Awards

Congratulations to Dr. Kat Steele, Named a 2026 ASB Fellow

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Picture of Kat in purple shirt.

We were proud to celebrate Dr. Kat Steele being named a 2026 Fellow of the American Society of Biomechanics (ASB), one of the society’s highest honors recognizing sustained and impactful contributions to the field.

Kat will be inducted at the 2026 ASB Annual Business Meeting in Vancouver, Canada, held in conjunction with the World Congress of Biomechanics (WCB). She joins an outstanding cohort of new Fellows whose work has advanced biomechanics research, education, and service.

Congratulations to Kat on this well‑deserved recognition!

Congrats to Mia Hoffman, Named to the Husky 100

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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!

  • Studio portrait shows Mia Hoffman standing in a black blazer and blue dress against a gold gradient background; the Husky 100 logo is visible at the bottom of the image.
  • Person stands in a classroom in front of gold “100” balloons and purple balloons, posing for a photo to celebrate Husky 100 recognition.
  • Five people stand together in a conference room, smiling for a group photo in front of gold “100” balloons and purple balloons, celebrating Husky 100 recognition.

Spencer Hensley awarded Mary Gates Research Scholarship

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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!

A young man smiles. He has dark brown hair, and is wearing glasses and a plaid jacket.

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