Before Convergence Was Cool
Rory Cooper
“We were convergent before convergence was cool,” says Rory Cooper, founding director of the Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL), Distinguished Professor in Pitt’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, and assistant vice chancellor for research for STEM-health sciences collaborations. At HERL, engineers, physicians, therapists, rehabilitation specialists, and sometimes artists work together to improve the mobility and function of people with disabilities.
“The only way to really solve the more complex and interesting problems is by working with teams with different experiences, perspectives, and educational backgrounds. ”
Bringing many disciplines together to form one discipline was his vision from HERL’s inception nearly 30 years ago.
Cooper isn’t just looking for people with different letters attached to the end of their names, though. “We need ethnic diversity, people with disabilities, veterans, and people with unique life experiences,” he says. “All are needed to solve important problems.”