Access Lab · University of Georgia
About the
Access Lab
The people and purpose behind the work.
Who We Are
Engineering education
built for everyone
The Access Lab is a research group in the College of Engineering at the University of Georgia, housed within the Engineering Education Transformations Institute (EETI). We focus on understanding engineering student lived experiences from a systems lens, recognizing that students’ experiences are shaped by interactions among people, policies, cultures and norms, technologies, and learning environments. Because of this, our research spans multiple levels of engineering education, methodological approaches, and areas of inquiry.
Our work examines how engineering environments support or constrain access, participation, and belonging, particularly for students whose experiences are underserved in engineering education. We are especially interested in accessibility and disability in engineering education, undergraduate student experiences, and sociotechnical design. Across these areas, we use design-based research and critical methodologies to understand barriers, examine how inequities are produced and maintained, and develop approaches that support more accessible and equitable engineering learning environments.
Dr. Rachel Figard
Assistant Professor of Engineering Education · University of Georgia
EETI & School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural, and Mechanical Engineering
Dr. Rachel Figard is an Assistant Professor of Engineering Education embedded in both the Engineering Education Transformations Institute (EETI) and the School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural, and Mechanical Engineering (ECAM). Her work aims to challenge and transform engineering environments through interdisciplinary, community-centered approaches.
Dr. Figard’s research focuses on the undergraduate engineering student experience, accessibility and disability in engineering education, and sociotechnical design. Across these areas, she examines how engineering systems, culture, technologies, and learning environments shape access, participation, and belonging. Her work leverages design-based research and critical methodologies to identify opportunities for systemic change and co-create more accessible and equitable learning environments.
Dr. Figard earned her Ph.D. in Engineering Education Systems and Design and M.S. in User Experience from Arizona State University, where she was a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow. She earned her B.S. in Industrial Engineering from North Carolina State University. Go Pack!
PhD Students
Current Members
Access Lab members are listed here with their research areas, degree programs, and contact information. PhD students are listed first, followed by undergraduate researchers.
Chima Umeaku
Ph.D. in Engineering Education
Undergraduate Researchers
Add undergraduate researchers in WordPress Admin → Lab Members.
Member profiles are managed directly by Dr. Figard in the website CMS.
Lab Graduates
Alumni
| Name | Degree & Major | Graduated | Current Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alumni records will be added by Dr. Figard after site launch. The Access Lab launched in 2024. | |||