Congratulations to Sasha, a member of our lab who will be graduating this spring. Her work was chosen to be featured by UW’s Undergraduate Academic Affairs.
To watch the video follow this Youtube link or connect on Facebook (filmed and edited by Bryan Nakata).
“At the University of Washington, undergraduates like Sasha Portnova research issues that can impact the world. Portnova, a senior in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, uses her research to help solve the difficulties individuals with spinal cord injury may face. Growing up in Kazakhstan, Portnova was discouraged from studying engineering, which was viewed as a more typical male subject. After coming to the U.S. and enrolling in the University of Washington, she discovered her passion for engineering and helping others. This passion led her to began working on her project – a wrist assistive device for individuals who have lost hand movement. The 3-D printed device assists in hand movement for an estimated cost of $15. In addition to being cost-effective, the designs will be available online via open source for anyone to print their own. Along the way, she has presented her research to multiple conferences including Posters on the Hill in Washington D.C. After graduating this spring, Portnova’s next steps include obtaining a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering. She plans to use her passion for research to help others, specifically veterans.” – UW Undergraduate Academic Affairs