EMNCEI Report, Volume Two

As we reflect upon the achievements of the Elaine Marieb Center for Nursing and Engineering Innovation over the last year, we are excited to highlight some of the most notable activities and milestones that we have achieved to advance the mission of the Center.

Noteworthy accomplishments include numerous interdisciplinary conference presentations and publications at the local, regional, and national levels, collaborative initiatives with influential organizations, such as the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), the independent healthcare technology authority ECRI, and the American Nurses Association, our Round Table Symposium, submission of our first patent and our ongoing and strong collaboration with Baystate Health. We co-sponsored a pilot grant with the UMass Institute for Diversity Sciences to support issues in healthcare equity in our local community, received the 2023 State of Massachusetts legislature award as a manufacturer of the year for Western MA, and submitted a large National Science Foundation Graduate Training Grant.

Hands-on experience in research and healthcare product development for undergraduate students, graduate students, and our postdoctoral fellows remains central to our approach. In this report, you will see several examples of our product development projects, which are always informed by real-world clinical issues identified by frontline caregivers. Additionally, we are engaged in both our IV smart pump laboratory in IALS (Institute for Advanced Life Sciences) and our robotics laboratories, advancing the science through nurse-engineer teaming. 

The summer of 2023 kept our entire team very busy. We had a total of 13 Elaine Marieb Center staff working all summer, including Frank and Karen, three graduate students, five undergraduate summer interns, and our first three high school students. In addition to being involved in Center research and product development projects, our summer nurse-engineer teams participated in the Girls Inc. Summer Eureka! Program by creating and delivering four hands-on workshops: two in the nursing simulation lab at the Elaine Marieb College of Nursing and two in the College of Engineering Robotics lab.

In our roles as co-directors, we continue to draw upon our collective experiences in critical care nursing, human performance optimization, engineering, academic research, and industry healthcare product development. The activities supported by the Center represent our shared passion for promoting interdisciplinary partnerships and nurturing innovative mindsets. In the coming year, one of our goals is to create even stronger relationships with our industry partners to create additional real-world opportunities for our students.

Thank you for your ongoing interest, support, and collaboration. It is an honor for us as Elaine Marieb Center co-directors to continue to help the Center grow and thrive, and we remain committed to supporting the ever-increasing number of diverse projects initiated by our students, faculty, and partners.

The Elaine Marieb Center for Nursing and Engineering Innovation aims to address healthcare challenges through a collaborative Nurse-Engineer approach. This approach brings together experts from nursing, engineering, and other disciplines to create new solutions for healthcare. The Center was established in 2021 with support from three UMass alumni. Michael and Terry Hluchyj, representing the College of Engineering and the College of Nursing, provided the initial seed funding. The Elaine Nicpon Marieb Charitable Foundation contributed additional funding. To advance its mission, the Center provides funding and resources to UMass students and faculty. This support encourages interdisciplinary teams to pursue innovative research, work on joint projects, and seek external funding to realize the impact of their work.

We are excited about the Center's future and appreciate your support.