Written by Nicholas Faddis, Graduate Assistant with the Bronstein Center for Healthy Aging and Wellness
I received my bachelor's degree in computer science from Saint Louis University in 2022 and am currently studying to receive my master's in business administration with a concentration in Data Analytics, with the plan to graduate this December 2023. In my undergraduate studies, I focused a great deal on mathematics, statistics, data science and data analysis, which is what led to my decision to pursue a concentration in data analytics for the MBA program. Data and technology are rapidly growing today and will only continue to grow exponentially in the future, so I want to be at the forefront of these new developments to potentially integrate new software and technology into people’s lives for the better.
A big part of my role at the Bronstein Center revolves around the Minka Learning Lab for Living Well, a smart home on campus that the Center uses to experiment with various technologies that can potentially aid those living in place and people living with dementia. The inside houses three different tiers of artificial intelligence with many other products wirelessly connecting to them through Bluetooth. I help maintain the technology and resolve issues when they arise.
My role within the Bronstein Center also involves supporting and developing projects to achieve our five main initiatives for the Center. The first initiative is to conduct evidence-based training and certifications for dementia care and advance care planning education for USI students, USI faculty, regional health care professionals and community members. In efforts to conduct evidence-based training for dementia care and advance care planning education, with the help of Dr. Kevin Valadares, I started a university-wide faculty/staff book club that was held bi-weekly in the Minka. With the support of Positive Approach to Care (PAC) I also held two webinars to provide an orientation of our dementia curriculum that strives to build a dementia-competent nursing home workforce.
I also aimed to achieve our second initiative, to develop and/or enhance artificial intelligence and/or smart-home technology to support people living with dementia, by creating new interdisciplinary connections with the Engineering, Computer Science and Computer Information Systems departments at USI. Within those departments, we were able to provide the possibility for students to create their own senior design project with any resources we had available, including the Minka and all the technology inside. Fortunately, we had a small group of CIS and CS students take on a project that involved developing an “umbrella” that would control all our different levels of AI in one control hub.
I also helped in launching the first annual Bronstein Faculty Research Award to support excellence in dementia care and/or advance care planning education to achieve the Center’s third initiative, in which we were able to declare our first ever awardee.
I am in the process of developing and launching an Affiliate/Visiting Faculty role position in the Bronstein Center with a focus on dementia care and/or advance care planning, the Center’s fourth initiative. The plan is to finish the design and implement of this position within the current academic year. Lastly, I control the Center’s budget tracking system which is extremely useful for developing the skills I am learning from my MBA classes.
As my time at USI soon comes to an end, I look towards my future. While I do not have a job lined up right after graduation, I do know I want to use my undergraduate degree to become a software developer or engineer. I am extremely grateful for my time at the Bronstein Center and appreciative of everyone who has helped me along the way to reach these achievements. With the knowledge and experience I have gained the past year and a half working with the Bronstein Center, I plan on seeking an opportunity that can help me develop software to aid and/or enhance the lives of those living with dementia.
