Awards

Congratulations – Alisha Bose receives Dennis Lang Award!

Katie Awards, News , ,
Alisha has dark brown shoulder-length hair with bangs. She is wearing a navy blue sweater vest.

We’re thrilled to share that Alisha Bose, an undergraduate in the Neuromechanics & Mobility Lab, has been honored with the Dennis Lang Award from the University of Washington Disability Studies Program.

Alisha graduated with a degree in Human Centered Design & Engineering and a minor 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.

Alisha received a merit-based monetary award and was recognized at the Disability Studies convocation on June 5. She’ll be starting the Master of Information Management and Systems (MIMS) program at UC Berkeley this fall.

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

Congratulations to Dr. Mia Hoffman – 2026 Graduate School Medal Recipient!

Katie Awards, EarlyMobility, HuskyADAPT, News, Projects , , ,

Huge congratulations to Dr. Mia Hoffman, recipient of the University of Washington’s 2026 Graduate School Medal – awarded to doctoral graduates whose research and civic engagement drive real social change.

Mia’s dissertation grew out of a simple question: how could a toddler with cerebral palsy play alongside her sibling? That question led to the Switch Kit, a low-cost, customizable system that helps children with motor disabilities engage in play, co-designed with families, clinicians, and speech-language pathologists. Her leadership of HuskyADAPT helped bring adapted toys to families across Washington State.

Mia earned her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, co-advised by our own Dr. Kat Steele and Dr. Heather Feldner, and was also named to this year’s Husky 100. She’s headed to Ohio State for a postdoctoral fellowship, and eventually hopes to launch her own lab focused on mobility, accessibility, and play.

Congratulations, Dr. Hoffman – we can’t wait to see what’s next!

Read the full feature from the UW Graduate School.

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

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

Katie Awards, News ,
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

Katie Awards, News , , , , , ,

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

Katie Awards, EarlyMobility, News , , ,

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.