Jacob Hopkins

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B.S. Mechanical Engineering – University of Utah, 2016

Projects: Pediatric adaptive skiing system.

I’m currently a junior in the Mechanical Engineering program, and I’ve worked in the ergonomics and safety lab since the second semester of my freshman year. I initially got in the door by working as a research assistant with funding from the UROP program. With my second year of UROP funding I switched gears and began work on a pediatric adaptive skiing system with Dallin Rees and Dr. Merryweather, and I’ve been working on that project ever since.

One thing I like a lot about the lab is the diversity in everything that we do. In this lab you can work with motion capture equipment and biomechanics, design rehabilitation devices, or perform traditional ergonomic studies. The broad scope we encompass makes it very difficult to get bored with an area, because there is always something that can be done in another area or on another project.

I grew up in Pocatello, Idaho and enjoy trail running, mountain biking, skiing, and most other outdoor activities. The opportunities I’ve had in the lab have been amazing because they’ve allowed me to apply what I’ve learned in class to problems that I’m truly interested in.