Elisa Cardamone

Fulbright All Disciplines Postgraduate Award - Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Elisa is a PhD candidate at the Advanced Care Research Centre of the University of Edinburgh. Her research—at the intersection of ageing, healthcare, and technology—is deeply personal, shaped by her experience as a carer for her grandmothers in a region of Southern Italy with limited healthcare resources. With an MSc in Medical Anthropology from the University of Oxford, she brings a rich interdisciplinary approach to her work, combining human-centred design, design justice, ethics, and anthropological sensitivities to explore what is “useful” to people living longer and reimagine longevity, care, and future digital health services and products.

As a visiting student, Elisa will join the AgeLab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), working with the ‘Age Gain Now Empathy System’ (AGNES)—an empathy suit that simulates the physical conditions normally associated with older age. Elisa’s goal is to investigate how empathy in design can act as a catalyst for social change, reconnecting people, redefining longevity, and leading to more useful products and more sustainable care systems.

While in Boston, Elisa looks forward to connecting with local communities, exchanging ideas with fellow researchers, and learning from US approaches to ageing and care. Outside of research, she is an avid runner, photographer, and food enthusiast—passions she’s excited to pursue while exploring Boston’s vibrant city life.