solutions that ma Human centered design allowed students to find solutions to real-world needs. Human centered design (HCD), formerly known as engineering service project, was a student-led course that combined the technical and design skills of engineers and interior designers alike. Students enrolled in the course partnered with local nonprofit stakeholders seeking design solutions to physical problems within their organizations. Dr. Jimmy Huff, assistant professor of engineering and physics, said the class prepared students to become professionals in their discipline by allowing them to use the design process alongside professionals rather than in hypothetical scenarios. "These 80+ hours of other course work, they did to prepare their specific skills of design," Huff said. "This is where they get to make connections and apply them to real social issues." In spring 2019, the HCD class finalized a sustainable lighting system for Harding University Tahkodah (HUT) after two years of researching and prototyping economical solutions. The final product was a single light fixture designed to amplify light within entire municipal buildings at HUT. Senior mechanical engineering major Cooper Longley, who helped complete the service project for HUT, said he thought the class was valuable because he gained real-world experience prior to having an official internship. "It was really beneficial for me to see how my role as an engineer would work with interior design people," Longley said. Senior interior design major Ana Quintero said the interdisciplinary aspect of the class was a highlight for her because she learned how to 108 listen to and respect others from a different field and discovered a new way to think about design. "Whenever [the interior designers] would get stuck, it was really easy to just go down the same path every time," Quintero said. "Engineers tend to be bigger picture. ... They'd tell us not to get caught up in the little details." HCD was a two-semester course, meaning students assumed responsibility of previous projects or started a new one. In the past, students collaborated with Habitat for Humanity to create a display mechanism for lighting, an electrical testing system for appliances and a management system for waste. According to Huff, the concept of HCD was centered around designing while valuing people's needs. He said he believed the concept gave Christians a purpose in the design process. "I want every student in the course to come up with a template of, 'This is how I can be an engineer for Christ,"' Huff said. Quintero said HCD contributed to the mission of Harding because the class focused directly on assisting other people. "I do know that in everything, we are trying to glorify God," Quintero said. "Designing for people and keeping them in mind while we're designing is us being able to better take care of those around us - and to love them better, too." story by Caroline Lea
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