Kat Steele won the Junior Faculty Award for her novel and innovative research in biomechanics, high level of commitment to students and teaching, enhancement of participation of under-represented groups, and a direct contribution to the quality of the life of kids with cerebral palsy. Congratulations, Kat! The Mechanical Engineering department was awarded three of the total eight awards for the College of Engineering. Congratulations to Mark Jankauski for winning the Student Teaching Award and Eric Seibel who won the Faculty Research Award.
News
Sasha Portnova Presents Poster in DC
Sasha Portnova is presenting her research at the 20th Annual Posters on the Hill in Washington DC today, April 20th. Out of 300 received applications, Sasha was one of 60 posters chosen for the presentation. She is sharing her work on: 3D-Printed Wrist-Driven Orthosis for Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury. Congratulations and Go Biomechanics!
Kat Steele is awarded the American Society of Biomechanics Young Investigator Award
Our lab is very happy to announce that Dr. Kat Steele is the winner of the prestigious American Society of Biomechanics Young Investigator Award. This annual award recognizes early achievements by promising young scientists. Kat will present her work during a special awards session at the annual ASB meeting August 2-5, 2016 in Raleigh, North Carolina. She will also be featured in an article in the Journal of Biomechanics. Go Kat!
Sasha Presents at the Northwest Chapter of AAOP
After presenting her work at the national American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (AAOP) in Orlando, FL, Sasha was invited to present her work locally at the Northwest chapter of AAOP here in Bellevue. Great job sharing about your research, Sasha!
Seattle’s MESA Day (Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement)
MESA Day brought high school and middle school students from the Seattle area to North Seattle College for a morning of competitions and STEM activities, put on by volunteers in the community. Gaurav and Michael developed an activity using electromyography (EMG) sensors to teach students about neural control of muscles, how we quantify muscle activity, and how we can use that knowledge to improve quality of life. Small groups selected a “test subject” and hooked up an EMG sensor to a muscle of their choice. They then picked tasks to perform, generated corresponding hypothetical muscle activation curves, and experimentally tested their hypotheses. The attendees were impressive. Students, ages 13-18, surprised our PhD students with their curiosity, knowledge, and ability to generate hypotheses and explain their results. Overall, the students seemed to enjoy the event and we hope that we helped them think about how understanding the mechanisms of the human body can be used to improve lives.
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