Dr. Rupy Sawhney, a Heath Fellow in Business and Engineering, a professor of industrial and systems engineering at the University of Tennessee - Knoxville and member of the Mayor's Council on Disability Issues (CODI), was recently recognized at the University of Tennessee - Knoxville Chancellor's Honors Banquet, receiving the 2016 Excellence in Academic Outreach award.
(Dr. Rupy Sawhney is pictured on the left. Courtesy of University of Tennessee)
The Excellence in Academic Outreach award honors those who exemplify UT’s land-grant mission by using intellectual capital to benefit the citizens of Tennessee.
Dr. Sawhney has developed outreach initiatives that model effective collaboration between universities and local communities. In addition to strengthtening multi-cultural awareness, Dr. Sawhney also works to make life better for Knoxvillians with disabilities.
Project Eric, named for his student Eric Arendt, resulted in an app that gives disabled citizens the ability to connect with drivers through a preloaded text format that is fully integrated into the public transportation system. He also helped an alumnus with cerebral palsy become more independent by conducting a time-and-motion study that led to the design of a mechanical assistance system. The research from this project has helped in the analysis of other disabilities that affect movement.
Sawhney was appointed to the Mayor’s Council on Disability Initiatives in 2015. His term ends June 30, 2018.
Click here for more information on the Mayor's Council On Disability Issues (CODI).