MechSE's Hsiao-Wecksler named Willett Faculty Scholar

Associate Professor Elizabeth Hsiao-Wecksler

This award is targeted for faculty members who are in a relatively early stage of their career and are excelling in their contributions to the University. She is one of eight faculty members in the College of Engineering to receive this award this year.

Hsiao-Wecksler's work has received significant media attention. In August 2012, she was interviewed by Moira Gunn of NPR's Tech Nation in her lab in the Mechanical Engineering Building, where some of her research team demonstrated the orthotics currently in development.

Professor Hsiao-Wecksler directs the Human Dynamics and Controls Laboratory and is interested in applying dynamic systems modeling, control theory, and movement analysis to explore issues related to musculoskeletal biomechanics. The focus of her research group is to investigate and improve movement control with specific interests in developing measurement tools and assistive devices to improve functional gait and balance. Most recently her group has been funded to develop a portable powered ankle-foot orthosis for enhanced gait assistance in people with walking disabilities, and an automatic gear shifting transmission for manual wheelchairs to improve propulsion biomechanics and reduce shoulder loading.

Hsiao-Wecksler received her PhD from the University of California-Berkeley in 2000 and joined the MechSE department as an assistant professor in 2002. She was promoted to associate professor in 2009.