Appalachian State University's College of Fine & Applied Arts is proud to announce that Assistant Professor Jimena Vergara‑Sanz has been awarded the NC Innovation Pipeline Grant, securing $15,000 to advance her project, Human‑Centered Prosthetic Futures: Advancing Accessible and Personalized Prosthetic Design Toward Commercialization and Clinical Adoption.
NCInnovation is a statewide initiative that accelerates university research with strong potential for real‑world impact through commercialization, entrepreneurship, and industry partnerships. According to regional NCInnovation specialist Meagan Conneybear, Vergara‑Sanz's project is the first arts/design‑based proposal ever funded through the program, marking a milestone for both App State and the broader North Carolina innovation landscape.
Vergara‑Sanz describes the recognition as both personal and transformative, "receiving the NC Innovation Pipeline Grant is an incredible honor and a meaningful step toward demonstrating the role that design can play in shaping the future of healthcare innovation," she said. "This project is deeply connected to my own lived experience with a congenital limb difference and to my belief that the people who use products should have a voice in imagining and creating them."
Photo by Walt Rakestraw
The grant will support the project's progression from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 2 toward TRL 3, a critical stage focused on experimental proof of concept. This includes continued prototyping, validation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and early commercialization planning — all essential steps toward bringing accessible, personalized prosthetic hands to market.
Vergara‑Sanz emphasizes that the work is grounded in empathy and co‑creation. "For my students, this project represents an opportunity to see design move beyond the classroom, where research, empathy, prototyping, and collaboration can become real solutions with the potential to improve people's lives," she said. "It shows them that designers can contribute not only to creating products, but to transforming systems and expanding access."
The project is expanding through collaborations with App State's IRIS Lab (Intelligent Robotic Imaging Systems), App State's Belk Library Makerspace and the Department of Kinesiology, integrating expertise in industrial design, robotics, imaging systems, movement science, and human performance. These partnerships reflect the university's commitment to interdisciplinary innovation.
Photo provided by IDSA Colorado Conference
Vergara‑Sanz notes the significance of this visibility for the design community. "I am especially excited that this recognition brings visibility to the Department of Applied Design and highlights the power of interdisciplinary collaboration at Appalachian State University," she said. "By connecting design, technology, healthcare, and human experience, we have the opportunity to redefine prosthetics not only as functional devices, but as tools for identity, empowerment, and self‑expression."
Department Chair Sheryl Oring emphasizes the broader impact of the work. "This project reflects the Department of Applied Design's commitment to using design as a catalyst for innovation and positive social impact," Oring said. "By bringing together design, technology, healthcare, and entrepreneurship, Professor Vergara Sanz's work demonstrates how interdisciplinary collaboration can address real‑world challenges while creating meaningful opportunities for students to participate in research and innovation."
A key component of the grant is its connection to student learning. Vergara‑Sanz will integrate the research into Senior Studio through a prosthetic futures design competition, with the potential to support a $500 student award funded through the grant. This initiative gives students firsthand experience with applied research, prototyping, and design for human impact.
Photo by Garner Dewey
In addition to the NCInnovation award, Vergara‑Sanz was recently selected as an FY27 awardee for the CONCERT Research Grant, receiving $4,997 for her project Human‑Centered Prosthetic Futures: Cross‑disciplinary Digital Fabrication for Accessible and Empowering Prosthetic Hands. This grant further strengthens the interdisciplinary ecosystem surrounding her work, supporting expanded collaboration across design, robotics, digital fabrication, and human performance. Together, these grants create new pathways for students to engage in cross‑disciplinary research and contribute to emerging technologies that prioritize accessibility, identity, and empowerment.
As part of the award, Vergara‑Sanz will participate in the Entrepreneurship Accelerator Program, continue developing intellectual property strategy, and cultivate industry partnerships. She will share commercialization progress and outcomes with NCInnovation, contributing to a statewide network of researchers and innovators working to strengthen North Carolina's economic and technological future.
This recognition highlights Appalachian State University's leadership in interdisciplinary innovation and underscores the essential role of design and the arts in shaping emerging technologies. Vergara‑Sanz's work exemplifies the power of human‑centered design to address complex challenges, expand access, and create solutions that improve lives.
Header photo provided by App State University Communications team
Thumbnail photo provided by IDSA Colorado Conference
About the Department of Applied Design
One of seven departments housed in the College of Fine and Applied Arts, the Department of Applied Design at Appalachian State University fosters excellence in design education, design research, and professional placement. The department balances theoretical and pragmatic approaches while exploring an awareness of impact through design decisions on the global community. Faculty focus on a holistic approach to creative problem-solving by integrating sustainability and ethical responsibility in teaching and practice. The department offers bachelor's degrees in apparel design and merchandising, industrial design, and interior design.
About the College of Fine and Applied Arts
Appalachian State University's College of Fine and Applied Arts is a dynamic and innovative group of seven academic departments, bringing together a variety of perspectives, experiences, and real-world education to provide unique opportunities for student success. The college has more than 3,500 undergraduate and graduate majors. Its departments are Applied Design, Art, Communication, Military Science and Leadership, Sustainable Development, Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment, and Theatre and Dance.
About Appalachian State University
As the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The Appalachian Experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and to embrace diversity and difference. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System. Appalachian enrolls nearly 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio, and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.
Jimena Sanz thumbnail 2026 story
Jimena Sanz thumbnail 2026 story