Grace Burleson

About

Grace Burleson, PhD, is the Principal Investigator at Burleson Global Design Group and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her research focuses on design, research, and education within the mechanical engineering field, contributing to the discovery and learning processes in engineering design. She is actively involved in guiding research efforts and mentoring students in her group, which includes graduate and undergraduate researchers working on various projects related to mechanical engineering and creative technology. Her group is based at the Discovery Learning Center, DLC 165 & 157, within the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering, part of the College of Engineering & Applied Science at the University of Colorado Boulder. Dr. Burleson’s work emphasizes innovative approaches to engineering design and education, fostering a collaborative environment for research and discovery.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Political Science
• Engineering
• Psychology
• Public relations
• Medicine
• Sociology
• Management science
• Engineering ethics
• Knowledge management

Selected publications

• Investigating Community Engagement Practices in Short-Term Humanitarian Engineering Projects

  2024-10-23 · 2 citations

  articleSenior author

  It is well known that community engagement is critical for the success of humanitarian engineering (HE) projects. Short-term HE projects require special attention to community contexts and capacity to ensure solutions solve particular needs and can be maintained long after implementation. This manuscript contributes to our team's long-term goal of improving community engagement across all stages of professional volunteer led short-term HE projects, including the development of more granular reco…

  PublisherDOI

• Applying Affordance Theory to Improve Design Practices for Physical, Mental, and Social Health Outcomes

  2024-08-25 · 2 citations

  articleSenior author

  Abstract As people interact with physical artifacts, the interaction can produce a wide range of social impacts on the user. Of all possible social impact outcomes, design processes have traditionally focused on health and safety. Within health and safety, most design methods and standards aim to mitigate the probability of physical harm while neglecting other aspects of health, such as mental and social well-being. We argue that expanding the focus of design to consider a more holistic view of…

  PublisherDOI

• Beyond an Applied Natural Science: Leveraging Social Science and Design Science to Improve Engineering for Humanity

  2024-11-27 · 1 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding

  As our world experiences increasingly complex sustainability challenges, it is clear that the next generation will inherit even greater amplified issues. To effectively address these challenges, it is imperative that engineering undergo cultural shifts and integrate a broader range of scientific disciplines into its practice. Traditionally, engineering has relied predominantly on advancements from the natural sciences, such as mathematics and physics. However, there is an urgent need to incorpor…

  PublisherDOI

• A Systematic Review of the Application of Affordance Theory in Design for Well-Being

  Proceedings of the ... Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences/Proceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences · 2026-01-01

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Affordance theory offers a valuable lens for understanding how designed artifacts support well-being, yet its application in the context of physical artifacts remains underexplored. We conducted a literature review to synthesize how affordance theory has been used to design or evaluate well-being outcomes in relation to consumer products, built environments, and other physical artifacts. Our analysis revealed a small but growing body of interdisciplinary work, with affordance theory applied eith…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Affordance-based design strategies to support well-being: a case study of university of transportation

  Proceedings of the Design Society · 2025-08-01

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  ABSTRACT: People rely on daily interactions with artifacts, greatly influencing their physical, mental, and social well-being. Despite this, current design practices often overlook well-being as a core consideration. Affordance theory, which explains how an artifact’s features enable specific user actions and experiences, offers a promising lens for addressing this gap. This study focuses on assessing affordance mechanisms as a potential tool to support design practices to design for positive we…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Kathleen H. Sienko

  University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

  12 shared

• Kentaro Toyama

  Michigan United

  12 shared

• Kendra V. Sharp

  Oregon State University

  6 shared

• Mostafa Mortezaie

  Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

  4 shared

• Stephen Suffian

  United Nations

  4 shared

• Charlie Advisor

  Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

  4 shared

• Ed Perkins

  Intel (United Kingdom)

  4 shared

• Jay Pearlman

  ASM Pacific Technology (China)

  4 shared

Education

• Design Science, Ph.D.

  University of Michigan

  2023

• Mechanical Engineering & Applied Anthropology, Dual M.S.

  Oregon State University

  2018

• Mechanical Engineering, B.S.

  Oregon State University

  2016

Similar researchers at University of Colorado Boulder

• Daven Henzeh-75
• Mark A. Bordenh-54
• Francois Barthelath-49