Injury Science REU Research Projects

The Center for Injury Research and Prevention (CIRP) at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)'s Injury Science Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program offers projects in five areas of research:

All REU students will be exposed to various aspects of the research process including problem-solving, data analysis, interpreting findings, and developing new research ideas. They will have opportunities to submit and present their work at conferences, including the Stapp Car Crash Conference, the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM) Annual Meeting, the Injury Biomechanics Symposium at The Ohio State University, the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists, and the National Institute of Justice Research Conference, with support from their mentors and participate in the preparation of publications. Students will be encouraged to work independently with appropriate mentorship, to generate enthusiasm and future career interest in injury prevention.

CIRP is a leading multidisciplinary center engaged in collaborative cross-discipline research implementing real-world applications, and the Injury Science REU Program includes mentoring from a well-established team of highly trained pediatric researchers as well as peer mentors.

Applications for the 2025 Research Experiences for Undergraduates program are closed. Check back for 2026 application details.

Watch a video about training opportunities with the Injury Science Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program:

 

Concussion and Brain Health Research Projects

Project 1: Cognitive and Circuit Impairments Induced by Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Mentor: Akiva Cohen, PhD

Research Description

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability in children and young adults. A TBI occurs on average every 21 seconds and afflicts approximately two million people annually in the United States. No effective therapy currently exists to treat TBI.  A profound obstacle to the diagnosis and treatment of TBI is the absence of an objective, quantitative test for TBI. The difficulty in diagnosing TBI is due in large part to the overlap in symptoms between TBI and other conditions (e.g., stroke, migraine, PTSD, depression and non-convulsive seizures), as well as variability in the initial injury and clinical presentation. Therefore, we are determining the nature of a brain circuitry functional biomarker in mice that have received a mild TBI.

REU Project Description

The REU student will become a member of the Cohen Lab at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute. The student will receive mentorship from the lead investigator, as well as from members of his laboratory. The student will learn various behavioral paradigms and immunohistochemistry, as well as cell counting and biochemistry. The student will also gain experience in problem-solving, data analysis, interpreting findings, and developing new research ideas. There will also be opportunities to submit and present the student's work at conferences and to participate in the preparation of journal publications.

Project 2: Optimizing Concussion Care for Children and Adolescents

Mentor: James Wilkes, PhD, MEd, ATC

Research Description

The Minds Matter Concussion Research Program informs our leading concussion care at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. With a diverse patient population, we rapidly translate cutting-edge research into clinical care that advances target interventions, improves diagnostics, optimizes concussion treatment, and supports better long-term outcomes for pediatric patients. We have several ongoing projects that have supported our concussion care initiatives, specifically a project aiming to improve equity for concussion patients seen at diverse sites throughout the CHOP care network. The project investigates the effect of environment, geolocation and family factors that influence both access to care and risk for adverse outcomes. With this knowledge, we can better equip physicians, families, and communities with information about the differential risks after sustaining injury in specific settings. 

REU Project Description

The REU student will work collaboratively with members of the CHOP Minds Matter Concussion team and gain exposure to a variety of research methodologies. Activities may include patient chart reviews, assistance with data coding/analysis, data management, and analyzing data from quantitative and qualitative data sources; leveraging natural language processing to enhance data capture; attending training activities and project team meetings; and presenting preliminary findings to internal and external partners. The student will also gain experience problem-solving research challenges and developing research ideas that suit those seeking a career in human subject research. This work may be completed on site or in the community. While the student will have opportunities for patient-facing experiences, this is not intended to be a clinical experience. Prior coursework in Public Health, Psychology, Social Work, Health Policy & Administration, Behavioral Health, Nursing, Health Sciences, Kinesiology, Statistics, or research methods is preferred, but not required.

