Latest news with #DuquesneUniversity
Technical.ly
31-07-2025
- Health
- Technical.ly
A growing movement of ‘nursineers' blends tech and medicine to fix healthcare from the inside
When someone asks Garett Craig what he does for a living, the answer usually raises eyebrows. 'Nursineer' is the clever portmanteau Craig, a 27-year-old Canonsburg resident, has coined to describe his dual role as both nurse and engineer. It's his way of explaining a career that doesn't yet have a standard title, but he's leading the way to change that. Craig had no plans to become a nurse when he began studying biomedical engineering at Duquesne University in 2016. However, when he was offered the chance to earn a dual degree in nursing and engineering in exchange for an extra 18 months of coursework, he took a leap of faith, betting the added education would benefit his future career. 'I'm the oldest in my family, and I was always looked at as the support person and someone that everyone relied on,' Craig told 'Healthcare was that perfect role [for me], because you have patients that are relying on you to be an advocate for them and to make the best decision for what their needs are.' After graduating in 2022, Craig worked as an artificial heart engineer for healthcare giant UPMC, supporting patients with LVADs, or mechanical pump implants used to assist a failing heart. That hands-on experience, combined with his current role as an application consultant for medical equipment company Brainlab, revealed a healthcare gap that Craig is now determined to bridge: the disconnect between clinical needs and the tools engineers design to meet them. '[Engineers] don't take into consideration the nurse on a midnight shift who's burnt out, or the patient who comes in and throws the [medical device] against the wall that wasn't durable enough to be dropped,' Craig said. 'That's a scenario they've never considered because they've never been through it.' Now, Craig is spreading the word about this hybrid role, speaking with universities, attending Pittsburgh's weekly life sciences meetup BioBreakfast and connecting with fellow nurse-engineers. He hopes to bring nursineering into the mainstream, making it easier for medical tech to align with the real-world needs of hospital staff. 'It really doesn't matter to me what it's called,' Craig said. 'It just matters to me that there's someone who is a nurse and an engineer and is doing work with both of these backgrounds to improve all facets of healthcare areas.' In this edition of How I Got Here series, Craig talks about his passion for nursineering, the day-to-day realities of his job and why he's trying to build a community of people who share this hybrid skill set. This Q&A has been edited for length and clarity. Why are you passionate about nursineering? I typically say nursing is my purpose and engineering is my process. Nursing gave me the reason why I'm doing this project, why I'm making this device, why I am spending all this time and stress and sleepless nights. Nursing gave me the why, and that was because of the patients. Engineering gives me the process. Just being an engineer, I wouldn't have the connection and the understanding of these patients and what they're going through. With engineering, you're more focused on the product, the materials, the science and making it work. You don't get a lot of exposure to mental health, understanding what actually goes on in healthcare and the process that people go through to have a procedure done. There's so much more involved that you just don't get with engineering that nursing gave me. With that differing view, it really allows me to find empathy and connect with the patients or hospital staff. What does a typical day look like for you? No day is the same for me. A typical week could be: On Monday, I might do an admin day where I'm catching up on paperwork, submitting different forms for purchases or problems and emailing clients we work with, along with accounts, physicians and specialists within Brainlab, for questions, concerns and product feedback. Then on Tuesday, I might be going into the hospital to repair something broken. I might be walking in with the biomed teams, the surgeons, the coordinators, whoever would be involved, and just figuring out what went on, what happened, what needs to be fixed. That's more of the technical side of my role, installs, repairs, updates, trainings. Wednesday might be a meeting with some surgeons about potentially purchasing a new system. Now I'm wearing my sales hat, working with them, their purchasing teams and logistics teams, figuring out how we can get this to work. Thursday and Friday, I might be doing actual cases — that's my clinical side — lending support in the operating room during the procedure, helping the surgeon with the equipment, making sure everything is running smoothly and finding ways to optimize the products for them. Then on top of all that, I'm going to conferences, helping with setup, pitching new products and doing demos for surgeons, residents and med students. It's almost like three jobs in one. It constantly changes, and no week is the same. But for those who like being busy, doing things and working with many different people, it's a great fit. What advice would you give to someone breaking into the field? Say yes to everything and just figure it out later. It's a lot to manage, and you have to be organized and on top of things, but when you find something you like and just take those opportunities as they come, life can be truly one of those, 'I can't believe this is real, pinch me,' kind of feelings. How do you like to spend your free time? When I'm not doing my day job and trying to make this nurse engineer role a thing, I race vintage Formula cars. I like the fast pace, balancing all sorts of things at once and the chaoticness of being behind the wheel of a car. I'm also a student pilot. It kind of goes hand in hand. There are a lot of technical things involved and it's very detail-oriented, like the job that I have. And I'm a volunteer firefighter. The firefighting alone is truly amazing. You don't know it until you see it. If I'm not racing cars, flying planes or firefighting, I always take on new projects. I hate being comfortable. I like to be constantly growing and feeling stimulated, like there's something that's going to happen. I always say I want to feel like I'm at the beginning of a really good movie where you don't know what's going to happen. It's the adventure that really makes me wake up in the morning and function. What's next for you and nursineering? I want to develop a community or an association of nurse engineers. I want to put faces and names to this idea, make it a reality and start a new movement of clinically trained but also technically comfortable individuals who can walk into a hospital, instantly pick up on everything and start making change. I've been in contact with different universities to come in and start talking with students about this. There are universities other than Duquesne that are starting these dual degrees and combining nursing with other technical fields. My ultimate goal is to make this a movement and really see change.
