Innovation:

Vision loss is a unique community-based challenge because multiple HD makes it, both, the primary fear of working Americans, and, sadly, the largest cause of disability. Our early work 1 created quantitative course materials that introduce HD research and impact to engineering undergraduates using the physics of light in relation to the retina. Materials review elementary physics, summarize current technology and engineering applications in the eye and incorporate HD statistical analyses to highlight disparate burden of vision loss across US regions, age and ethnic groups. The project educational and outreach contributions underline broader scientific literacy and importance of scientific standards in data analysis. Recent projects have incorporated HD into community-based capstone design challenges, where student teams design and prototype systems that interface HD with vision more broadly, such as Virtual Reality for neuropathic pain. 2 In addition, we create opportunities to include impacts of HD into undergraduate research projects paired with summer High School STEM trainees. Contributions of these activities have advanced student design teams to Master’s in Translational Medicine programs, local startups and technology-transfer groups at research hospitals. Further, summer HD projects develop undergraduates into teachers and mentors able to train HS students in hands-on engineering skills, and evaluate engineering projects with a community-based focus. 3

​