Mike Avery is a designer, educator, maker, and healthcare professional working at the intersection of architecture, product design, and health. He believes that the true measure of a project’s success is evaluated by how well it aligns with the desires, needs, and goals of those who will engage with the objects, spaces, and experiences we create. At the University of Pennsylvania, Mike teaches in the Department of Architecture and the Integrated Product Design Program. Foregrounding this person-first perspective, he works with students across a diverse set of courses ranging from design processes and design research to advanced seminars in health, digital fabrication, and furniture. Outside of academia, Mike utilizes his diverse background and training—along with a human-centered design approach—to consult with healthcare systems on patient– and provider–focused quality improvement, to advise architecture firms working in healthcare, and to collaborate with startups on medical device design and development.
Mike earned a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania, a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture from Rutgers University, and a Master of Science from Jefferson University.