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Eric Brubaker

Assistant Professor
Eric Brubaker
225 Durham Hall
1145 Perry Street
Blacksburg, VA 24061
(MC 0118)
bru@vt.edu
google scholar
LinkedIn

Short bio:

Eric's research advances design theory and methodology to support the collaborative design of complex systems across cultural, disciplinary, and organizational boundaries. He develops design theory, methods, and human-AI systems that build upon theories in design, systems engineering, human-computer interaction, organization studies, learning sciences, critical studies and other transdisciplinary scholarship. He conducts ethnographic, mixed methods, and experiment-based research in partnership with organizations and communities to address complex societal challenges like access to water, energy, transportation and healthcare.

Eric is also an educator having developed and taught courses since 2012 at MIT, Stanford, USD, Duke and VT. He has co-organized design summits in Brazil, Ghana, Netherlands, the U.S., and Zambia.

 

Research areas:

Primary Research Area: Management Systems Engineering

  • Research Interests: Design Theory & Methodology, Complex Systems, Human-AI Teaming, Boundary Objects, Cross-Boundary Design Work
  • Methodologies: Full Cycle Field Research (from ethnography and grounded theory to mixed methods, quasi-experiments and randomized controlled experiments)
  • Application Areas: Education, Transportation, Energy, Healthcare, Food/Agriculture, Water, and Earth Systems

  • Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering (Design), Stanford University, 2022
  • M.A., Education (Learning Sciences), Stanford University, 2022
  • M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, 2018
  • B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Ohio State University, 2009 

  • Assistant Professor, Industrial & Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, 2025-present
  • Senior Complex Systems Engineer, NASA Langley Research Center, 2022-2025
  • Program Manager & Instructor, D-Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 2011-2016
  • Co-Founder, Zimba Water (part-time), 2010-2012
  • New England Complex Systems Institute, 2010
  • R&D Engineer Intern, Battelle Memorial Institute (part-time), 2006-2010

  • NASA “Guiding Star” Mentor Award, 2024
  • Best Paper of the International Conference on Engineering Design, 2023
  • Best Paper of the Year, ASME Design Theory & Methodology, 2022
  • NSF Graduate Research Fellow, 2016-2021
  • ASME I-SHOW Invention Competition Winner, 2019
  • Best Paper Finalist, ASEE Design in Engineering Education Division, 2019
  • Best Paper Finalist, ASEE Entrepreneurship & Engineering Innovation Division, 2017

For the latest list of publications, please refer to my Google Scholar page. Students and former NASA interns are indicated with *

  1. Marion, T., Yang, M., Banzaert, A., Becker, K., Brubaker, E.R., et al. (In Press). Extreme Design: A Review of a New Research Area within Engineering Design. Journal of Mechanical Design.
  2. Brubaker, E.R., Bellesia, F., Mattarelli. E., & Hinds, P. (In Press). Co-design at the boundary: Understanding the dynamics of open innovation. Journal of Product Innovation Management.'
  3. Brubaker, E.R., Cash, P. (2025). Theorizing in Design Research: A Systematic Review of Theory Development. Proceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences (IDETC), Anaheim, CA. 
  4. Burleson, G., Kostrow, A., Brubaker, E.R., Berdanier, C. (2025). Advancing engineering design research through qualitative and participatory methodology. Proceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences (IDETC), Anaheim, CA.
  5. Ma, K.*, Goucher-Lambert, K., Brubaker, E.R. (2025). Simulating Design Theory Using LLM Agents: A Case Study of C-K Theory. Proceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences (IDETC), Anaheim, CA.
  6. McGee, S.*, Brubaker, E.R., Cagan, J., McComb, C. (2025). A Real-Time Automatic Interaction Dynamics Notation Approach. Proceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences (IDETC), Anaheim, CA.
  7. Koolman, E.*, Moore, G., Young, L.*, Brubaker, E.R., Schauer, A. (2025). Influence of AI Use on Creativity in a Speculative Design Process. Proceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences (IDETC), Anaheim, CA.
  8. Stancliff, M.*, Balevic, E.G., Brubaker, E.R., Burleson, G. (2025). Understanding Stakeholder Perspective-Taking (SPT) in Design: Expanding the SPT Spectrum and introducing SPT signatures. Proceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences (IDETC), Anaheim, CA.
  9. Kopardekar, P.K., Mitra, A., Johnson, M.A., Young, L.A., Cozby, H.A., Fichera, N.S., Hinkel, J.M., Kent, H., Saadi, J.I., Stancliff, M.E., Miller, A.L., Brubaker, E.R. (2025). Building Resilience in Aviation: Economic Impacts of Disasters and Future Adaptations. Proceedings of the AIAA Aviation Forum, Las Vegas, NV.
  10. Logan, M.J., White, L.M., Bowes, A., Frankforter, E., Brubaker, E.R., Miller, A., Stancliff, M., Rask, J., Fuller, D., Knight, A., Bond, K. (2025). Application of UAS Technologies to Create Resilient Rural Communities. Proceedings of the AIAA Aviation Forum, Las Vegas, NV.
  11. Ma, K.*, Moore, G.*, Shyam, V., Villarrubia, J., Goucher-Lambert, K., Brubaker, E.R. (2024). Human-AI Collaboration Among Engineering and Design Professionals: Three Strategies of Generative AI Use. Proceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences (IDETC), Washington 
  12. Brubaker, E.R., Sheppard, S.D., Hinds, P.J., Yang, M.C. (2023). Objects of collaboration: Roles and sequences of objects in spanning knowledge group boundaries in design. Journal of Mechanical Design. 
  13. Rieken, E., Bond, K., Best, R.M., Burleson, G.*, Brubaker, E.R. (2023). A spectrum of stakeholder perspective-taking in design. Proceedings of the International Conference on Engineering Design (ICED), Bordeaux, France.
  14. Rieken, E., Brubaker, E.R., Simpson, T. (2023). Approaching complex sociotechnical challenges tied to aviation. Proceedings of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Aviation Forum, San Diego, CA.
  15. Brubaker, E.R., Trego, M., Cohen, S., & Taha, K. (2022). Partnerships Compass: Guiding questions for equitable and impactful engineering community-engaged learning. Advances in Engineering Education.
  16. Brubaker, E.R., Kohn, M.D., & Sheppard, S.D. (2019). Comparing Outcomes of Introductory Makerspace Courses: The Roles of Reflection and Multi-Age Communities of Practice. International Symposium on Academic Makerspaces (ISAM), New Haven, CT.
  17. Brubaker, E.R., Maturi, V., Karanian, B., Sheppard, S.D., & Beach, D. (2019). “Integrating Mind, Hand and Heart: How Students Are Transformed by Hands-On Designing and Making.” Proceedings of the Annual American Society for Engineering Education Conference. Tampa, FL.
  18. Rameseder, G., Reithmann, M., Brubaker, E.R., & Sheppard, S.D. (2017) “The Roots of Entrepreneurial Career Goals among Today’s Engineering Undergraduate Students.” Proceedings of the Annual American Society for Engineering Education Conference. Columbus, OH.
  19. Brubaker, E.R., Jensen, C., Silungwe, S., Sheppard, S.D., & Yang, M.C. (2017). Co-Design in Zambia: An Examination of Design Outcomes. Proceedings of the International Conference on Engineering Design (ICED). Vancouver, BC.