Jill L McNitt-Gray

Dr. Jill L. McNitt-Gray is a Professor of Biological Sciences and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Southern California (USC), serving as Director of the USC Biomechanics Research Laboratory. She also leads the Integrative and Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program, focusing on interdisciplinary research at the intersection of genomics, evolution, and physiology. Her academic roles include joint appointments in Biomedical Engineering and affiliations with the Center for Robotics and Embedded Systems, Center for Excellence in Genomic Science, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Education: PhD in Biomechanics (Pennsylvania State University, 1989), MA in Biomechanics (UNC Chapel Hill, 1985), and AB in Mathematics/Statistics (Miami University, 1980). Her research explores mechanisms of multijoint movement control, injury prevention, and human performance optimization across sports, music, and clinical populations. She pioneered biomechanical analysis of wheelchair propulsion mechanics and movement strategies in athletes and musicians.

Research Interests: Biomechanics of physically-demanding movements, motor control dynamics, neuromuscular coordination, injury prevention in sports/dance/music, rehabilitation engineering, and comparative biomechanics in mammals. She integrates experimental techniques, computational modeling, and field studies to address these topics.

Awards: Recognized as a Fellow of the National Academy of Kinesiology (2023), International Society of Biomechanics (2015), and American Society of Biomechanics (2013). Honored with the Hay Award (2016), Harmon Brown Award (2016), and USC Distinguished Professorship (2016–2019). Her mentorship was acknowledged via the Mellon Award (2010) and leadership of STEM outreach programs.

Labs/Teams: Directs USC Biomechanics Research Lab and collaborates with the Sports Science, Engineering, and Technology Academy. Leads the GREU mentorship program and consults for USC Athletics, the Colburn School of Music, and Rancho Los Amigos Rehabilitation Center.