Employment
Biomechanical Research Opportunities for Senior/Graduate Engineering Students, UMTRI Biosciences Division
UMTRI’s Biosciences Division has openings for two senior or graduate engineering students who are interested in pursuing post-graduate research in the field of injury biomechanics and occupant protection. One student will conduct research related biomechanical properties of human tissues related to fetal loss and injury in motor vehicle crashes. The other student will conduct research related to improving occupant protection for people seated in wheelchairs when traveling in motor vehicles. Both projects will involve laboratory testing as well as computer simulations. GSRA stipend and tuition support is available on both projects.
1) Biomechanics of Human Tissues Related to Fetal Trauma
In the 1990s, The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) collaborated with The University of Michigan Health System (UMHS) to conduct research aimed at understanding the mechanisms of fetal loss in motor-vehicle crashes. This research addressed an important public health issue, with estimates of annual fetal losses from motor-vehicle crashes (MVC) in the United States ranging from 170 to 3000.
A continuation of the research on fetal loss in MVCs has been funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and will involve dynamic material testing of uterine and placental tissues, as well as the uteroplacental interface (UPI). These material property data will allow development of computational models for these tissues that are appropriate for the dynamic loading conditions associated with motorvehicle crashes. This program will also involve development of finite-element models (FEMs) of the pregnant abdomen and pelvis that can be incorporated into human models of different size pregnant drivers. Simulations with models will be used to provide further insight on the mechanisms of fetal injury that occur in motor-vehicle crashes, and thereby allow for improvements in restraint system designs for pregnant occupants.
2) Occupant Protection for Wheelchair-Seated Drivers and Passengers
The Biosciences Division of UMTRI has been engaged in research related to improving occupant protection for wheelchair-seated travelers for more than twenty-five years. A five-year grant for a Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Wheelchair Transportation Safety has recently been funded by the National Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) and provides an opportunity for biomechanical engineering research in this field. A key research and development effort will involve enhancing front- and rear-impact protection for people who remain seated in their wheelchairs when driving a van or minivan. The project involves first investigating and
documenting the current state of occupant protection for wheelchair-seated drivers with regard to seatbelt fit, positioning to driver hand controls, wheelchair securement, and factors that interfere with providing effective restraint for front and rear-impact protection. It also involves investigating and analyzing real-world crash events of vans and minivans in which wheelchair-seated occupants were traveling. This will be followed by the use of computer simulations, prototype design, and crash testing to investigate and evaluate innovative solutions to improved occupant protection. Promising concepts will be evaluated by wheelchair users with regard to usability,
increased independence, and perceptions of safety.
Research for both positions will be performed at UMTRI, which is located at the corner of Huron Parkway and Baxter Roads. Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest and CV to Zonda Ketola by email attachment at zketola@umich.edu or by mail to Zonda Ketola at UMTRI, 2901 Baxter Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2150.
The University of Michigan is a non-discriminatory, affirmative action employer.