Injury Rehab and Biomechanics Engineering Research Projects

Project 3: Biomechanics in Automotive Safety and Rehabilitation Medicine

Mentor: Valentina Graci, PhD

Research Description

Motor vehicle crashes remain a leading cause of death for children, youth, and young adults. Historically, automotive safety research and advancements have focused on the mitigation of injuries once the crash has occurred. However, more recently automotive safety is switching its focus to studying ways to avoid crashes, such as Automated Emergency Braking (AEB). This technology provides a vehicle with the ability to stop automatically when an obstacle is detected. Since 2022 all new vehicles in the United States are equipped with AEB. 

At the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)'s SLED Laboratory, we are interested in simulating different AEBs to understand how their decelerations influence occupant motion. Our team also collaborates closely with CHOP's Neuro-Motor Performance Laboratory (NMPL) and Division of Orthopedics to examine motor control and biomechanics performance in children with cerebral palsy and in adolescents who have undergone post-anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery. 

REU Project Description

The REU student will become a member of the Injury Rehab and Biomechanics Engineering Research team at the Center for Injury Research and Prevention and will receive mentorship from several of the lead investigators of the Core. Depending on the stages of projects, the student will be involved in various aspects of the research process, including designing and machining experimental fixture, data collection on human volunteers, post-processing, data analysis, and interpretation of the results. 

The student will develop skills with data analysis of a diverse set of data types that could potentially be: motion capture and EMG data collection and/or analysis of children and young adults. Previous experience using MATLAB, CAD, and Solidwork is critical. The student will have the opportunity to increase skills in this area. The student will also gain experience in problem-solving, analyzing data, interpreting findings, and developing new research ideas. There may also be potential opportunities to submit and present the student's work at conferences and to participate in the preparation of journal publications. This project work is on site to allow the student to also participate in potential data collection or fixture modifications, besides data analysis.

Project 4: Developing a Family of 3D-Printed Anthropomorphic Models to Improve Clinical Training 

Mentor: Elizabeth Silvestro, MSE

Research Description

Knee injuries are a common complaint among children presenting to emergency rooms and primary care centers. A common sign of knee injury is effusion, a collection of fluid that can be encapsulated or burst. Current diagnosis begins with a physical exam, which relies on a subjective interpretation of manual examinations. Medical training programs provide minimal hands on guidance with respect to accurately diagnosing pediatric knee effusions. At the same time, a misdiagnosis or delay in identifying knee effusions can impart longstanding complications to the joint, including growth disruption and loss of range of motion. 

Because of this, MRI and ultrasound are currently used to provide clarity to the diagnosis, but this represents a significant increase in time spent in the clinic and includes a significant economic burden. Therefore, there is a need for a scalable solution to adequately prepare clinicians for manual pediatric knee evaluation. Hands-on trainers revolutionized training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and offer an effective framework for improving manual diagnosis of pediatric knee effusions. The goal of this project is to design and develop 3D printed models of physiologic and pathologic pediatric knees for the purpose of training medical professionals.

REU Project Description

The REU student will become a member of the Additive Manufacturing for Pediatrics 3D Lab at CHOP. The student will be involved in various aspects of the research process, including data collection, data analysis, and interpretation of the results. The student will gain first-hand experience developing computational models, creating biofidelic models with 3D printing techniques, and performing mechanical testing with universal test frames.

The student must be enrolled in either a Bioengineering or Mechanical Engineering program. Previous experience with CAD programs, Finite Element Modeling, and coding with MATLAB and/or Python is desired but not required. The student will have the opportunity to increase skills in these areas and will also gain experience in problem-solving, data analysis, interpreting findings, and developing new research ideas. There will also be opportunities to submit and present the student's work at conferences and to participate in the preparation of journal publications. 

Road Traffic Protection Research Project

Project 5: Analysis of Pediatric Occupant Kinematics and Kinetics in Motor Vehicle Crashes 

Mentor: Jalaj Maheshwari, MSE

Research Description

Motor vehicle crashes and incidents are a leading cause of injury for children, youth, and young adults worldwide. The Road Traffic Protection Research team at the Center for Injury Research and Prevention strives to prevent these motor vehicle injuries through a variety of pediatric injury prevention research projects using computational modeling and/or sled testing. Human body models and anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs), also known as crash test dummies, are a great tool to assess the kinematic and kinetic responses of an occupant under different crash conditions. We are analyzing the responses of pediatric occupants involving different crash conditions, vehicle restraint parameters, and child restraints. The occupant kinematics, kinetics, and injury metric data will be analyzed over the crash conditions to better guide passive safety systems (seat belts, airbags) and child restraint system development.

