Taylor Named Academic Director
(12.20.2011) Research consultant Ellen Taylor has been named SEGD's Director of Academic Development & Research, a new position focused on strengthening SEGD partnerships with higher education and fostering EGD-related research.
Taylor's new position begins January 2, 2012.
Taylor will develop and manage all aspects of SEGD's academic and research initiatives, including academic outreach, the annual Academic Summit, and research-based projects.
SEGD CEO Jessica W. London says the new position will advance one of SEGD's core missions as an education organization, and builds on the support established more than a decade ago with a grant from the Ed Matthews Foundation.
"While strengthening ties with academic programs that embody the competencies of EGD, we also envision this role supporting innovative academic and research practices that promote leadership, collaboration, and excellence in design and professional practice," London adds.
Taylor is the founder of DO iT, a Philadelphia-area firm focused on the link between design and outcomes and research consulting for the built environment. A former SEGD board member, she was also a co-founder and formerly a principal at the Philadelphia-based design and research firm ex;it.
Taylor holds an architecture degree from Cornell University and MBAs from Columbia University and the London Business School. Her experience encompasses both the client and consulting sides of design. She was Senior Director of Station Planning with Amtrak, which, with numerous design teams, created the award-winning Acela program. She has been involved with multiple research projects evaluating the visitor experience, including the development of instruments, methodology, onsite interviews/focus groups, and statistical analysis/reporting. She is EDAC certified (evidence-based design accreditation and certification) and is a member of the EDAC Advisory Council.
Taylor's ongoing work with The Center for Health Design supports research for and understanding of evidence-based design, including facilitation of research for numerous "Pebble Projects," as well as work on multiple grant-funded research projects with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the California Healthcare Foundation, and the Annual Survey of Design Research in Healthcare Settings.