Kinesiology and Health Education

Our laboratory is dedicated to understanding the biomechanics and neuromuscular control processes that underlie complex adaptive human movements. We are interested in examining both basic science and clinically relevant questions related to issues such as:

·       Maintaining dynamic stability during walking

·       Motor coordination during fatigue, repetitive stress injuries, and complex skill learning

·       Understanding the role of neuronal noise in movement coordination

We address these questions using a variety of experimental and modeling approaches that are primarily derived from the analysis of nonlinear dynamical systems.

1998-2001: Post-Doctoral Fellow, The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago & Northwestern University

1998: Ph.D., Kinesiology (Minor in Engineering Science & Mechanics), Pennsylvania State University

1994: M.S., Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University

1990: B.S., Physics, Miami University

Dingwell, J.B., Smallwood, R.F., and Cusumano, J.P. (2013)  “Trial-to-Trial Dynamics and Learning in Generalized, Redundant Reaching Tasks” Journal of Neurophysiology, 109(1): 225-237.  (Published on line: http://jn.physiology.org/content/109/1/225).

Gates, D.H., Dingwell, J.B., Scott, S.J., Sinitski, E.H., and Wilken, J.M. (2012)  “Gait Characteristics of Individuals with Transtibial Amputations Walking on a Destabilizing Rock Surface”  Gait & Posture, 36(1):  33–39.  (Published on line: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2011.12.019).

Roos, P.E., and Dingwell, J.B. (2011)  “Influence of Simulated Neuromuscular Noise on the Dynamic Stability and Fall Risk of a 3D Dynamic Walking Model,”  Journal of Biomechanics, 44(8):  1514–1520.  (Published on line:  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2011.03.003).

McAndrew, P.M., Wilken, J.M., and Dingwell, J.B. (2011)  “Dynamic Stability of Human Walking in Visually and Mechanically Destabilizing Environments,”  Journal of Biomechanics, 44(4):  644–649. (Published on line 11/20/10:  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2010.11.007).

Dingwell, J.B., John, J., and Cusumano, J.P. (2010)  “Do Humans Optimally Exploit Redundancy to Control Step Variability in Walking?” PLoS Computational Biology, 6(7): e1000856.  (Published on line:  http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1000856).

• 2012: Faculty Fellow in the Lee Hage Jamail Regents Chair in Education, College of Education, University of Texas at Austin
• 2011: Elizabeth Glenadine Gibb Teaching Fellow in Education, College of Education, University of Texas at Austin
• 2010: "Outside JEG" Editorial; Journal of Experimental Biology, vol. 213(21):
  http://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/content/full/213/21/vi to highlight our article published in PLoS Computational Biology in July 2010: http://www.ploscompbiol.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pcbi.1000856
• 2006: Teaching with Technology Gold Award; Division of Instructional Innovation and Assessment, University of Texas at Austin (shared with Dr. Larry Abraham).

2011 – 2016:  “Improving Step-To-Step Control of Walking in Traumatic Amputees”, US Department of Defense, Peer Reviewed Orthopaedic Research Program (PRORP), Contract # W81XWH-11-2-0222, ~$680,000. (PI).  [Note:  This is one of 4 initial sub-projects awarded under the ~$20 Million Orthopedic Rehabilitation Clinical Consortium Award (ORCCA): “Bridging Advanced Developments for Exceptional Rehabilitation (BADER)” with PI Steven J. Stanhope].

2010 – 2014:  “Improving Dynamic Walking Stability in Traumatic Amputees”, National Institutes of Health (NICHD).  Grant # 1-R01-HD059844, ~$1.3 Million (PI).

• Associate Editor, Journal of Biomechanics (2012 – Present),  IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems & Rehabilitation Engineering (2002 – 2006)
• Editorial Board Member:  Journal of Biomechanics (2009-2012), Human Movement Science (2011 – Present), Journal of Motor Behavior (2007 – Present)
• Invited Grant Proposal Reviewer, National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Special Emphasis Panel, The National Institutes of Health (NIH) (3 Times; 2010 – 2011).
• Invited Grant Proposal Reviewer, Behavioral & Cognitive Sciences (BCS) Division, The National Science foundation (NSF) (3 Times; 2006 – 2008).