REU Project Description

The REU student will become a member of the Road Traffic Protection Research team at the Center for Injury Research and Prevention and will receive mentorship from several of the lead investigators of the Core. The student will be involved in various aspects of the research process including data extraction, data pre-processing, data analysis, and interpretation of the results. The student will be analyzing kinematic, kinetic, and injury data.

Previous experience using MATLAB and/or Python is required. Additional experience with finite element (FE) modeling is desirable but not required. The student will have the opportunity to increase skills in these areas. The student will also gain experience in problem-solving, data analysis, interpreting findings, and developing new research ideas. There will also be opportunities to submit and present the student's work at conferences and to participate in the preparation of journal publications.

Violence Prevention Research Project

Project 6: Pre-Implementation Study of a Secure Firearm Storage Intervention in the Hospital Setting

Mentor: Katelin Hoskins, PhD

Research Description

The rate of firearm-related deaths rose by 41% from 2018-2021 across all intents, making firearms the leading cause of death for youth ages 1-19. Secure firearm storage is critical for reducing unauthorized access to firearms and the risks of suicide, homicide, and unintentional injuries. Our NIH-funded study, Uniting Pediatric Nurses as Leaders In Firearm injury prevention: a hybrid Trial (UPLIFT), aims to reduce firearm-related deaths in children by implementing an evidence-based secure firearm storage intervention. The S.A.F.E. Firearm intervention consists of (1) a brief, parent-directed discussion on secure firearm storage using a harm reduction approach and (2) offering free cable locks to all parents during well child visits in pediatric primary care. 

Notably, S.A.F.E. Firearm has the potential to save lives beyond primary care settings. Implementing firearm safety interventions during hospital admissions is a major opportunity to promote health, especially for children who are disproportionately at risk for and affected by firearm violence. In early phases of our study, we will adapt S.A.F.E. Firearm for the pediatric inpatient setting and nurse-led delivery. We will subsequently conduct a pragmatic RCT across two CHOP hospitals to evaluate effectiveness of the adapted intervention in improving parent-reported secure firearm storage, and other secondary safety outcomes. This work is at the forefront of firearm injury prevention, implementation science, and health equity, with significant potential to impact public health both in Philadelphia and nationwide.

REU Project Description

The REU student will join the UPLIFT study team, which includes investigators with expertise in firearm injury prevention, implementation science, biostatistics, and pragmatic RCTs. This opportunity offers unique exposure to face-paced, applied implementation research within a learning health system. The REU student will be involved in the study’s first aim, which focuses on adapting the evidence-based intervention and developing a set of implementation strategies to support successful uptake. While the student will learn about multiple facets of the research process, their responsibilities will center on team-based analyses of a large, semi-structured interview dataset. The REU student will learn and apply rapid qualitative analytic techniques, which have garnered increasing interest in implementation research, with an emphasis on methodological rigor. Additionally, the student will acquire skills in REDCap survey design, brief literature reviews and synthesis, and interprofessional communication. 

Young Driver Safety Research Projects

Project 7: Examining Learning to Drive, Risky Driving Behavior, and Crashes in Young Drivers

Mentor: Elizabeth A. Walshe, PhD

Research Description

Motor vehicle crashes remain a leading cause of injury and death for adolescents. Compared to adults, young novice drivers are three times more likely to be involved in a motor vehicle collision. These crashes are largely due to driver error, especially those related to recognition and decision-making, which heavily rely on frontal lobe functions. We are currently conducting several studies to examine the relationship between driving skills, motor vehicle crashes, and the development of the neural and cognitive processes necessary for safe driving in adolescents and young drivers. 

