Engaged Curriculum Grants
Biomedical Engineering for Rural Healthcare
Developing a student exchange program to spur the design of accurate, reliable and robust medical equipment
Equipment malfunctions are a major challenge for rural, resource-poor healthcare centers, limiting the ability of medical staff to diagnose and treat patients. In this reciprocal exchange program for biomedical engineering students at Cornell and Arusha Technical College in Tanzania, students obtain both practical experience with medical devices and de novo design training to develop improved devices that are safe and reliable. In Tanzania, students diagnose and repair medical equipment at local healthcare facilities. During the Cornell portion of the program, student hone their design skills and develop ideas to address unmet medical needs that were identified in Tanzania. These ideas are refined through international, collaborative senior design projects into prototype devices that improve health delivery through sustainable infrastructure.
Grant type: Planning (2018-19), Development (2019-20)
Topics: Access, Equity and Justice; Arts, Communication, Media and Design; Health, Nutrition and Medicine
The Team
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Chris Schaffer, Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering
College of Engineering
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Nozomi Nishimura, Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering
College of Engineering
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Menansili Mejooli, Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering
College of Engineering
- Community partner: Arusha Technical College
- Community partner: Biomedical Engineering Technology Aid International
In the News
SEPTEMBER 17, 2018
Cornell, Tanzanian students share knowledge in new exchange program
– Cornell Chronicle
SEPTEMBER 12, 2018
Cornell scientist receives grant for Tanzanian partnership
– Ithaca.com
Engaged Curriculum Grants
Funding teams that are integrating community-engaged learning into new and existing curricula.