Designing for Better Human Experience in Healthcare Environments
- Prof.Suining Ding,PhD, EDAC, NCIDQ, LEED GA
- 5 hours ago
- 1 min read
What an incredible experience at the EDRA57 Environmental Design Research Association Annual Conference at UMass Amherst!
I am honored and deeply grateful to have received the 2026 EDRA CORE (Certificate of Research Excellence) Award for my research study, “Examining Patients’ Seating Preferences, Personal Space, and Proximity in Doctor’s Office Waiting Rooms.” This work was made possible through the support of the Purdue University Fort Wayne Senior Summer Faculty Research Grants, for which I am sincerely thankful. This recognition reinforces my commitment to advancing evidence-based design research and exploring how healthcare environments can better support patient comfort, well-being, and overall experience.
In addition to receiving this award, I had the opportunity to present my research, “Examining the Evolution of Nursing Unit Design and What Has Sustained Through the Lens of Environment-Behavior Theory,” and share key findings with colleagues and fellow researchers, and offer recommendations for healthcare design practice.
EDRA57 was an inspiring and enriching experience. The engaging conversations, meaningful connections, and exchange of ideas left me inspired, energized, and deeply grateful to be part of such a vibrant research community. I look forward to continuing the discussions that began at EDRA57 and to contributing further to research that advances patient-centered healthcare environments.
