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Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Emory University School of Medicine
I am currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Emory University School of Medicine in the Department of Medicine and Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology. I am still early in my research career, but I have worked on a variety of research projects over the past few years. My previous experiences as a graduate student at Ball State University and Georgia State University included being actively involved in the design and implementation of original research. As a member of the research team at Ball State University I was engaged in a grant funded study for the Department of the Army analyzing the effect of different loads on tibial stress fractures and other key biomechanical variables in trained and untrained populations. At Ball State University, I also designed and carried out a novel, award-winning study analyzing the effect of downhill running on biomechanical variables in female distance runners. While at Georgia State University, I conducted a novel study analyzing a group of recreational and professional ballroom dancers. The goal of this study was to gain a better understanding of the key movements involved in ballroom dancing for the purpose of injury prevention, improved performance, and rehabilitation. This is a topic that has only recently begun to be considered biomechanically. In addition, I was part of a group of collaborators involved in a grant-funded study investigating the effect of a pharmaceutical drug on ambulatory function in multiple sclerosis patients. Currently, I lead two different studies at Emory. The first study is analyzing the potential mechanisms underlying successful movement strategies intersecting with cognitive processes in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. The second study is investigating the feasibility and safety of a robot-assisted therapeutic exercise system for people with Parkinson’s disease with the goal of improving exercise adherence, strength, and mobility.