Derek Wolf

Derek Wolf is an Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering (2023–present), focusing on biomechanics and rehabilitation robotics to empower independent living through assistive technology. He holds a Ph.D. from Cleveland State University (2020) and a B.S. from the University of Notre Dame (2013). His research interests span biomechanics, robotics, assistive technology, and rehabilitation engineering.

Prior to academia, he worked as a Controls Engineer at Cummins Inc. (2013–2015) and as a Postdoctoral Scholar at Vanderbilt University (2021–2023). He leads the grant-funded project "COOPERATIVE DESIGN OF A USER-FRIENDLY FES-INTEGRATED PASSIVE EXO" (Paralyzed Veterans of America, 2025–2026) as Principal Investigator.

His articles emphasize wearable robotics, prosthetics optimization, and FES-driven motion control. Recent work includes evaluating novel ankle exos for runners and integrating exosuit capabilities into everyday clothing for workplace ergonomics.