REU Site: American Student Placements in Rehabilitation Engineering

University Of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA

Investigators

Abstract

This renewal of the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site at the University of Pittsburgh entitled, "American Student Placements in Rehabilitation Engineering (ASPIRE) offers research experiences in rehabilitation engineering to students from institutions with limited research opportunities, women, underrepresented minorities, veterans and students with disabilities. The research is focused on identifying and addressing problems critical to achieving and maintaining the highest possible level of function and participation in areas related to mobility, communications, sensory (e.g., hearing, tactile, vision), cognition and in areas associated with recreation, daily living, health, employment, independent living, and education. The broader impact of this REU Site is about empowering undergraduate students with the confidence, experience and skills necessary to excel in graduate studies and in their future careers as engineers or scientists. This Site provides opportunities for students to work on projects that have direct application to the betterment of society. Having this experience early in their academic careers not only raises awareness to the social obligations of being an engineering, but also provides a "beyond the classroom experience" that brings purpose and meaning to an engineering curriculum. The objectives of the ASPIRE REU Site renewal are to: 1) Enroll highly-motivated undergraduate students majoring in diversified areas of engineering, computer science or related fields such as rehabilitation science who attend universities and colleges that have few opportunities for structured undergraduate research in RE. 2) Engage undergraduate students in RE to understand critical issues faced by persons with disabilities and apply engineering principles to improve their level of functionality, quality of life and society participation. 3) Employ targeted recruitment efforts in order to increase the numbers of qualified underrepresented students who apply; in particular veterans, students with disabilities and women. 4) Increase the number of undergraduate students who are well-prepared for graduate studies and professional careers in RE, and assist them in pursuing their career goals. During the 10 week experience, students will gain understanding of the research process by 1) exposure to the real life problems that persons with disabilities face, 2) interacting directly with the assistive devices and systems used to ameliorate these problems and by conducting extensive scientific literature and product reviews, 3) assimilating these experiences and information to formulate research questions and/or design criteria to meet the current and evolving needs of persons with disabilities, and 4) working with highly qualified research mentors on a team project that will lead to new therapeutic or technological innovations in rehabilitation engineering. The Department of Rehabilitation Science & Technology (RST) is the lead organization in this REU Site. The other organizations involved with ASPIRE are the University of Pittsburgh Center for Assistive Technology (CAT), VA Pittsburgh HealthCare System-Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL), and the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R)