Each spring, graduate students in the human movement science curriculum at UNC-Chapel Hill organize a day-long conference highlighting emerging research across the interdisciplinary fields of kinesiology, exercise science, rehabilitation sciences and biomedical engineering.

Wittstein offered a deeply personal account of his academic and professional path, tracing his journey from his ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈ days at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, through his pivot into human movement science, to work in industry and eventually the pursuit of a doctorate. Reflecting on more than a decade at Elon, he emphasized the balance he has found between research, mentorship and ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈ. He also spoke candidly about challenges along the way, including periods of depression, the search for personal and professional identity and purpose, and how the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped his engagement with professional societies and institutional service.

The conference also spotlighted original research by students and faculty. Jill Dolman ’25 and Srikant Vallabhajosula, professor of physical therapy education, presented their collaborative study, “Concurrent Validity of Wearable Sensors for Walking in Young Adults.” Their work supports the use of wearable technology to evaluate gait in real-world settings, with implications for pediatric assessment.

Another project, “Comparison of Peak Hip Joint Angles in Static and Dynamic Positions with Active Range of Motion in Bharatanatyam Dancers,” combined biomechanics and cultural dance analysis. The study was conducted by Doctor of Physical Therapy students Kaitlin Kerr-Osman, Avery McCamy, and Kayla Liles, in collaboration with faculty members Jack Magill and Vallabhajosula.

In a fitting full-circle moment, the conference also marked the ten-year anniversary of a formative connection. It was in spring 2013, at this event, that Wittstein and Vallabhajosula first met—unaware that their paths would later converge as colleagues and collaborators in the field of human movement science.

For National Biomechanics Day at Elon this year, faculty and students from the departments of Physical Therapy Education, Exercise Science and Performing Arts collaborated with students from Alamance Burlington School System’s Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC) interested in the health sciences on Wednesday, April 6.

The event was split into two in-person sessions at the CTEC, with 75 high school students learning about the field of biomechanics and career possibilities.

Associate Professor Srikant Vallabhajosula, Associate Professor Matthew Wittstein, Professor Joyce Davis, Associate Professor Jen Guy and Assistant Professor Jasmine Powell collaborated to plan stations that gave insight into the diverse field of biomechanics.

Doctor of Physical Therapy student Allie Knuckles also received a Women in Biomechanics Outreach Through National Biomechanics Day Grant to conduct both in-person and virtual National Biomechanics Day events this year.

Current physical therapy and ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈ students led stations that gave students hands-on experience with different aspects of biomechanics, such as vertical jumping, strength, motor control, manual dexterity, gait and balance.

The leadership and support of Elon students made this in-person event a success. Ongoing collaboration with CTEC and participation in NBD aims to better expand S.T.E.A.M.-based education and training to diverse future professionals. Inspiration was taken from Auburn University’s list of activities to celebrate National Biomechanics Day.

Student volunteers included:

• Maggie Davenport ’23, dance performance and dance science 
• Deanna DeMarco DPT’23
• Allie Knuckles DPT’23
• Brandi Wiltshire DPT’22
• Bridgette Macapagal DPT‘23
• Lindsey Garrett DPT‘23
  
• Brendal Vargo DPT‘23
• Lauren Weinberg ’22, dance performance and dance science
• Roxy Geballe ’24, exercise science
• Jaclyn Ross DPT‘22
  
• Kelly O’Daniel DPT‘24
• Britt Dixon DPT‘24
• Katie Jones DPT ‘24
• Alexander Japit DPT‘24
• Emma Morris ’25, dance performance and dance science
• Sarah Henderson DPT’22
• Smythe Lefebvre ’23, exercise science
• Brianna Young ’24, exercise science
• Ashlyn Loring DPT’24
• Caroline Guill DPT‘24
• Stephen Parsons DPT‘23
• Megan McCallister DPT‘23
• Haley Langley DPT‘24
• Tyanna Eaddy-Harris DPT‘22
• Erin Allen DPT‘24
• Catherine Furin DPT‘24
• Will Duncan ’25, engineering 
• Grace London ’25, biochemistry

Each year, National Biomechanics Day (NBD) aims to celebrate the Breakthrough Science of the 21st century by ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈ high school-aged students around the world about the field. This S.T.E.A.M.-based educational outreach event has reached over 20,000 students around the world.

For National Biomechanics Day this year, faculty and students from the Departments of Physical Therapy Education, Exercise Science and Performing Arts joyfully gathered on Wednesday, April 14, with students from Alamance Burlington School System’s Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC) interested in the health sciences.

This year’s event was split into two virtual sessions with 17 participants in the morning session and 31 in the afternoon. In total, around 40 high school students joined online to learn about the field of biomechanics and career possibilities.

Associate Professor Jen Guy Metcalf, Associate Professor Srikant Vallabhajosula and Assistant Matthew Wittstein collaborated to provide a historical perspective of the field and a video tour of the Biomechanics Laboratory housed in the Gerald R. Francis Center.

Current Physical Therapy and ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈ students then led breakout room activities to demonstrate principles of biomechanics, like Newton’s laws of motion, in relevant applications like sport, health, and occupational sciences. Some final remarks of encouragement were provided by Becky Neiduski, dean of the School of Health Sciences.

