Engineering Equity: One Student's Quest

November 2023
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Engineering Equity: One Student's Quest

Introduction

Dive into the life of Abigail Schipper, an MIT senior who's breaking barriers between day and night. By day, she's a biomedical engineering student learning about cutting-edge medical tech. By night? An EMT witnessing health inequities right outside world-class hospitals. Schipper's journey from creating gender-equitable CPR manikins to innovating in birth control tech shows how she's using her engineering prowess to tackle health equity head-on. This story isn't just about innovation; it's about making a real difference. Ready to be inspired by her mission at MIT?

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Why It Matters

Discover how this topic shapes your world and future

Pioneering Paths to Healthier Horizons

Imagine living in a world where your access to healthcare and medical advancements isn't just a matter of where you live or how much money you make. That's the vision inspiring students like Abigail Schipper, who's turning her engineering skills and passion for public service into innovative solutions for health equity. From developing self-dissolving birth control implants to creating gender-equitable CPR manikins, her work is breaking down barriers to healthcare access. This isn't just about inventing cool medical gadgets; it's about reshaping how we think about and deliver healthcare to ensure everyone, regardless of gender, location, or socioeconomic status, has the chance to live a healthy life. This quest for health equity might seem distant from your daily life, but think about it: How would you feel knowing that the health services you might take for granted are out of reach for others? And what if you could be part of the solution?

Speak like a Scholar

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Health Equity

Ensuring everyone has the same opportunity to be as healthy as possible, regardless of social, economic, or environmental differences.

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Biomedical Engineering

A field that combines engineering principles with medical and biological sciences to design and create equipment, devices, computer systems, and software used in healthcare.

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Public Health

The science of protecting and improving the health of people and their communities through education, policy-making, and research for disease and injury prevention.

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Innovative Solutions

New and creative ideas to solve problems, especially those that improve processes, methods, or products.

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Socioeconomic Status

A measure of a person's economic and social position based on income, education, and occupation.

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Gender-Equitable

Providing fairness and equality in treatment and opportunities for all genders.

Independent Research Ideas

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Exploring the Impact of Design on CPR Training Effectiveness

Investigate how the design of CPR manikins, including gender representation, affects trainees' confidence and competence in performing CPR.

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The Role of Engineers in Public Health Emergencies

Examine how engineers can contribute to solving public health crises, using real-life examples like the development of affordable carbon dioxide sensors to reduce the risk of infectious diseases.

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Innovations in Birth Control Technology

Research the development of new contraceptive technologies, focusing on accessibility and ease of use for populations with limited healthcare access.

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The Intersection of Public Policy and Health Equity

Analyze how changes in public policy can impact health equity, using case studies of recent healthcare reforms or debates.

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Community-Based Solutions to Healthcare Access

Explore how community initiatives and services, like the Find and Treat service, can address healthcare disparities and improve access to medical care for underserved populations.