Earlier this month Lara Thompson (third from left in group photo) won an HBCU Innovation Award at the 2019 BEYA STEM Conference in Washington D.C.

The associate professor of mechanical engineering and director of the Biomedical Engineering Program at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) was also featured in a National Science Foundation (NSF) video for creating the Center for Biomechanical & Rehabilitation Engineering at UDC to do research.

According to the NSF’s More Science Nation Videos team report, the research in this episode was supported by NSF award #1700219, Investigating a new Generation of Assistive, Innovative Technologies (GAIT) for balance rehabilitation.

Click here to watch the video and listen to Dr. Thompson talk about her research.

The NSF HBCU Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) makes Research Initiation Awards to historically black college and university (HBCU) faculty, such as Thompson, who do not have sufficient financial support from the institution.

“These awards have an enormous impact on the career of junior faculty and Dr. Lara Thompson at UDC is a shining example of what can be achieved with federal support. Her research will produce far-reaching broader impacts, in addition to generating new knowledge in the field of biomedical engineering,” said Claudia Rankins, HBCU-UP program director within the NSF Directorate for Education and Human Resources. “Dr. Thompson is dedicated to making engineering a more diverse discipline that is welcoming to students who may not initially see themselves as engineers.”

Click here to view.