{"id":401867,"date":"2020-12-17T09:03:23","date_gmt":"2020-12-17T14:03:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/?p=401867"},"modified":"2020-12-17T09:03:23","modified_gmt":"2020-12-17T14:03:23","slug":"national-science-foundation-provides-innovation-grant-to-bring-maker-therapy-initiative-and-dedicated-makerspaces-to-california-pediatric-centers-george-mark-childrens-house-and-santa-clara","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/national-science-foundation-provides-innovation-grant-to-bring-maker-therapy-initiative-and-dedicated-makerspaces-to-california-pediatric-centers-george-mark-childrens-house-and-santa-clara\/","title":{"rendered":"National Science Foundation Provides Innovation Grant to Bring Maker Therapy Initiative and Dedicated Makerspaces to California Pediatric Centers, George Mark Children\u2019s House, and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n Partners Maker Therapy, Gyroscope Inc., Digital Harbor Foundation, and Boston University To Develop and Design Makerspace Learning Environments that Enhance STEM Learning and Holistic Well-being for Chronically Ill Children, Families, and Siblings<\/em>
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SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The National Science Foundation (NSF; nsf.gov), an independent federal agency focused on promoting the progress of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), is providing an $827,316 innovation grant to research, design, and build inclusive, technology-centered Makerspaces in two California pediatric centers: George Mark Children\u2019s House in San Leandro and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose.<\/p>\n

NSF Program Officer, Robert Russell, explains the potential of the project, \u201cThis project has great potential to enrich the lives of chronically ill children and youth, and their families, who are in pediatric facilities and have little control over their lives. The design of a pediatric Makerspace and project activities can provide opportunities for these children and their families to invent, create, and perhaps even develop new inventions that can help others. Others may also adapt the Makerspace design model and maker activities developed by this project to provide opportunities for children and families in similar settings.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Gokul Krishnan, founder of Maker Therapy, a non-profit initiative that designs patient-centric Makerspaces in pediatric settings, will lead the development of the project at the two pediatric centers, alongside Dr. Maria Olivares, Research Assistant Professor at Boston University\u2019s Earl Center for Learning and Innovation; Andrew Coy, Executive Director at Digital Harbor Foundation in Baltimore, MD, and Gyroscope Inc. a multidisciplinary design studio in Oakland, CA.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe that young people, regardless of diagnosis, need rich learning opportunities and creative outlets. There is often a lot of despair that accompanies the diagnosis of a life-threatening illness or hospitalization. Especially for children in this situation, it\u2019s important to offer outlets that encourage growth, play, and a sense of achievement,\u201d said Dr. Gokul Krishnan. \u201cThis project, through the development of Makerspaces, will support young patients by focusing not only on the present, but also on the future\u2014providing opportunities for these young children and teens to explore and express who they are, who they dream of becoming, and the impact they can make right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHospital stays are isolating for kids, and now that COVID-19 has hit, it has magnified an already intense sense of social and educational isolation for our patients,\u201d said Dr. Kathy Hull, Founder of George Mark Children\u2019s House. \u201cWe\u2019re extremely grateful to receive the grant from the National Science Foundation and are very much looking forward to bringing a Makerspace to our pediatric center to support the learning and development of our patients.\u201d<\/p>\n

The project will take place over the next two years, focusing on developing new approaches to designing inclusive, technology-centered Maker environments in pediatric settings, which support the care, emotional well-being, and mental health of children with chronic and life-limiting illnesses. The work is rooted in a commitment to integrating patient needs, concerns, and interests from the design phase\u2019s onset. Tangible outcomes from this project will include:<\/p>\n