EDRAite of the Month - Erin Peavey Hsieh

Erin Peavey Hsieh August 2015 Erin Peavey Hsieh

More than ten years ago I discovered my passion. I was sitting in Introduction to Environmental Psychology and was riveted! There I learned the capacity for environments to comfort the sick, touch our hearts and shape our actions. In being introduced to the powerful tool of environmental design, it became my mission to use research to foster environments that care.

It is with that purpose that I became the senior researcher and a medical planner at HOK in New York. In this role, I work with our team to bridge research and practice, and integrate evidence into our decision making.  Being a part of the EDRA community has introduced me to many leaders in our field whose research shapes the future of design. Their passion to make the world a better place is inspiring – Ann Sloan Devlin, Mardelle Shepley, Upali Nanda and Maggie Calkins, just to name a few. As liaison between EDRA and the Academy of Architecture for Health (AAH), we have made strides to bridge the worlds of research and practice. However, much work remains.

I am currently working, as part of an amazing team, on the EDRA Certificate of Research Excellence (CORE). Through EDRA CORE we recognize exemplary projects that use research as a part of the design and planning process. I was recently recognized as a leader in healthcare design through the U40 Award from the AIA-AAH. Receiving this award was a great honor! It is a sign of the increasing value that the design profession places on research, and inspires me to continue working to advance our field.