Though we may be a world apart, friendship makes us neighbors at heart.
海内存知己，天涯若比邻
Mission
The Empathic CoDesign Lab at Drexel University’s Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design initiates and supports design projects that celebrate diversity, equality, fairness, and inclusion for our community members.
Our research focus is on aging and relevant design innovation, Co-Design practices with community partners, and Design Thinking methods and Human-Centered Design practices for interdisciplinary learners. We aim to increase the awareness of the voices and needs of marginalized communities and create innovative solutions with them instead of for them.
Our team collaborates with interdisciplinary faculty and researchers across the United States, local non-profit community partners, and oversea research institutions. We conduct in-person and virtual workshops, public-facing exhibitions, design symposiums and seminars, and the Aging + Design course series.
In Collaboration With
About Us
June He
June He is the founder and director of the Empathic CoDesign Lab, and assistant professor of Product Design at Westphal College of Media Arts and Design in Drexel University. She is a multifaceted designer, artist, and writer with extensive industry experience. She uses empathic design and participatory design methods to explore the design opportunity at the intersection of gender, immigrant, and cultural identity. June is currently leading Aging & Design courses & research projects for cross-disciplinary students at Drexel University and older adults in Philadelphia’s Asian communities.
Our Team
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D.S. Nicholas
NCIDQ, AIA, LEED GA, EDRA, Director, MS Design Research; Associate Professor, Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design
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Catherine Quay
MSN, RN-BC, CNE, Assistant Clinical Professor in Nursing, College of Nursing and Health Professions
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Philip Lai
Branch Director at Philadelphia Senior Center
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Arun Ramakrishnan
Director of Research Labs, Office of Research, Discovery and Innovation, College of Nursing and Health Professions
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Donald McEachron
Ph.D. Teaching Professor Coordinator, Academic Assessment and Quality Improvement, School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
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Vanessa Xie
Research Assistant, Design Research Masters Candidate, Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
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Khue Dao
Research Assistant, Product Designer/Design Researcher
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Jade Dinh
Research Assistant, Graphic Design, Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design
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Koya Chen
Research Assistant, Product Design, Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design
Student: Khue Dao
“After each co-design session, my heart is full listening to the older adults. I was able to empathize with their feelings and the hardships that they are facing. One comment really stood out to me was when Mrs. XXX said that it was the happiest day that she has ever been able to talk to us, showing hope for social connections despite the language barrier. It was a memorable experience that I will remember forever and would love nothing more than staying connected with the participants afterward.”
Student: Isabella Morse
“This class was a unique experience and an amazing learning opportunity. I’ve learned many little things here and there, from different cultural cues and practices to people's personal traditions. It was all eye-opening. If I had to pick though, the most important thing I’ve gained is the relationships I was able to make.”
Students: Jouri Abdulmajeed Ghazi & Amjot Kaur
“Our observations during this exercise allowed us to see that individuals struggling with arthritis have much difficulty performing simple tasks which can seem effortless to the rest of the population.”