We were excited to celebrate Mia Hoffman, who was named to the University of Washington Husky 100, recognizing students who made an exceptional impact during their time at UW.
Mia was honored for work focused on accessibility, mobility, and play for children with disabilities, combining impactful research with community‑engaged advocacy. As a member of the Neuromechanics & Mobility community, Mia exemplified leadership, innovation, and a commitment to inclusive design.
Congratulations, Mia, on this well‑deserved recognition!
We were proud to celebrate Nicole Zaino (PhD ’23), who competed in Para Nordic skiing—including cross‑country and biathlon—at the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Italy.
Nicole discovered adaptive sports during her PhD in Mechanical Engineering at UW, first through Seattle sled hockey in 2019 and later sit‑skiing in 2022, where she quickly found her passion. After graduating, she balanced her engineering background with elite training, rising to compete internationally and represent Team USA on the Paralympic stage.
Nicole’s journey from biomechanics researcher to Paralympian was deeply inspiring to the Neuromechanics & Mobility community. [read more at washington.edu]
Congratulations, Nicole! We proudly cheered you on from Seattle and beyond.
We were so excited to welcome Dr. Alexandra (Sasha) Portnova back to the Neuromechanics & Mobility Lab last month! Sasha completed her undergraduate degree at UW and was the very first undergraduate member of our lab. After graduating, she headed to Northwestern to complete her PhD, then returned to UW as a CREATE Post-Doc Fellow and Research Scientist Engineer in our group. Sasha’s research has focused on upper extremity and hand function, drawing on machine learning and human – computer interaction approaches to develop tools and insights that support users’ everyday movement and interaction needs. She also created a podcast “Gears of Progress“ for anyone interested to hear more about exciting research and innovations happening at the forefronts of rehabilitation engineering and assistive technology.
Since September, Sasha has been part of a research team at Meta, and we’re incredibly proud to see her bringing her expertise to impactful, interdisciplinary work. It was wonderful to catch up, hear about her new role, and reconnect with someone who helped shape the early days of the lab.
Thanks for visiting, Sasha – we’re always cheering you on!
We’re excited to welcome Bruce MacWilliams, PhD, to Seattle as the new Director of Seattle Children’s Motion Analysis Lab. Bruce brings nearly three decades of experience in orthopedic and pediatric movement analysis, including leading gait labs at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Salt Lake City and holding long-time appointments in Orthopaedics at the University of Utah.
Seattle Children’s Hospital is building a brand‑new Motion Analysis Lab, and we’re thrilled to see Bruce leading the charge as this exciting clinical and research resource comes to life.
Welcome to Seattle, Bruce – we can’t wait to see the future of gait analysis research grow here in Seattle!
Congratulations to Spencer Hensley, who has been selected for a Mary Gates Research Scholarship! This highly competitive University of Washington program supports undergraduate students as they deepen their engagement in research while working closely with faculty mentors.
The Mary Gates Research Scholarship is designed to enhance students’ educational experiences by giving them the resources to devote more time and focus to their research. With reduced financial pressure, scholars are able to pursue more ambitious questions, develop new skills, and contribute meaningfully to their fields.
In the Neuromechanics and Mobility Lab, Spencer supports Mia Hoffman’s research on mobility aids for children with Down syndrome and other gross motor delays, contributing to efforts to understand how early access to mobility devices supports participation and development.
Please join us in celebrating this achievement – way to go, Spencer!
