Elisa Bravo, a Ph.D. candidate in Mechanical Engineering, specializes in community-engaged design research aligned with the principles of Design Justice. Elisa’s work is centered around the idea of giving a voice to those underrepresented and marginalized in traditional engineering design. This passion for socially engaged design is directly tied to her work as a graduate facilitator, where she enters classrooms to teach future engineers how to incorporate themes of equity, justice, and community into engineering practice. Additionally, she curates content on engineering design techniques and strategies for incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion in technical engineering curriculum.
Another role that Elisa takes on here at C-SED is being one of the lab managers of the C-SED lab. As a lab manager, Elisa trains students from all disciplines here at Michigan on how to engage safely in our makerspace. She also leads workshops fostering belonging and community within the C-SED lab. Elisa’s dissertation work is focused on the creation of inclusive makerspaces, specifically looking at how to encourage diverse student participation in the makerspace through the creation of an inclusive maker culture that values the unique forms of making and knowledge brought by students into the makerspace.