We are very happy to publish a series of blogs from last
year's Changemaker Faculty Fellows. This
week we are highlighting Dr. G. Bryan Cornwall, Associate Professor, Mechanical
Engineering at USD's Shiley-Marcus School of Engineering. Bryan took part in
last year's Changemaker Faculty Fellows program in 2018-2019, below is his
reflection on the experience and how it aligns with his current changemaking
work. We will be sharing additional blogs from faculty this year.
I’ve wanted to be a Changemaker for as long as I can
remember. I have not always had a name for it, but it’s been a driving force in
my life: to be an agent for positive contributions to the world. I was born in
the USA and grew up in Canada with a global outlook; the term “Global Citizen”
resonated with me. My first memorable changemaking experience was through
Mechanical Engineering applied to Orthopaedic medicine. I want to provide you
with a perspective of the past, present, and future influences that help drive
this motivation towards Changemaking. So
what is a “Changemaker”?
“Changemaker (n) – A
term coined by the social entrepreneurship organization, Ashoka, meaning one
who desires change in the world and, by gathering knowledge and resources,
makes that change happen. The term changemaker is simple to understand, just
from the words it's made from.”
In my third year of undergraduate Engineering, one of my
Professors asked me what I was planning to do next. I told him I wanted to be a
doctor and go into medicine. I explained my father and paternal grandfather
were Engineers and my mother was an operating room nurse. This Professor advised me that you can make a
positive contribution to medicine by being a good Engineer. That simple
statement had a profound effect on my outlook, and it literally changed my
life.
After completing a PhD in orthopedic biomechanics, I spent
20 years working in the medical device industry: designing, patenting,
researching, delivering devices and services to patients all around the world.
In the last two years of my industry career, I was fortunate to lead two
not-for-profit entities which helped me transition from an executive role in
industry to an academic role at a university. The focus on “Changemaking” at
USD was very attractive to me.
The USD trip to Guadalajara, MX and to the fellow
Changemaker campus: Tec de Monterey was a fantastic culmination of our journey
this past year as Changemaker Faculty Fellows. Our hosts started by
complementing USD on our model and experience as a Changemaker campus and went
on to show us some amazing evolution and growth in their program. Their student examples were outstanding,
their design spaces were welcoming, and their vision is inspirational. One
thing I did notice is that their efforts seemed more fragmented than ours at
USD. My perception is that we have a more cohesive Changemaker presence on
campus.
We met two inspiring social ventures and registered as
Mexican B-corps: Sarape Social, a socially conscious marketing firm, and
Proactible, a center for rehabilitation orthotics and prosthetics. The focus
and passion of the Sarape Social team was infectious. The Proactible company
was particularly impactful because this company represented the intersection of
research, social entrepreneurship, and commercial entity… in my area of
research: biomechanics. While we were introduced to the company and what they
do in person, the academic behind the initiative, a Mechanical Engineering
Professor from Tec de Monterrey, Dr. Joel Huegel, was on the webinar. He was
interacting with us real-time, but virtually from a lab in Boston where he is a
visiting professor of Mechatronics: the famous MIT Media Lab with Biomechanics
research.
The other significant and personally impactful aspect of the
visit to Proactible was the use of the Niagara foot. This prosthesis was
designed in Canada specifically with a social mission of benefiting vulnerable
populations of low income. My PhD supervisor, Dr. Tim Bryant, was involved in
the development effort for years. I explained how proud I was that my PhD
supervisor was involved in the development of a device and product that has
benefited so many patients, especially patients who may not necessarily be able
to benefit from such technology without the focus on a low-cost functional
alternative. JC made a profound comment: “How is that for a demonstration of
legacy”? Oh, by the way, Dr. Tim Bryant
was the same influential professor who changed my life with that simple comment
in my third year of undergraduate Engineering.
Future work: As I continue to build a biomechanics lab and
capabilities at USD SMSE, I continue to network and collaborate. For
Changemaking Engineering, Dr. Joel Huegel and I have similar research interests
and we have similar teaching responsibilities (senior design in Mechanical
Engineering). We have discussed a collaborative design project with a San Diego
spine surgeon colleague (Dr. Gregory Mundis) who is the Medical Director of
Global Spine Outreach. They have experience in establishing spine deformity
outreach sites in Columbia and Mexico. The third site they are targeting is a
hospital and clinic in Guadalajara, MX. I plan to be a positive influence, a
Changemaker Engineer, helping to link the Engineering Sciences with medical
applications for populations in need. We are exploring funding opportunities to
have our two labs working together.
What was significant for me about the trip to Tec de
Monterrey in Guadalajara was that it tied together past and present. Visiting
Proactables and meeting Dr. Joel Huegel provided clarity for my present and
future research and collaborations. It reinforced how important the identity of
“Changemaker” is to my identity and potential to influence the next generation
of Engineers.
