picture of the UCF BRaIN Lab team in March 2020

We're the BRaINUTs!

principal investigator

Helen J. Huang

Principal Investigator

Assistant Professor
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

PhD Biomedical Engineering
MS Biomedical Engineering
BS Materials Science and Engineering

graduate students

Cesar R. Castano

PhD Student (2019-present)
Mechanical Engineering

MS Biomedical Engineering
BS Biomedical Sciences

Project: Gait biomechanics and brain dynamics during self-paced walking on a range of slopes

Career goal: work in biotechnology

Highlights: UCF ORC Fellowship 2019; President’s Award at the virtual American Society of Biomechanics 2020 Conference

Seyed Yahya Shirazi

PhD Candidate (2017-present)
Mechanical Engineering

MS Biomedical Engineering
BS Biomedical Engineering

Project: Brain dynamics and adaptation of perturbed stepping; EEG digitization

Career goal: leader in brain computer interfaces for assistive devices

Highlights: UCF CECS Frank Hubbard Scholarship 2020

Jinfeng Li

PhD Student (2016-present)
Mechanical Engineering

MS Biomedical Engineering
BE Mechatronic Engineering

Project: Brain dynamics and adaptation of perturbed walking; EMG sensor evaluation; dual-layer EEG

Career goal: improve lives of disabled individuals based on understanding neuromechanics of human locomotion

Lietsel Richardson

PhD Student (2019-present)
Mechanical Engineering

MS Biomedical Engineering
BS Mechanical Engineering

Project: Interactive visual art for lower limb neurorehabilitation

Highlights: UCF ORC Fellowship 2019; Black in Neuro organizer

SciComm blog: motherofneurons

Jasmine Balsalobre

PhD Student (2020-present)
Mechanical Engineering

BS Biomedical Engineering
 

Project: health apps, EEG, machine learning

Highlights: UCF ORC Fellowship 2020

undergraduate students

Erick Vasquez

BS Student
Mechanical Engineering

Project: Interactive art health app

Zachary Whitacre

BS Student
Mechanical Engineering

Project: Interactive art health app

Highlights: Senior Engineering Design Intern at Limbitless Solutions, Inc.

Henry Willis

BS Student
Mechanical Engineering

Project: Differential drive tricycle

 

Jem Shaylor

BS Student
Mechanical Engineering

Project: improving code to process EEG and EMG, machine learning

alumni

NameMajorDegreeYear grad.Years in labNotes
Alanna RaffaelliBiomedical EngineeringMS with thesis20192018-2019Engineer at Harris Engineering, Inc.
Allen RahroohBiomedical EngineeringMS with thesis20192018-2019Statistics PhD student at UCF
Cesar R. CastanoBiomedical EngineeringMS with thesis20192017-2019Mechanical Engineering PhD student in UCF BRaIN Lab
Ethan VenosaBiomedical EngineeringMS20182017-2018Engineer at Simi Reality Motion Systems
SJ JonesBiomedical EngineeringMS20182017-2018Engineer at Aerojet Rocketdyne
Alejandro HurtadoAerospace EngineeringMS20182016-2018Engineer at Raytheon
Al RahroohBiomedical SciencesBS20202019-2020Director of Innovation at LeNgineer. Bioinformatics PhD student at UCLA
Samantha BrunsonBiomedical SciencesBS20202018-2020UCF Showcase for Undergraduate Research Excellence (SURE) 2019 Award; UCF EXCEL Program; Neuroscience PhD student at the University of Minnesota
Nicholas PuglisiMechanical EngineeringBS20192019
Paola LugoMechanical EngineeringBS2018-2019UCF RAMA Program
Nicholas NunezMechanical EngineeringBS20202017-2018UCF RAMA Program
Amy LebanoffMechanical EngineeringBSexpected 20202016-2018DAAD RISE (Research Internships in Science and Engineering) Intern 2019
Kevin GraydonMechanical EngineeringBS20202016-2018UCF EXCEL Program; Graduate student in Materials Science and Engineering
Taniya ShafferComputer EngineeringBS2019
Maria MakarInterdisciplinary Studies, focus on Biomedical and Physical SciencesBS20192019founded UCF STEAM Knights
Kirsten MillerMechanical EngineeringBS20192019
Nkiruka ChukwuelueBiomedical SciencesBS20192017-2018UCF EXCEL Program
Alana HallBiomedical SciencesBS20192017-2018UCF EXCEL Program
Lauren FilartApplied Physiology and Kinesiology at UFBS20182018UF APK internship program
Zachary SteinPsychologyBS20182016-2018
Matthew NormanMechanical EngineeringBS20192017UCF EXCEL Program
Miguel RodriguezMechanical EngineeringBS2016
Ryan GarrisonMechanical EngineeringBS20182016
Rimpitripathi TiwariElectrical EngineeringMS20172017
Amanda ModestoBiomedical EngineeringMS20172017