and Steering Committee Worked with standing faculty to author and develop the MS Design Program, including core courses and sequence.
2011-2016 Digital Technology Coordinator Interiors Programs Tenure & Promotion
2025-2026 Jacklynn Niemiec Tenure Committee Chair
2025-2026 William Mangold Tenure Review Committee
2024-2025 Daniel Coslett Mid-tenure Review Committee
2024-2025 Antonio Martinez Molina Tenure Committee Chair
2023-2024 June He Product Design Mid-Tenure Review
2023-2024 Joseph Steinhardt Music Industry Tenure Review Committee
2023-2024 Frances Temple-West Non-Tenure Track Promotion Committee Interior Design
2023-2024 Maureen DeSimone Non-Tenure Track Promotion Committee Fashion Industry and Merchandising
Search Committees
2025/2026 Interior Design Teaching Professor (NTT) Search
2024/25 Executive Director Finance: Westphal College of Media arts and Design Committee Co-chair with Trevor Phaneuf
2023/24 Tenure-track Interior Design Search Committee member
2021/22 Department Head Department of Architecture Design & Urbanism Cochair with Associate Professor Andrew Zitcer
2020/21 Tenure Track Product Design Search Committee member
2019/20 Teaching Professor Search Interior Design Co-Chair with Professor Alphonso Mclendon
2016/17 Department Head Department of Design Search Committee member
2015/16 Tenure Track Product Design Search Committee member
2013/14 Tenure-Track Design and Merchandising Search Committee member
2012/13 Tenure Track Architecture Search Committee member
2012/13 Non-Tenure Track Architecture Search Committee member
Recent College Service
2024-2025 Westphal Academic Committee Hiring Policy and Guidelines
2023-2024 Westphal Academic Committee Research Scholarship and Creative Work
2022-2023 Westphal Academic Summer Committee on Workload
2023-2025 Pearlstein Gallery Westphal College Gallery and Exhibits Committee
Faculty Caucus Member Shared Governance Service
2020-2021 Vice-chair of Faculty Caucus
2014-2022 Caucus Committee on Academic Affairs ADU Department Graduate Representative
2021-2022 Chair Strategic Graduate and Lifelong Learning Committee
2020-2021 College Strategic Planning Committee: Design Education
2019-2021 Westphal Diversity Equity and Inclusion Council (DEIC): Recording Secretary
Recent University Service
2025 Middle States Certification of Higher Education Standard V Committee
2023-2025 Senate Steering Committee Westphal College Representative, two (2) year term
2023-2025 Full Faculty Senate Member, Westphal College at-large member, two (2) year term
2021-Present CANOPI Mentor: Advised group in the 2022 University faculty promotion portfolio program
2021-2022 Senate Building, Planning, and Development (BP&D) Senate Subcommittee at-large member, two (2) Year Term
2020-2022 Senate Committee on Academic Affairs (SCAA) Graduate Subcommittee at-large member, two (2) Year Term
2020 University Strategic Planning Implementation Committee CELL Committee: Lifelong Learning and Certificates in Service to The Drexel 2030 Agenda Accreditations
Accreditation National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)
2024 National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) Accreditation: MS Design Research Visit and Exhibition Successful review
2016-Present National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)
Accreditation: MS Design Research
2016 Initial NASAD report at the inception of the program
2017-2019 Maintained program records with College Designated NASAD coordinator Sara Steinwachs. Submitted official follow-up in 2018 reported permanent status for program Filed Program adjustments
2014-2015 Interiors National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)
Accreditation Faculty Team
Accreditation Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA)
2011-2018 Council on Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) Standing Faculty Committee: Assisted with two successful CIDA accreditations and implemented curricular adjustments related to program self-study
2011-2012 Exhibit Design Lead: Drexel Interior Design Dual Accreditations Masters and bachelor’s Programs CIDA Accreditations: Exhibit Design and Exhibit Coordinator BSID and MSIAD; graphics and operational assistance with Standing Interiors Faculty
Accreditation National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB)
2011 Material Assistance Drexel National Architecture Accrediting Board
2006 Temple University NAAB Accreditation Co-chair and student work exhibition lead
Curriculum
MS Program Curricular Developments & Adjustments
2024 Name change MS Design, and Program CIP code STEM Designation
2023 Added five-year BS/MS with Bachelor of Architecture Studies and Bachelor of Retail Fashion Merchandising
2020-2022 DSRE program inclusions across the University DSRE Courses have been added as electives or degree requirements
Curricular Development
2021 Honors Symposium Fellow: HNRS 301: Interior Space, Environment, & Disaster
AS-501/502 Trans-Disciplinary Cross University Research Courses:
AS-501: Creative Interdisciplinary Team Research: Principles and Practice and AS-502: Enhancing the Creativity of a Research Project.
Recent Service To the Profession of Design
2018-Present Service Design Network Philadelphia Chapter Co-Founder Member
2014-2018 AIA Health and Active Design Committee: Completed active design case studies with committee members
2015-2017 PHL Fit City 2 and 3 Planning Committee
Professional Practice
Owner-Architect On Design LLC
2002- 2014 Licensed Architecture and Interior Design solo practice: I worked with clients large and small to create spaces and projects that facilitate users’ needs creatively and with added value in Urban Philadelphia Historic contexts. With a focus on Community Storefronts, Community Non-profit, Residential spaces, and building reuse
Selected Systems Expertise
Research Expert Level
Liner (AI)
Delve
Qualtrics/Survey Monkey
Administrative Expert Level
Microsoft 365: Excel/Ppt/Msword/Teams/Shar epoint/Onedrive
Creative/Design Expert Level
MIRO/Mural Rhino/Grasshopper
Discord Makerbot Slicer/Flashprint
Dedoose Slate Autocad
Smaply Canvas
Remarkable Blackboard Learn Revit
In Vivo
Web Finance Sketchup
Chat Gpt (AI) Banner Figma
Zotero Coeus Canva
Gpt 4aii
Trello/Monday/ Asana/ Midjourney (Ai)
Airtable Slack Nolij/Technolutions
Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop Illustrator Indesign Adobe