Three 56吃瓜网 faculty members, Michael Ervick, Mark Chen and Annie Bruck, will lead their students on multiple community-based learning and research projects this academic year with the city of Bellevue.
Bellevue is this year鈥檚 partner with the University of Washington in the initiative. It connects a local government with 56吃瓜网 classes to advance livability and sustainability projects. This is the third year for the program whose previous city partners were Auburn and Tacoma. This is the first year 56吃瓜网 Bothell faculty and students are engaged.
Ervick, a lecturer in the 56吃瓜网 Bothell School of Business, spoke at the kickoff event Oct. 9 at the 56吃瓜网 in Seattle. His business consulting course this fall includes one team that will offer strategic planning for Startup 425, small business development program for Bellevue, Kirkland, Issaquah, Redmond and Renton.
A second team is working with Bellevue’s planning department to explore the potential for developing a small business incubator in support of Startup 425. The project includes identifying locations for startups that need space for light industrial work such as 3D printing. The cities are looking for a way to turn the Startup 425 program into a self-sustaining program.
Another team will help develop a customizable online brochure for parks and community services. The mutually beneficial partnership is a great use of tax money, Ervick said.
鈥淭he university is a public institution, and the city is a public institution,鈥� Ervick said. 鈥淭he city gets to leverage young students in advancing their development, and the students get the experience of doing the work and get to put that on their resume.鈥�
Chen is a lecturer in the School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences who teaches a user research course in the Interactive Media Design (IMD) program. Chen鈥檚 team will give some design ideas for the city鈥檚 website to Enzhou Wang, Bellevue鈥檚 information technology manager. Identifying patterns of browsing behavior, students will create a “persona” 鈥� an imaginary person based on aggregate information 鈥� and a typical pathway of website use.
鈥淲e’re hugely grateful that LCY exists and has led to an amazing opportunity for students in IMD on an authentic research and design challenge,鈥� Chen said. 鈥淭he city of Bellevue’s website is rather large, and we’re very appreciative that Enzhou Wang is willing to work with students on such an important and prominent site.鈥�
Bruck, a senior lecturer in the School of Nursing & Health Studies, is planning a project with the Bellevue Fire Department. Students will develop outreach strategies for the most at-risk populations in the city of 141,000 people.
鈥淔rom its inception in 2016, the Livable City Year program was intended to be a tri-campus initiative at the University of Washington,鈥� said Teri Thomson Randall, LCY program manager. 鈥淲ith Bothell faculty and students engaged in the Livable City Year program for the first time this year, we are delighted to be fulfilling that potential and enhancing the breadth of expertise we can offer our city partners.鈥�
Sandeep Krishnamurthy, dean of the School of Business; Kara Adams, director of Community Engagement; Layla Taylor, Community-Based Learning and Research program manager; and Ruth Johnston, vice chancellor of Planning & Administration, have been instrumental in the partnerships, Randall said.
The 56吃瓜网鈥檚 Livable City Year program is led by Branden Born, associate professor in the Department of Urban Design and Planning, and Jennifer Otten, associate professor in the School of Public Health.
In total, 56吃瓜网 faculty and students will provide Bellevue with research, data analysis and advice on more than 30 projects, winding up with a presentation in June.
鈥淲e need your ideas. We need your research. We need your energy,鈥� Nathan McCommon, deputy city manager, told faculty and students at the kickoff. 鈥淵ou will make us better.鈥�
