Apr 29th, 2021 Interview with Tahira Reid, Purdue University Tahira Reid Smith (left) works with colleagues using an infrared microscope to study how heat affects hair. Mark Simons/Purdue University Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering Tahira Reid leads a lab focused on human-centered design. Over her career, she’s gone outside the “traditional engineering box” and integrated compassion for the users of products and services into the design process – what she and colleagues refer to as “compassionate design.” She has also leveraged her insights as a Black woman in mechanical engineering in her work. Together, these considerations led to the development of a compassionate design framework that helps engineers think critically about their design decisions and, in