The leadership and support of Elon students made this virtual event a success! Ongoing collaboration with CTEC and participation in NBD aims to better expand S.T.E.A.M. based education and training to diverse future professionals.

Student volunteers included: Katherine Axness (Dance Performance ’21), Katie Balardi (DPT ’22), Maggie Davenport (Dance Performance and Dance Science ’23), Deanna DeMarco (DPT ’23), Sarah Henderson (DPT ’22), Allie Knuckles (DPT ’23), Anna Morton (Exercise Science ’23), Cassidy Perry (Dance Performance ’22), Emily Tufford (Exercise Science ’21), Stacey Walton (DPT ’23), and Brandi Wiltshire (DPT ’22)

In addition to the Departmental Awards, students were also honored for their induction into Kappa Omicron Nu, National Honor Society for the Human Services. ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈ must be in the top 25 percent of their class to be eligible for this honor society.

In lieu of an on-campus event, students and faculty met via Webex to share in their success. Congratulations to the following students were honored for their achievements:

Outstanding Major: Lauren Mihalek

Outstanding Senior Service Award: Emerson Bennett

Outstanding Senior Research Award: Jonathan Martinez

Trey Halker Award: Emma McCabe and Alexandra Smith

Induction into Kappa Omicron Nu national honor society:

• Sarah Bevington
• Gabby Clancy
• Elisabeth Cooperman
• Sarah DeSordi
• Shayna Goldblatt
• Sara Higgins
• Grace Holmes
• Emily Kibler
• Blair King
• Alessia Mercuri
• Lily Niehaus
• Hannah Silverstein
• Shannon Smith

¾Ã¾ÃÈÈ joined the global biomechanics community on Wednesday, April 11, to host its third Biomechanics Day celebration. Produced by Exercise Science and Physical Therapy Education departments, the event drew more than 40 local high school students. 

Broadly, biomechanics is the study of life using the tools of physics or mechanics. This general definition is often applied to the study of human movement and in understanding how injury can affect movement performance.

Stations were designed to demonstrate throwing, running, jumping, and balance as well as the associated technologies used to study and assess these activities.

Faculty members Sue Chinworth, Shefali Christopher, Joyce Davis, Srikant Vallabhajosula and Matthew Wittstein from the Exercise Science and Physical Therapy Education departments organized this event for the third year and provided clinical and research expertise to help guide the discussion. Several student volunteers also helped guide discussion and demonstrate how specific equipment is used in biomechanics.

¾Ã¾ÃÈÈ celebrated its second National Biomechanics Day with an event produced by Exercise Science and Physical Therapy Education departments that drew more than 50 local high school students. 

National Biomechanics Day is a worldwide celebration of biomechanics in its many forms for high school students and teachers. The American Society of Biomechanics started National Biomechanics Day as an educational outreach to enhance the awareness of a cutting edge science and promote its education prior to the collegiate level.

This year, more than 50 students from the Career and Technology Education Center, which is part of the Alamance Burlington School System, participated in Elon’s National Biomechanics Day event.

Broadly, biomechanics is the study of life using the tools of physics or mechanics. This general definition is often applied to the study of human movement and in underestanding how injury can affect movement performance.

To demonstrate this concept, high school students were presented with a scenario of a basketball ankle injury and then learned about different perspectives of assessment, rehabilitation and performance related to the injury.

Elon exercise science and physical therapy students led the participants through each station explaining how video, force measurement and muscle activation are all integrated to understand fundamentals of human movement; the use of instrumented walkways that allow clinicians to see small changes in how individuals walk; clinical and research grade balance assessments and therapies; and potential exercises and rehabilitation techniques to treat an injury.

Faculty members Sue Chinworth, Joyce Davis, Srikant Vallabhajosula and Matthew Wittstein from the Exercise Science and Physical Therapy Education departments organized this event for the second year and provided clinical and resaerch expertise to help guide discussion. Several student volunteers also helped guide discussion and demonstrate how specific equipment is used in biomechanics.

This annual event will continue to serve the community by providing an engaged opportunity to learn about biomechanics.

Biomechanics is a broad field in the sciences that uses the principles of mechanics to understand and study biological phenomenon. Faculty members  Srikant Vallabhajosula, Sue Chinworth, Joyce Davis and Matthew Wittstein worked together to plan a local biomechanics event on April 13. ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈ in Alamance-Burlington Schools as well as ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈ freshmen were invited to participate in the free event in which they received a tour of the biomechanics lab, observed and participated in balance and gait research techiniques, learned about three-dimensional motion capture of human movement, and learned more about the multidiscplinary field. They also interacted with current DPT students Luke Boyd and Mary Cameron Hamilton to learn more about how the fields of physical therapy and biomechanics merge and what it takes to get into a physical therapy school.

Current research in biomechanics at ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈ spans clinical applications in gait and balance rehabilitation, dance performance, effects of concussion and sport performance.

This annual event will continue to grow nationally and at Elon, highlighting the innovations and advances in a young scientific field. The organizers would like to thank Leslie Carriker, M.Ed., K-12 Science and Social Studies Curriculum Specialist, for her help in advertising the event throughout the Alamance-Burlington School System.