Name: Aishwarya Shenoy
Program: Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Sciences (PhD)
Supervisor: Dr. Courtney Pollock
Tell us a little bit about your lab!
Research at the Mobility and Balance Rehabilitation (MBR) Lab mainly focuses on understanding the fundamental mechanisms of motor control of walking balance and balance reactions. Most importantly, our lab aims to advance rehabilitation practices by developing and evaluating novel therapeutic interventions which provide a sufficient level of challenge to optimize independent mobility.
What project are you currently working on?
My PhD project focuses on understanding activity patterns and behaviours during the first 6 months after stroke— a crucial time period for functional recovery. Specifically, I will be looking at activity levels during the transition period from hospital to home. Many stroke survivors find this transition to be difficult as they are expected to transition from performing structured in-patient activities to self-directed activities that promote community integration. They experience reduced self confidence with regards to physical activity and show a lack of significant improvement in activity levels post-discharge. This research will inform the structure and dosage of future interventions which aim to increase activity levels in people post-stroke.
What do you like to do outside of academia?
Outside of academia, I like spending time with family and friends, staying active whether that be going on hikes or going to the gym, travelling, and trying new foods (there are so many amazing restaurants to try in Vancouver)!
Congratulations Aishwarya on being our featured Student of the Month for September! Interested in seeing what else our Rehabilitation Sciences students and trainees are working on? Stay tuned for our next feature!