Boston Globe
25-07-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Sports anchor, reporter Trey Daerr leaving Ch. 7
'Tonight is my last night at 7News,' he wrote Thursday evening on the social media platform X. 'It's been an incredible ride the last 11 years and the best experience I could ever ask for. 'My two daughters were born in Boston, I saw multiple Super Bowls, a World Series at Fenway Park, and an 18th banner [for the Celtics]. Sad to end. Thrilled it happened.' Daerr, a Pittsburgh native and 2008 graduate of Duquesne University, did not say whether the decision was his own and what his immediate or future plans entail. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Chad Finn can be reached at
Technical.ly
23-06-2025
- Business
- Technical.ly
Clean Plate Innovations lands UPMC partnership and teases major deals with national chains
Pittsburgh startup Clean Plate Innovations has secured a preliminary agreement for an undisclosed amount with healthcare giant UPMC Mercy Hospital. The startup's tech takes overhead scans of food trays at the hospital's campus near Duquesne University to gauge food satisfaction and waste in the patient cafeteria. While it won't be finalized until spring 2026, the partnership is foundational for the early-stage startup, according to Clean Plate founder Nolan Sulpizio. '[UPMC's] initial goal was to have it go to all their locations,' Sulpizio told 'I mean, they still said they see a lot of value and they still want to do it. It's just got to get postponed.' UPMC is finalizing a separate partnership before moving on to the Clean Plate deal, Sulpizio said, but that's not slowing down the barely one-year-old company. Even though the deal with UPMC is on hold, Sulpizio said Clean Plate is still securing plenty of other partnerships. At his alma mater, Duquesne University's Palumbo-Donahue School of Business, Sulpizio and Clean Plate team members will lead an internship program for Duquesne students next semester. Nearby at the University of Pittsburgh, Clean Plate will be featured in classes on sustainability. Clean Plate is also in talks with US Foods, Shady Maple and Golden Corral, which are all looking to partner with the startup, according to Sulpizio. 'We're still moving forward,' Sulpizio said. Clean Plate did not disclose any financials related to the partnerships. 'Critical alerts' tell cafeterias when to pivot production Clean Plate uses machine learning to analyze waste in large dining rooms and track where cafeterias can improve service, according to Sulpizio. For UPMC, that looks like a small screen wired to a ceiling-mounted camera that sharply warns: 'new critical alert.' 'Caesar wraps showing elevated waste levels,' a widget on the screen reads. 'Immediate intervention recommended.' While it may sound as though someone's lunch is heading for a meltdown, this warning is actually meant to serve as guidance for food providers. In this instance, a critical alert is guiding food workers to revise the meals they provide to save money in the long run. More than 67,000 patients go through UPMC Mercy's hospital system each year, likely sparking a big demand in dining facilities. The healthcare provider reported a nearly $200 million loss in 2023. UPMC did not respond to requests for comment. From pitch competition to $130k raised Nearly a master's student at Duquesne in sustainability before shifting focus to the startup, Sulpizio said food waste is a chief issue for him. 'My parents, we always grew up that way, especially with food waste,' Sulpizio said. 'I'm a South Philly Italian. Food is really big in our culture and especially at home. You don't waste, you take what you need and you eat it all.' Clean Plate got its feet off the ground after coming in second place at Techstars Startup Weekend in 2024. The prize package included six months of free office space at InnovatePGH's Avenu Workspaces, which has been crucial to the company's launch, according to Sulpizio. The startup's growth and slew of promising partnerships came as it has been transparent about setbacks. In April, Sulpizio said federal contract freezes postponed a project with a major research university. 'Now we are scaling,' Sulpizio said, 'We've raised $130,000 in the last year.'
