CAHS Faculty Spotlight

Dr. Ryan Wedge, Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, is interested on the impact of injury (lower limb amputation, stroke, and total joint arthroplasty) on an individual’s walking abilities. His research focuses on how energy expenditure, stability, movement coordination and joint loading affect the adaptations seen after an injury. His overall goal is to improve rehabilitation and influence device design so there are better and more efficient outcomes.

Q1: What do you like best about working at ECU?

I love the collaborative and supportive environment within my department and the college.

Q2: What do you find most exciting about your research and its potential?

I am excited that my research (understanding the multi-objectives of walking) can be applied to injured (people with amputation, joint replacement, osteoarthritis) and uninjured people, so we can design programs to improve rehabilitation and physical activity.

Q3: What excites you about teaching?

We have great students in our department! They are committed to learning and becoming leaders as clinicians when they graduate.

Q4: What do you hope students take away from their experiences from working with you on your research

Aside from learning what goes into interventions they someday will use (geeking-out about basic science), I want them to become better communicators through presentation and writing skills and advocates for science in our profession.

Q5: What is your favorite teaching or research moment?

I have only been here at ECU and in North Carolina for a short period of time, but I said my first “y’all” when teaching one day, and that is the most we laughed all semester. So not a teaching or research win, but a memorable moment.