Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Student (Summer 2019)

"During my summer with the Center for Injury Research and Prevention (CIRP) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program, I had the opportunity to work on a project that focused on developing a new method for quantifying a major impairment -- selective motor control -- in cerebral palsy (CP). Under the mentorship of Dr. Laura Prosser and Dr. Ozell Sanders, I learned new techniques to capture data about muscle activity, including electromyography (EMG), inertial sensors, and load cells. Obtaining this knowledge gave me the skills necessary to begin developing a Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) document that future researchers using Delsys EMG products can follow to successfully set up and operate the equipment.

I was also given the opportunity to create an ultrasound atlas, a document that contained ultrasound images of muscles my team was interested in studying in young children with CP. The next step in my team's project to develop a method to quantify selective motor control required knowledge of EMG sensor placement. I was put in charge of creating a document containing information about the recommended location of EMG sensors for each muscle of interest, including details such as the distance of the electrodes from key muscles and bones and  physical orientation.

After finishing this document, I moved on to learning how to code in MATLAB and use an Arduino microcontroller to interface with an open-source coding platform called Scratch. Using my prior experience coding in Scratch, I developed a proof-of-concept for a Scratch video game in which young children with CP will be able to control the on-screen avatar by using their muscles, such as when they swing their leg out, the avatar will move up.

My time at CIRP gave me insight into working with children and the field of developmental psychology. I have now decided to pursue a PhD in Developmental Psychology post-graduation. I was also able to network with prominent developmental psychologists at CHOP and Penn. I am incredibly grateful for the unique experiences and opportunities that the REU program offered me."