Awards

Neuromechanics & Mobility Lab Shines at SWE 2025 in New Orleans!

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We’re proud to celebrate Ally Clarke, Madeleine (Maddie) McCreary, and Alisha Bose, who attended the Society of Women Engineers Annual Conference 2025 in New Orleans!

Ally and Maddie represented the Neuromechanics & Mobility Lab in the “Rapid Fire” Collegiate Competition, showcasing their innovative research:

  • Maddie’s talk: “Kicking It Off: Do toddlers with disabilities activate leg muscles when driving with a joystick?”
  • Ally’s talk: “The Effect of Body Weight Support on Motor Control in Individuals with Cerebral Palsy.”

A huge congratulations to Ally for earning First Place in the SWE Collegiate Graduate Rapid Fire Competition!

We also want to recognize Alisha, an undergraduate researcher in our lab, who kicked off her role as Collegiate Working Group Chair-Elect at WE25, helped organize leadership meet-ups, represented Break Through Tech at the career fair, and even had two articles featured in SWE Magazine.

We’re thrilled to see members of our lab engaging and being recognized at this incredible event!

  • Two individuals standing in front of a large white gear-shaped display with ‘SWE25’ printed on it, inside a spacious convention center with patterned carpet and overhead lights. Both are wearing conference badges and lanyards.
  • Presenter standing at a podium with a SWE25 sign, next to a large screen showing a ‘Thank You’ slide featuring photos of team members and colorful illustrations of children using assistive devices. Audience members are seated facing the screen.
  • Presenter standing at a podium with a SWE25 sign, next to a large screen displaying a slide titled ‘Quantifying Motor Control’ with diagrams, graphs, and mathematical formulas. Audience chairs are visible in the foreground.
  • Group of individuals standing together in front of a podium with a SWE25 sign, posing for a photo in a conference room with blue patterned carpet and beige wall panels. All are wearing conference badges and lanyards.
  • Two individuals peeking playfully through the center opening of a large white gear-shaped display with ‘SWE25’ printed on it, in a brightly lit convention center hallway.

Neuromechanics & Mobility Lab presents at ASB 2025

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The Neuromechanics & Mobility Lab had a fantastic showing at the 2025 American Society of Biomechanics (ASB) Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, PA! From student awards to impactful presentations, our team contributed to advancing the science of human movement and rehabilitation engineering.

We’re proud to celebrate Ally Clarke, who received a Student Travel Award for her abstract titled “Influence of Bodyweight Support on Motor Control in Children with Cerebral Palsy.” Her work was recognized by the ASB community for its contribution to pediatric motor control research. Congratulations, Ally!

Lab members presented posters across multiple themes. Madeleine McCreary explored toddler muscle activation during joystick driving in her poster “Kicking it off: Does toddler leg muscle activation while driving change with posture?” Mackenzie Pitts shared insights on “Mechanisms of split-belt treadmill adaptation in children with cerebral palsy.” Ally Clarke presented her award-winning work on bodyweight support and motor control, and Katie Landwehr-Prakel showcased her research on “Muscle activity during walker-based exoskeleton use in children with cerebral palsy.”

Beyond the science, our team engaged in workshops, debates, and networking events that emphasized advocacy, inclusion, and the integration of lived experiences into biomechanics research. The ASB 2025 program featured sessions on AI in biomechanics, wearable tech, and neuromechanics – all aligning with our lab’s mission to enhance mobility and participation.

Thank you to ASB and the biomechanics community for an inspiring week. We’re already looking forward to connecting again at the World Congress of Biomechanics (WCB) in Vancouver in 2026!

  • Four people standing together on a rooftop at sunset with a scenic view of the Pittsburgh city skyline, yellow bridges, and river in the background during ASB 2025
  • Four individuals standing in front of a research poster at ASB 2025, representing the University of Washington.
  • Group of individuals standing and discussing research in front of scientific posters at ASB 2025, with charts and graphs visible on the posters
  • Researcher presenting findings to an attendee in front of scientific posters at ASB 2025, showcasing graphs and charts related to biomechanics research.
  • Two individuals standing in front of three research posters on cerebral palsy at ASB 2025

Congratulations – Kate Bokowy earns Outstanding Research Award

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We’re excited to celebrate Kate Bokowy, who recently earned her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington!

Kate was also recognized with the Department of Mechanical Engineering Outstanding Research Award for her impactful work in the Neuromechanics & Mobility Lab. Under the mentorship of Ph.D. student Mia Hoffman, Kate contributed to the development of the Switch Kit—a DIY toolkit designed to facilitate digital accessibility using accessible switches.

Congratulations, Kate, on your graduation and this well-deserved recognition!

Congratulations – Mia Hoffman receives Dennis Lang Award!

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We’re thrilled to share that Mia Hoffman, a Ph.D. student in the Neuromechanics & Mobility Lab, has been honored with the Dennis Lang Award from the University of Washington Disability Studies Program.

Mia is currently pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Disability Studies, and this award recognizes her outstanding academic work and spirited commitment to the field. The Dennis Lang Award celebrates the legacy of Dennis Lang, a co-founder of the UW Disability Studies Program, whose dedication and service were instrumental in shaping the program and its community.

Mia received a merit-based monetary award and was recognized at the Disability Studies convocation on June 4.

Congratulations, Mia! Your work continues to inspire and advance the values of inclusion, equity, and excellence in disability studies.

Mia has long straight blonde hair and is wearing a white and black striped blazer on a balcony

Congratulations – Ally Clarke receives ASB Student Travel Award!

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A young woman with blonde hair is wearing a green sweater and blue jeans while standing in front of a blossoming tree.

We’re excited to share that Ally Clarke has been selected to receive a Student Travel Award from the American Society of Biomechanics (ASB) to attend the 2025 ASB Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, PA. This award supports students who have authored abstracts accepted for presentation. Ally’s abstract Influence of Bodyweight Support on Motor Control in Children with Cerebral Palsy was selected for presentation at the meeting, and we’re proud to see her work recognized and supported by the biomechanics community.

Congratulations, Ally!