Join the School of Kinesiology in welcoming new assistant professor, Rachel Hawe, DPT, PhD. Dr. Hawe will specialize in Biomechanics and Neuromotor Control at the School of Kinesiology. Hawe received her bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York. Following the completion of her undergraduate degree, Dr. Hawe earned her doctorate of physical therapy and PhD in biomedical engineering from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. After her time at Northwestern, Hawe worked as a post doctoral fellow at the University of Calgary in Calgary, Alberta, CA. There, Dr. Hawe examined neural injury recovery using robotics and neuroimaging.
Once she arrives in the fall, Hawe looks forward to continuing her research and is particularly excited about the potential to connect with other units at the University. “I’m really looking forward to all the great collaborations that are possible, said Hawe. The University checks all the boxes in terms of potential collaborators within the School of Kinesiology as well as departments outside of the School like Physical Therapy, Engineering and the Medical School.
This upcoming fall semester, Hawe is teaching KIN 3135:Introduction to Motor Learning and Control and is excited to learn more about the interests of her students. “What’s nice about this course is that it has so much carryover into where students might want to go in the future. I look forward to learning more about my students and developing new courses for students who want to gain exposure in clinical populations,” says Hawe.
Dr. Hawe’s research focuses on how one recovers from neural injuries, primarily stroke. Hawe analyzes strokes that occur in both adults and children, and is specifically interested in how these populations regain arm control. She utilizes both robotics and neuroimaging as a way to gain a deeper understanding of the connection between a patient’s physical movement and changes in the brain. “Unfortunately right now, we don’t have great precision medicine in the rehab world,” Hawe said. “The goal of my research is to better understand and quantify the issues people are having, so we can tailor therapy to a patient’s specific needs.”
In her free time, Hawe enjoys spending time outdoors and is looking forward to exploring the biking and hiking trails in Minnesota. She has completed four Ironman triathlons, and is excited to become part of the triathlon community here in the Twin Cities.
Welcome to the School, Dr. Hawe. We are thrilled to have you join our KINmunity
