UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Kathryn Rex, a doctoral candidate in the Penn State College of Engineering’s Department of Biomedical Engineering, was recently awarded a three-year U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship to support her research in upper limb biomechanics.
The NSF fellowship program provides financial support in the form of a three-year annual living stipend and a cost-of-education allowance for tuition and expenses to outstanding graduate students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines who are pursuing research-based degrees at institutions across the United States. The program is one of the most prestigious fellowships for early-career researchers. Rex is one of eight graduate students at Penn State to earn the fellowship this year.
“Kathryn’s application likely stood out in a highly competitive applicant pool due to the scientific rigor of her research and the potential for broad societal impact,” said Meghan Vidt, associate professor of biomedical engineering and of physical medicine and rehabilitation, who serves as Rex’s adviser. “Her project, which addresses the functional effects of rotator cuff tears — a common musculoskeletal disorder — offers critical insights that could lead to improved, personalized treatment strategies in the future.”
Rex earned her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Penn State in 2023 before transitioning into biomedical engineering for her doctoral studies, which she said combined her interest in problem-solving with a growing passion for human health. Rex conducts research focused on shoulder biomechanics — specifically rotator cuff tears and surgical repair — in the Movement of the Upper Limb and Shoulder Lab led by Vidt.
“A lot of times when people get a rotator cuff tear, they change how they move their shoulder because of it,” Rex said. “We’re trying to see if those abnormal patterns persist after surgery, and if that might be one of the reasons the repairs fail.”
Rex’s NSF-funded research project will investigate why rotator cuff repairs often fail after surgery. By collecting motion capture and muscle activity data from patients both before and after surgery, she said she hopes to better understand how altered shoulder movement patterns contribute to surgical outcomes.
Rex said the ultimate goal is to improve outcomes for patients recovering from shoulder injuries, an area of research that resonates with her personally.
“I was actually an athlete on the softball team here at Penn State during my undergraduate years and experienced two shoulder injuries myself,” Rex said. “If I can use my research to prevent other people, whether it’s athletes or older adults, from having to go through that whole process, that’s the dream.”
Rex's interest in research began as an undergraduate. She worked on projects related to blood flow, which exposed her to applying engineering principles to human biology.
“That research experience in undergrad really allowed me to find a passion for trying to find solutions to problems that can help be preventative rather than retroactive,” Rex said.
In addition to Vidt, Rex credited Melissa Busse, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, as a key mentor who helped shape her academic path as her undergraduate research adviser. Rex also acknowledged her softball coaches, who encouraged her to pursue academic excellence while competing as a Division I athlete.
Now in her third year of graduate school, Rex said she is looking forward to gaining research experience and professional development through the NSF fellowship.
“It’s allowing me to pursue that aspect of research that I haven't gotten to yet,” Rex said. “I want to continue this work after I graduate — ideally researching injury prevention or performance enhancement in a professional sports setting, a collegiate athletic department or industry.”
Outside the lab, Rex has remained involved in outreach and STEM advocacy, including through Penn State’s Women in Engineering Program, which she became involved with as an undergraduate. She and her lab also participate in local community outreach, helping inspire children to explore science.
“Kathryn is a well-rounded scholar whose diverse experiences have shaped her into a resilient and collaborative team member,” Vidt said. “I believe her perseverance, teamwork and leadership in both the lab and community made her an especially strong candidate for the award.”