REU Project Description

The REU student will join an interdisciplinary research team that combines cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology, data science, and epidemiology approaches to understand unsafe driving behavior and the increased crash risk among young novice drivers. The Neuroscience of Driving team conducts clinical human subjects research, including clinical trials to test interventions, as well as population-level studies of young drivers. As a member of this quantitative research team, the student will collaborate with the clinical human subjects research team, gaining exposure to a wide range of research activities such as participant recruitment, supporting/shadowing study visits, data collation and analysis, literature reviews, and presentation/dissemination. The student will also be exposed to many measurement tools and their data, including cognitive neuropsychological tests of brain function, virtual driving assessment, remote driver monitoring smartphone technology, eye-tracking, personality scales, participant survey data, and more.

The student may also have an opportunity to develop valuable skills for a career in research by participating in research team meetings and scientific discussions, and by assisting at various stages of the scientific research process (planning/lit reviews, testing, data collection, dissemination). We are looking for students who are interested in quantitative research, want to expand their research experience, and are motivated and excited to work on this team’s projects examining the brain and behavior of young drivers. We encourage diverse majors to apply, including but not limited to, Psychology, Neuroscience, Public Health, Health Sciences, Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or any other related major.

Project 8: Understanding Scanning Behavior Among Young Drivers

Mentor: Thomas Seacrist, MBE

Research Description

Despite continued advances in young driving safety, motor vehicle crashes remain a leading cause of death among young drivers aged 16 to 24. Crash rates are highest right after obtaining a license, with one in five young novice drivers crashing within the first year of driving (Curry et al. 2011). The key to safe driving is scanning, which refers to the pattern of eye movements drivers use to search their surroundings for potential hazards. Research has shown that experienced drivers, compared to novices, are better at detecting these hazards. However, there is limited understanding of how scanning techniques change as adolescents progress through their driving training and licensing process.

Recently, our team developed a novel virtual driving assessment (VDA) developed to evaluate a driver's readiness. This 15-minute, self-guided virtual driving test assesses driving skills by safely exposing drivers to common driving scenarios and provides automated personalized feedback reports on areas that need improvement. The VDA also records participants' driving behavior and scanning behavior via eye-tracking. CHOP has incorporated the VDA into its primary care networks, allowing adolescents 15 and older take the VDA during their normal preventative care visits. We are interested in understanding how scanning behavior varies across different stages of licensure (permit, intermediate, full license), the number of practice hours, and other relevant factors.

Additionally, we are interested in examining how scanning behavior differs among young drivers during their day-to-day driving experiences. Recently, the US Department of Transportation funded a large-scale study, the Strategic Highway Research Program 2 (SHRP2) Naturalistic Driving Study, which tracked the driving habits of 3,000 drivers over a three-year period. This extensive dataset presents a unique opportunity to study eye-glance behavior during real-world driving. Our goal is to understand how eye-glance behavior is influenced by factors such as driver age, road type, environmental factors, etc.

REU Project Description

The REU intern will become a member of the Neuroscience of Driving team at the Center for Injury Research and Prevention, where the student will have the opportunity to interact with other lead investigators and team members. This role will involve reviewing and analyzing eye-tracking data collected from young drivers during simulated driving assessment (i.e. a virtual drive consisting of common crash scenarios) and/or during real-world driving (i.e. eye-tracking data collected from in-vehicle cameras that tracked drivers during day-to-day driving). This experience will allow the student to hone skills in eye-tracking metrics, data analysis, statistical analysis, and team-based data review. The student will also gain experience in problem-solving, interpreting findings, and identifying new research questions. There will be opportunities to submit and present at future conferences and to participate in the preparation of journal publications.

We are seeking a highly-motivated applicant with a strong interest in eye-tracking, traffic safety, and/or human factors, ranging from conceptualization of research projects to publication. Students majoring or concentrating in Engineering, Data Science, Human Factors, Behavioral Science, or related majors are encouraged to apply. A strong background in MATLAB (preferred), Python, R, or other programming language is required; the student will have opportunity to increase skills in this area. Prior experience with eye-tracking and/or data analysis is preferred. Scientific writing experience and an interest in co-authoring publications is also preferred.

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