Department of Orthopedic Surgery
Rush University Medical Center

Who were/are your past scientific mentors?
I have a lot of mentors whom I can credit with my research training. My first research opportunity was working under Dr. Christopher Neville at SUNY Upstate Medical University. In undergraduate I worked under Dr. Mark Buckley and Dr. Ruth Chimenti at University of Rochester. In graduate school, I worked under Dr. Keith Gordon and Dr. Eric Perreault at Northwestern University. Currently I am working under Dr. John Martin at Rush University Medical Center. I am very grateful for all the wonderful mentors listed here. I would not be where I am today without their support and guidance.

Can you give us a brief overview of your research?
Over the last 10 years, I have focused on my research on mechanisms underlying human movement. As an undergraduate I developed expertise in motion capture, musculoskeletal biomechanics, orthotics, and medical imaging. During graduate school I developed new techniques to evaluate human motor control during walking using robotics. Currently, I am studying the intersection of biological and psychosocial aspects of health in the context of chronic low back pain. My main project is looking at the impact of socioeconomic status on spine health. We are using machine learning techniques to automatically analyze a large quantity of medical images for the project.

How did you get involved in orthopaedic research?
My interest in orthopedics goes back to a young age. As a child I had a condition that made it difficult for me to gain muscle. After getting treatment, all I wanted to do in my life was to help people improve and optimize their movement. I wanted to be a physical therapist for a long time but then I took a biomedical engineering class in college and fell in love with research.

How has the ORS supported you?
I have had the opportunity to serve on the social media committee, which has been an amazing chance to network with different people within the ORS. I have received a diversity travel award through the ORS, making it possible for me to attend my first orthopedic spine meeting. I participated in the ORS Grant Writing Workshop in at the last ORS meeting which was very helpful in developing my grant ideas. I also am a recipient of the Stryker/ORS women’s fellowship which has greatly supported my research and leadership goals within the field.

What is your favorite thing about the ORS?
My favorite thing about the ORS is getting to meet a diverse group of people and learn about all kinds of orthopedic research.

Why do you believe diversity and inclusion is important?
Everyone brings a unique and valuable perspective to the table. This must be celebrated and leveraged to solve our world’s most challenging scientific problems. However, not everyone has the same opportunities and accessibility. Therefore, an emphasis on diversity and inclusion are essential to the optimal growth and development of our scientific endeavors.

What are your career goals?
My career goals are to change health services delivery to be more interdisciplinary and to improve our understanding of the mind/body connection, specifically in the context of chronic pain, mental illness, and musculoskeletal health. My goal is to become an independent researcher but I’m open to whatever the path looks like!

What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced in your scientific career? (socially, professionally, culturally, scientifically, etc.)
As a women with disabilities, I have experienced challenges including having to take time away from research, having limited energy to contribute to my work and leadership goals, and even having experienced bullying. Personally though, I believe that for every challenge that I have faced, there has been even greater support, opportunities, and resources that have evolved from the challenges.

Any personal interests or hobbies you would like to share?
I enjoy meditation, journaling, exercising (yoga, swimming, biking, and walking), playing with my cat, and hanging out with friends. I also am very passionate about disability advocacy and am currently undergoing formal training through a non-profit organization called Disability Lead.

What personal advice would you give to new investigators starting out in the field?
1) Take things one step at a time: things may feel overwhelming at times, but breaking tasks down into smaller steps helps to figure it out and accomplish whatever is in front of you. 2) Just do the next best thing: there are always going to be challenges and you are going to make mistakes but the best thing that you can do after that is to just do the next best thing. 3) Reach out for help: don’t be afraid to reach out for help and be vulnerable in saying that you don’t know something and that you need extra support.