The Center for Immersive Learning and Digital Innovation (CILDI) is structured to leverage multidisciplinary expertise across key research, healthcare, and educational institutions. Our collaborative approach, guided by experienced leaders from Penn State, Johns Hopkins, University of Michigan, and other prominent partners, ensures the development, implementation, and success of technology-driven interventions in patient safety.
View the Advisory Board »
View Project Teams »
View Advisory Cores »
View the Development Team »
Advisory Board
The Immersive Learning and Digital Innovation Advisory Board brings together leading experts from multiple disciplines and includes representatives from healthcare, engineering, business, public health, and human factors. This board provides critical guidance and strategic direction for all CILDI initiatives.
Key Members:
Patient and Family Advisory Council
(Johns Hopkins and Penn State Health Systems)
Schools and Colleges
Diane Berish,
Penn State Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing
David Hager,
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
John Madara,
Penn State College of Medicine
Human Factors and Systems Engineering
Ayse Gurses,
Johns Hopkins Center for Health Care and Human Factors
Jason Farley,
Johns Hopkins Center for Infectious Disease and Nursing Innovation
Lisa Maragakis,
Johns Hopkins Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control
Polly Trexler,
Johns Hopkins Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control
Erin Barker,
Johns Hopkins Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control
Engineering
Mary Frecker,
Penn State Center for Biodevices
Mathias Unberath,
Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering
Russell Taylor,
Johns Hopkins Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics
Matt Parkinson,
Penn State Learning Factory
Simulation and Design Centers
Christopher Garrison,
Penn State Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing
Shari Hbrovsky,
Penn State Hershey Clinical Simulation Center
Jessica Menold,
Penn State Center for Immersive Learning
Tim Phelps,
Johns Hopkins Arts as Applied to Medicine
Health Systems
Deborah Baker,
Johns Hopkins Health System
Eric Messner,
Penn State Health System
Project Team
The Project Team leads the design, development, and execution of CILDI’s initiatives. Each team focuses on a specific technological component within the center’s vision to drive forward advancements in patient safety.
Vinciya Pandian,
Executive Director
Qingli Ji,
Research Coordinator
Chandra Niredi,
Research Assistant
Diego Esmolo,
Research Assistant
Manizhe Amir Mohammadi,
Graduate Assistant
Project-Specific Teams
Problem Analysis Team
Bindu Anand, Changhwan Kim, Danica Jenelle Sanchez, Erin Barker, Giovanni Valencia, Jiaying Li
Virtual Reality Project Team
Changhwan Kim, Erin Barker, Han Zhang, Kayleigh Cavender, Nitzairan Ramirez-Ruiz, Udeme Isang, Erica Kunisaki, Yu-Chun Ku, Han Zhang
Mixed Reality Project Team
Bindu Charles, Chandler Moser, Changhwan Kim, Elsa Sanchez, Hemi Matta, Jiaying Li, Renilda Tijones, Yu-Chun Ku
Robotics Project Team
Erica Kunisaki, Lydia Al-Zogbi, Deepak Raina
Advisory Cores
Two advisory cores provide specialized guidance, facilitating a systems-engineering and translational approach to the development and implementation of immersive technology.
Systems Engineering and Human Factors Advisory Core
- Johns Hopkins Center for Health Care and Human Factors — Ayse Gurses
- Center for Infectious Disease and Nursing Innovation — Jason Farley
- Malone Center for Engineering in Healthcare — Axel Krieger
- Penn State Center for Biodevices — Mary Frecker
- Penn State Learning Factory — Matt Parkinson
- Penn State College of Engineering — Bin Li, Jason Moore
Translational Advisory Core
Johns Hopkins Health System
- Deborah Baker, Senior Vice President for Nursing and Chief Nursing Officer
- Lisa Maragakis, Senior Director of Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control
- Polly Trexler, Operations Director of Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control
- David Hager, Director of Medical Intensive Care Unit
- Alphonsa Rahman, Nurse Educator and Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Jason Farley, Director of Center for Infectious Disease and Nursing Innovation
Penn State Health System
- Eric Messner, Director of Nursing Research
- Rahn Snyder, Infection Control Coordinator
- Andrew Sanabria, Infection Control Coordinator
- Lauren Allison, Nurse Manager of Medical Intensive Care Unit
- John Madara, Director of Medical Intensive Care Unit
University of Michigan Health System
- Michael J. Brenner, Associate Professor, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Development Team
CILDI’s Development Team integrates immersive learning, robotics, and digital innovation to create, test, and refine technology-based interventions for patient safety.
- Axel Krieger’s IMERSE Lab — Intelligent Medical Robotic Systems and Equipment
- Mathias Unberath’s ARCADE Lab — Advanced Robotics and Computationally Augmented Environments
- Vinciya Pandian’s Immersive Learning and Digital Innovation Lab
- Penn State Learning Factory
- Penn State Center for Immersive Experiences
