Research

Cross-Boundary Design Work

Building theory and methods to improve design across cultural, organizational, and knowledge group boundaries

image credits: TechnipFMC/Lean Enterprise Institute, 2017, USA  (top); Eric Brubaker, 2016, Zambia (bottom)

Publications

Brubaker, E.R., Bellesia, F., Mattarelli. E., & Hinds, P. (Under review) Co-Design at the Boundary: Understanding the Dynamics of Open Innovation. 

Rieken, E., Bond, K., Best, R.M., Burleson, G., Brubaker, E.R. A Spectrum of Perspective Taking in Engineering Design. (2023). Proceedings of the International Conference on Engineering Design (ICED).  **Awarded Best Paper of ICED23. (link)

Brubaker, E.R., Sheppard, S.D., Hinds, P.D., Yang, M.C. Objects of Collaboration: Roles of Objects in Spanning Knowledge Group Boundaries in Design. (2023). Journal of Mechanical Design. (link)

Brubaker, E.R., Sheppard, S.D., Hinds, P.D., Yang, M.C. Objects of Collaboration: Roles of Objects in Spanning Knowledge Boundaries in a Design Company. (2022). ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences, St. Louis, MO. **Awarded ASME Design Theory & Methodology Best Paper of the Year. (link)

Brubaker, E.R., Carl Jensen, Silungwe, S., Sheppard, S.D., & Yang, M.C. (2017). Co-Design in Zambia: An Examination of Design Outcomes. Proceedings of the International Conference on Engineering Design (ICED). (link)

Brubaker, E.R., Sastry, M.A., Bernal, M.A., (2016). When and When Not to Co-Create? Precursors for Co-Creation. VentureWell Conference.

Expanded Conceptions of Design Expertise

Building more expansive and inclusive theories of design expertise

Credit: Robert Shimaingo and Stephen Mvula, Kafue Innovation Centre, Zambia

Select Presentations

Brubaker, E.R. Situated design expertise: An expert-expert think-aloud study with Kenyan and American designers. (2021). Invited abstract and presentation at the International Conference on Engineering Design (ICED) AFRICA-DESIGN Workshop. (link to abstract)

Brubaker, E.R. "In being worked on" A spoken word poem. (2019). 14th Annual Engineering, Social Justice, and Peace (ESJP) Conference. (link to abstract)

Hands-On, Community-Engaged, Design Education

Examining disparities in access to learning resources and supporting equitable practices in engineering learning environments

image credit: Theo St. Francis, 2018, USA

Publications

Brubaker, E.R., Mbaezue, C.G., & Sheppard, S.D. Access to Help: Help-Asking Frames and Disparities in Help Received in a Makerspace. (Under review).

Brubaker, E.R., Trego, M., Cohen, S., & Taha, K. (2022). Partnerships Compass: Guiding questions for equitable and impactful engineering community-engaged learning. Advances in Engineering Education. (link)

Brubaker, E. R., Kohn, M. D., & Sheppard, S. D. (2019). Comparing Outcomes Of Introductory Makerspace Courses: The Roles of Reflection And Multi-Age Communities of Practice. International Symposium on Academic Makerspaces (ISAM). (link)

Intellectual Communities

The Design Society

American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME)

Engineering, Social Justice, & Peace Network (ESJP)

Computer Supported Collaborative Work (CSCW) 

American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE)