DOUGLAS A. WAJDA Department of Kinesiology University of Illinois 906 S Goodwin Ave Urbana, IL 61801 Telephone: (330) 883-7149 E-mail: wajda2@illinois.edu EDUCATION Completed Degrees: The University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign M.S., Mechanical Engineering 2012 Youngstown State University B.E., Mechanical Engineering 2009 B.S., Applied Mathematics summa cum laude In progress: PhD Student, Kinesiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Department of Kinesiology and Community Health PROFESSIONAL OBJECTIVES 1) Obtain a research position as faculty at the University level or in the medical industry. 2) Investigate various topics within the subject areas of human biomechanics and motor control theory. CURRENT RESEARCH 1) Analysis of gait, balance and cognition in individuals with Multiple Sclerosis. 2) Development of methods for quantifying walking parameters, understanding why changes or deficits occur in gait and ultimately aiding to determine appropriate rehabilitation techniques to be employed RESEARCH EXPERIENCE Research Assistant: Motor Control Research Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, January 2012-Present. (Research adviser: Dr. Jacob Sosnoff) Collected and analyzed outcome data Assisted with grant formulation, review and submission Aided in the design of experimental protocols Created Institutional Review Board submissions and amendments Led assessments for rehabilitation based clinical trials Interacted with research participants throughout study durations Managed a team of undergraduate research assistants
Graduate Engineering Intern: NASA Glenn, Cleveland, OH, May 2011-January 2012. (Supervisor: Dr. Daniel Dietrich). Assisted in the development of a novel wearable sensor suite to continuously monitor fighter pilot physiological variables during flight. Performed signal processing and parameter calculation of the various sensor outputs Aided in laboratory assessments of human performance under simulated high altitude conditions. Designed sensor interfaces and equipment housing using CAD software for rapid prototyping. SULI Intern: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, May 2009 September 2009. (Supervisor: Dr. Klint Rose). Performed simulations to develop and optimize microfluidic devices for biological sample preparation. Analyzed the validity of computer simulations through bench-top testing of the microfluidic chips. Engineering Design Intern: Orbital Research Inc., Cleveland, OH, May 2006 May 2009. (Supervisor: Mr. Aaron Rood). Provided 2D and 3D drawing support for research and development projects in the areas of medical devices, micro devices and aerospace projects. Worked with outside contractors and customers to facilitate the development of a custom medical sensor. Analyzed data collected from various laboratory trials. Managed the redesign of a novel dry electrode for ECG recording. TEACHING EXPERIENCE Graduate Teaching Assistant: Human Biomechanics, Department of Kinesiology, The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, January 2012-May 2013. (Supervisor: Dr. Ian Rice). Responsible for the development and teaching of laboratory experiments relevant to the topics of kinematics and kinetics as they apply to human movement and performance. Taught~80 undergraduate students per semester. Part Time Faculty: Department of Mathematics, Youngstown State University, Youngstown, OH, Jan 2010-May 2010. (Supervisor: Dr. Nathan Ritchey). Taught Math 1501, Elementary Algebraic Models. Led a classroom of ~20 students. Responsible for creating all lesson plans and lectures as well as grading both homework and exams. FUNDING AND AWARDS Carol L. Chittenden Fellowship, Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2014-2015, 2013-2014 Graduate Travel Grant, Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, UIUC, 2013
For travel to the Gait & Clinical Movement Society conference. US Patent 20130043170, Co-Investigator, Microfluidic Ultrasonic Particle Separators with Engineered Node Locations and Geometries Patent Pending Applic. No. 12/253430, Apparatus for Non-Invasive Fetal Biosignal Acquisition Leslie H. Cochran University Scholars' full academic scholarship, Youngstown State University, Youngstown, Ohio, 2006-2009 Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics distinguished podium presentation award, National Mathfest 2008 Outstanding Senior in Mathematics, Youngstown State University, 2008-2009 Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society chapter President Pi Mu Epsilon Mathematics Honor Society chapter Vice-President and Secretary 2009 COMAP MCM competition Meritorious Award Dean's List of Distinguished Students: Fall 2005-Fall 2009 PUBLICATIONS Wajda DA, Motl RW & Sosnoff JJ. (2014). Correlates of Dual Task Cost of Standing Balance in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis. Gait and Posture Wajda DA, Motl RW & Sosnoff JJ. (2013). Dual Task Cost of Walking is Related to Fall Risk in Persons with Multiple Sclerosis. Journal of the Neurological Sciences Wajda DA, Sandroff BM, Motl RW & Sosnoff JJ. (2013). Effects of Walking Direction and Cognitive Challenges on Gait in Persons with Multiple Sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis International Wajda DA & Sosnoff JJ. (2013). MS and gait: Assessment facilitates opportunity. Lower Extremity Review Manuscripts under review: Wajda DA, Moon Y, Motl RW & Sosnoff JJ. Preliminary Investigation of Gait Initiation and Falls in Multiple Sclerosis. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Moon Y, Wajda DA, Motl RW & Sosnoff JJ. Preliminary Investigation of Gait Initiation and Falls in Multiple Sclerosis. Gait and Posture Sosnoff JJ, Moon Y, Wajda DA, Finlayson M, McAuley E, Peterson E, Morrison S, Motl RW. Fall Risk and Incidence Reduction in High Risk Individuals with MS: Pilot Examination of Exercise and Education Interventions. Clinical Rehabilitation CONFERENCE POSTERS/PRESENTATIONS KL Roeing, DA Wajda, RW Motl, JJ Sosnoff (October 2014, accepted). The Relationship between Balance Confidence and Cognitive-Motor Interference in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis. 4 th International Symposium on Gait and Balance in Multiple Sclerosis, Cleveland, Ohio.
CM Ousley, ZJK Isaacs, DA Wajda, LA Rice, JJ Sosnoff (October 2014, accepted). Validation of Seated Postural Control Measures in Persons with Multiple Sclerosis. 4 th International Symposium on Gait and Balance in Multiple Sclerosis, Cleveland, Ohio. DA Wajda, RW Motl, JJ Sosnoff (May 2014). Gait Initiation and Fall Risk in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis. The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers Annual Meeting, Dallas, Texas. DA Wajda, RW Motl, JJ Sosnoff (October 2013). Physiological Fall Risk and Dual Task Cost Of Walking. 3 rd International Symposium on Gait and Balance in Multiple Sclerosis, St. Louis, Missouri. J Sung, Y Moon, DA Wajda, S Balantrapu, RW Motl, JJ Sosnoff (October 2013). Physiological Factors of Gait Variability in Persons with Multiple Sclerosis. 3 rd International Symposium on Gait and Balance in Multiple Sclerosis, St. Louis, Missouri. Y Moon, DA Wajda, J Sung, RW Motl, JJ Sosnoff (October 2013). Center of Pressure Trajectory of Foot Falls in Multiple Sclerosis. 3 rd International Symposium on Gait and Balance in Multiple Sclerosis, St. Louis, Missouri. DA Wajda, S Balantrapu, RW Motl, JJ Sosnoff (May 2013). Gait Analysis During Body Weight Supported Treadmill Training Using Inertial Measurement Units. Gait and Clinical Movement Analysis Society Annual Conference, Cincinnati, Ohio. S Balantrapu, LA Pilutti, BM Sandroff, DA Wajda, JJ Sosnoff, RW Motl (May 2013). Postural sway and spatiotemporal parameters of gait in multiple sclerosis. The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers Annual Meeting, Orlando, Florida. DA Wajda, JH Pula, RW Motl & JJ Sosnoff (November 2012). The Effects of Task Difficulty on Walking and Talking in Multiple Sclerosis. 2 nd International Symposium on Gait and Balance in Multiple Sclerosis, Portland, Oregon. DA Wajda, D Dietrich, D Dashevsky, A Johnson, J Mateus, K Sparks, A Rood, M Birch, A Kobyjanec & D Newman (May 2012). Pulse Oximetry and Ventilation Data during Exposure to 7620m Normobaric Hypoxia. Aerospace Medical Association Annual Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia. ACQUIRED SKILLS Software Mathematics (MATLAB, Mathematica) COMSOL CAD (Solid Edge, Solid Works, ProE) Statistics (SPSS, Systat, SAS, R) Hardware and Data Collection Techniques Inertial Measurement Systems Force Plates Kinematic Analysis Clinical Assessment of Gait and Balance
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine Gait and Clinical Movement Analysis Society Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society Pi Mu Epsilon mathematics honor society PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT Reviewer for Biomedical Research International