Sara Arena

Sara Arena is a Collegiate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics at Virginia Tech, where she also serves as Associate Department Head for Curriculum and Course Coordination. Her work spans biomechanics research and innovative engineering education methods.

• Education: Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. from Virginia Tech

Research Interests: Focus on human movement biomechanics, particularly balance recovery and postural stability, combined with educational research emphasizing cooperative and problem-based learning strategies in engineering education. Current projects include modeling human movement dynamics and improving remote teaching methodologies.

Scientific Awards:

• Leader in Teaching, BEAM (2019, 2023)
• National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship (2008-2011)
• Panelist for NSF and Department of Defense

Key Contributions: Developed novel methods for assessing landing kinematics outside laboratory settings, explored friction requirements in aging populations, and pioneered virtual conferencing tools for problem-based learning. Her work has been published in journals like Annals of Biomedical Engineering and Applied Ergonomics.

Collaborations: Partnered with institutions including Virginia Tech, American Society of Engineering Education, and multidisciplinary teams focused on biomedical engineering education and clinical biomechanics.