Ana Maria Acosta

Ana Maria Acosta is a Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences at Northwestern University. Her research focuses on post-stroke motor impairments, robotics in rehabilitation, and biomechanics of movement disorders.

Education:

• BS in Electrical and Biomedical Engineering, Universidad de los Andes (1993)
• MS, Case Western Reserve University (1996)
• PhD, Case Western Reserve University (2002)

Research Interests: Characterizing motor control mechanisms after stroke, developing portable robotic rehabilitation devices, and studying neural engineering applications for movement recovery.

Recent Publications Trends: Focus on mechatronic stroke assessments, limb loading symmetry in athletes, neck muscle biomechanics, and robotic quantification of stretch reflexes.

Scientific Awards:

• Daniel Linzer Award for Faculty Excellence in Diversity and Equity (2021)
• NRMN Fellow (2016)

Professional Memberships: American Society of Biomechanics (2024–Present), IEEE Women in Engineering (2002–Present), Society for Neuroscience (2002–Present), IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (1997–Present).