The Design Institute for Health and Resilience (DIHR) is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to join our team at the University of Utah. This full-time, 12-month appointment will support scholarship at the intersection of design, health, and resilience, with a focus on systematic literature reviews, grant proposal development, publication efforts, and interdisciplinary conference […]
Read MoreWe are excited to announce the upcoming launch of Nature in a Box, an innovative project led by Andy Hong, faculty member of the Design Institute for Health and Resilience (DIHR) and Director of the Healthy Aging and Resilient Places (HARP) Lab. This project investigates the feasibility of virtual reality (VR)-based nature interventions to support […]
Read MoreDr. Andy Hong, faculty member at the University of Utah and director of the Healthy Aging and Resilient Places (HARP) Lab, is leading a groundbreaking project that applies artificial intelligence and street-level imagery to identify environmental fall hazards for older adults in outdoor settings. Falls among older adults are a leading cause of injury, loss […]
Read MoreDr. Michelle Sorweid, Associate Clinical Professor in the Division of Geriatrics at the University of Utah School of Medicine, has been awarded a 2026 catalyst grant from the Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Research Center (ADRC) to study brain imaging patterns that may improve diagnosis of neurodegenerative disease. The ADRC, a state-funded center housed at Utah […]
Read MoreDIHR proudly recognizes Dr. Ajla Akšamija, Professor and Distinguished Chair for Resilient Places in the Department of Architecture and Planning, who was recently honored by serving as the keynote speaker at the Facade Tectonics Institute’s 2025 Vitruvian Honors & Awards Ceremony in New York City. Dr. Akšamija’s keynote, “Facade Retrofits: Design Methods for Improving Facade […]
Read MoreThis is an introductory video describing the virtual reality forest bathing project in Salt Lake County, Utah. Our program will start in June, 2025.
Read MoreWe’re excited to announce the launch of the Nature VR program at the HARP Lab starting June 2025! This innovative initiative uses virtual reality (VR) to explore how immersive natural environments can support health, well-being, and aging-in-place. Through cutting-edge research and creative technology, the Nature VR program offers participants the opportunity to experience restorative virtual […]
Read MoreWe’re proud to announce Emma Andreasen and Dustin Higginson as the first-ever recipients of the DIHR Summer Fellowship—a new initiative supporting emerging scholars engaged in interdisciplinary research at the intersection of health, architecture, and resilience.Emma and Dustin were nominated for their exceptional potential and dedication to this important field. Each has been awarded $2,500 in […]
Read MoreDIHR Faculty member Dr. Andy Hong was invited as a keynote guest speaker at the Age-Friendly and Environmentally Sustainable Cities workshop, hosted by Kyoto University in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO). This event which took place at Kyoto University Medical Campus from 11–13 March 2025, brought together experts from Europe, the US (Andy […]
Read MoreThe University of Utah’s College of Architecture and Planning (CA+P) will hold its annual Research Symposium on March 4, 2025. The event features faculty presentations, a keynote by Professor Alenka Poplin from Iowa State University, and discussions on cutting-edge research in architecture, planning, and design. Open to the public, the symposium offers a chance to […]
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