Division Director of Movement Science at Scottish Rite for Children
AT DUKE: “Duke taught me how to think like a researcher. By senior year, I was deep into the biomechanics concentration and found myself modeling a pediatric crash test dummy’s neck, trying to figure out how to keep the head from flying off on impact. At the time, that problem hadn’t even been solved in the real world, but that’s what Duke does – it gives you permission to take on problems bigger than yourself.
FULL CIRCLE: “Now, I lead a biomechanics research lab at Scottish Rite for Children Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center, where our team studies rehabilitation and injury prevention strategies in young athletes. The work I started in the K-Lab, breaking down movement patterns to understand how injuries happen, has evolved into studying how we can stop them before they occur. I also get to mentor students in my lab, just as I was mentored, and teach biomechanics at UT Southwestern. In many ways, my Duke experience came full circle – it taught me how to learn, how to lead, and most importantly, how to pass that forward.”