On November 19, leaders from across Johns Hopkins Engineering and Medicine gathered on the Bayview Campus to celebrate the launch of Geriatrics Engineering, a new 10,000-square-foot hub dedicated to uniting engineering, medicine, and aging science to improve quality of life for older adults.
The program opened with welcome remarks from Ed Schlesinger, Benjamin T. Rome Dean of the Whiting School of Engineering, and Ted L. DeWeese, Dean of the Medical Faculty and CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine. The facility’s co-directors, Associate Professors Najim Dehak and Peter Abadir, then shared their vision for this first-of-its-kind space—purposefully designed to accelerate the development of practical, technology-driven solutions that support independence, mobility, and healthy aging.
Guests also heard from David Hellmann, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Innovative Medicine, who spoke to the university’s broader commitment to advancing aging research and care. The opening ceremony honored the legacy of Jeremy Walston, founder and director of Johns Hopkins Human Aging Project, who passed away this summer. Without his contributions to frailty research and aging science, as well as his championing of this project, Geriatrics Engineering would not have been possible.
Following the ribbon cutting, attendees explored the new facility through guided tours of its research labs and the fully outfitted model apartment that will enable researchers to test and evaluate ideas in a real-life environment. Guests also saw live demonstrations showcasing innovations in neurological assessment, gait analysis, treadmill-based mobility research, and robotics—all aimed at supporting functional ability, safety, and well-being for older adults.