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
California family with local ties shows Channel 11 devastating wildfire damage up close
A California family with close ties to Pittsburgh is waiting to get their property back as clean-up crews go house to house with heavy machinery, clearing fire-ravaged properties. The family invited Channel 11 Anchor Jennifer Tomazic to their neighborhood to give Pittsburghers a feel for what it's like out there right now and to deliver a message. 'That's where my kids grew up,' Sylvia Ramirez said while pointing to very few recognizable pieces of her family's home in Altadena. It was one of many in the neighborhood leveled by the wildfires earlier this year. 'I had a beautiful window, a huge window, that every morning I was able to see those mountains,' Sylvia said. The Ramirez family made so many fond memories in that home. The memories are forever in the hearts, which are slowly being repaired. a Sylvia said. Not only belonging to her, but also to her husband, Carlos Sr., and their three kids: Carlos Jr., Adrian and Ariana. Adrian plays football at Duquesne University (so did Carlos, Jr. before he graduated last December), and he spoke with Channel 11 Sports Anchor Shelby Cassesse in January, as he was finding out the reality of what was happening back home in Altadena. His dad sent him a terrifying video as he tried to save what he could as the fire quickly surrounded their home. >>> California wildfires destroy Duquesne football player's family home 'Still got time: 5 to 10 minutes. So I said, 'what do you need?' She said 'I don't need anything just get out of there.' And I'm like 'what do you need?'' Carlos Sr. recalled about the conversation he had with his wife as the fire started taking over more of their home. 'Everything is replaceable, but what hurts us, what hurts me the most, is my memories. My photo albums: those aren't replaceable,' Sylvia said. A couple things are still standing after the fire: part of the carport in front of the home and the outdoor kitchen. But almost their whole neighborhood is gone. Chimney after chimney is almost all that visibly remains. The heartbreak for the Ramirez family goes beyond just their front porch. Just steps away is the home where Carlos Sr. grew up, and where his parents lived. 'Try to get my mom and dad a house first. Start with them, maybe, then we'll do us,' said Carlos, Sr. Fortunately for them, Carlos Sr. is a contractor, and he's already working on plans to rebuild both homes. Right now, he and many families are waiting for the process to play out. Signs are up in front of many properties saying the hazardous materials removal is complete. Now, crews are working on clearing what were once family possessions, now rubble. They say they're going to be doing just the cleanup portion for at least the next nine months. 'Like I tell my husband, one day we'll have this again and it will be better,' said Sylvia. That hope is fueled partly by Pittsburghers. Since the Ramirez family only had the clothes they left in that fateful day in January, their Duquesne University family stepped up big. Sylvia says they sent boxes of clothes, shoes, and blankets. There were so many things they couldn't even fit all of it in a car at once. 'I want to thank Duquesne and [the] Pittsburgh area for all they've done for us,' Sylvia said. 'It's just amazing, I don't know what else to tell them but thank you so much.' Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
CBS News
15-04-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Megan McConnell gets training camp invite from WNBA's Phoenix Mercury
Duquesne University's Megan McConnell has received a training camp invitation from the Phoenix Mercury and will now be looking to earn a roster spot in the WNBA. While McConell wasn't selected in Monday's WNBA Draft, her dreams of playing professional basketball are still alive and will report to training camp with the Mercury on Sunday, April 27. McConnell, who played at Duquesne University and Chartiers Valley, finished her college career with the Dukes in second place on the program's all-time scoring list. During her recently completed senior season at Duquesne, McConnell led the Atlantic 10 Conference in scoring per game, total assists, and assists per game and was named the Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year. McConnell also led the entire nation in steals and was one of three players in all of Division I women's basketball to have multiple triple-doubles this past season. Success on the basketball court runs in the family for the McConnells. While Megan McConnell is hoping to earn a roster spot in the WNBA, her older brother T.J. played college basketball at Duquesne and Arizona and has carved out a successful career in the NBA, now in his 10th year playing professional basketball. Megan's other older brother Matty, played four years of college basketball at Robert Morris. Tim McConnell, the patriarch of the family, was one of the most successful basketball coaches in WPIAL history, winning 662 games in 29 seasons at Chartiers Valley with nine WPIAL titles. Six of those titles were coaching the boys team and three were with the girls team. He also won a state championship while coaching the girls team, which included daughter Megan on the roster.
