EDRAite of the Month - Sheila Bosch

Sheila Bosch, PhD, LEED AP, EDAC May 2014

Sheila Bosch "Twenty years ago, on Easter Sunday, at the age of 26, I was diagnosed with an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. At the time, the odds of surviving the disease for 5 years or more were 54%. I spent nearly a week in the hospital following my diagnosis in the emergency room. I will never forget the rooftop garden. The flooring, in patterns of color, was made from recycled tires. The plants, both young and mature ones, were full of life. At the risk of personifying, they seemed joyful, reaching out as if to embrace me. It was in the garden where I cried, reflected on my young life, and contemplated the future. It was an escape from the dull, cold walls of the hospital – a place of respite, a creation abounding in love from the Creator.

At that time in my life, I had no intentions whatsoever of becoming a design researcher. Really, how many people in the world say to themselves…when I grow up I want to study the relationships between buildings and the people who use them? But my experience in the hospital garden was the first time I noticed the distinct power of those relationships. It was 14 years ago that I entered the doctoral program at Georgia Tech, where I was first introduced to EDRA. I’ll never forget how warmly I was welcomed at my first conference. Being part of EDRA over the years has been very rewarding. I’ve learned so much other researchers, and I still have LOTS to learn, so I suspect EDRA will be part of my life for many years to come."