ENGR 0715: Engineering Applications for Society

Brendan Flynn

       I am from Ashford Connecticut. This is a small town in northeastern part of Connecticut. It is so small that I had to attend Edwin O. Smith High School in a neighboring town because Ashford does not have its own high school. I looked into attending the University of Pittsburgh because of my family ties to the area, my father is from Penn Hill and my mother is from Monroeville. I also was interested in the University of Pittsburgh because I have lived in a rural area all my life; I wanted to get some experience living in a city. Also, I wanted to attend college somewhere away from home, while still being able to visit every once in a while. After visiting a few other universities I decided that the University of Pittsburgh was simply the best fit for me.

       Now that I am here I plan on majoring in mechanical engineering. With this degree I hope to find a career where I will be able to work among the manufactures of the product. The most important thing is that I do not end up in a job where I just sit in a lab all day. Furthermore, I have decided that mechanical engineering is right for me based off of a engineering class I had in high school. In that class we learned how to use CAD key and then how to take our designs from the computer and make actual products. I enjoyed that class so much that I could easily see myself doing that for the rest of my life and being happy. Those are the main reasons I decided to major in mechanical engineering.

       My hobbies are all sports related. My friends from high school and I would often get together to play a game of pick-up football or basketball. During the winter months I try to ski as often as possible. Also, just like anyone whose family is from the Pittsburgh area I never miss a Steeler game.

Project Overview

       I will be working with Joseph Laughlin, Stephanie O'Neill, and Brandon White to redesign the floorplan of the the Community Human Services Corporation (CHSC) health clinic. The health clinic space needs to be redesigned to address it's inefficiencies. The design must incorporate employee workspace that is appropiatly partitioned from the patient space. The client is also very interested in improving the aesthetics of the facility.

Link to team webpage.

Community Human Services Corporation

       Community Human Services Corporation (CHSC) is located on Lawn Street in the South Oakland neighborhood. It's fundamental mission is the revitalization of the Oakland neighborhoods which it works towards by providing a variety of neighborhood services. These services not only aim to assist local youth, families, and the homeless, but also to forge relationships and lines of communication between long time residents and newer residents affiliated with the univerities.

Other Links

MedExpress is an urgent care clinic that has been spreading throughout the country as a quick alternative to traditional hospitals

MedExpress

This link gives a basic overview of what is appropiate in a health clinic floorplan.

Whole Building Design Guide

This article produced by The American Institue of Architects The Green Guide for Health Care™ is a voluntary, self-certifying tool that health care facilities can use to evaluate the impact of their built environments on human health.

The Green Guide for Health Care