Draft:Jill L. McNitt-Gray

Jill L. McNitt-Gray
BornSeptember 1958
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
EducationThe Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA (PhD)
The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA (MA)
Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA (Statistics)
Miami University, Oxford, OH, USA (AB)
Known forresearch in biomechanics and control during physically demanding tasks
Awards
  • Geoffrey Dyson Award, International Society of Biomechanics in Sport, 2023
  • Joe Vigil Sports Science Coaching Education Award, 2023, United States of America Track and Field (USATF)
  • Fellow of the National Academy of Kinesiology (NAK), 2022
    WISE Architect of Enduring Change Award, 2020, Women in Science and Engineering, USC
  • Jean Landa Pytel Award, 2020, American Society of Biomechanics
  • 2020 People’s Choice Award for Research in Skill Acquisition (2020)
  • Jim Hay Memorial Award, 2016, American Society of Biomechanics
  • Dr. C. Harmon Brown Award, 2016, United States of America Track and Field (USATF)
  • Fellow of the American Society of Biomechanics, 2013
  • Fellow of the International Society of Biomechanics, 2015
  • Prince Alexandre de Merode Award- Research in the Physical Sciences- International Olympic Committee, Medical Commission, 2002.
Websitehttps://dornsife.usc.edu/profile/jill-l-mcnitt-gray/

Jill McNitt-Gray (born 1958) is an American biomechanist and Gabilan Distinguished Professor of Science and Engineering at the University of Southern California (USC). She specializes in conducting interdisciplinary research on the neuromuscular control and dynamics of human movements performed in real-world contexts.[1]. Outcomes from her research have led to effective strategies to improve performance and rehabilitation and mitigate risk for individuals of varying ability levels (clinical populations and Olympic and Paralympic athletes[2]). McNitt-Gray has also led the translation of science into practice by participating as a founding member of outreach programs, including National Biomechanics Day, which provides informal educational experiences in biomechanics and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Her innovative approaches to research and education have been funded by the National Science Foundation and Department of Defense and recognized by numerous awards, such as the 2020 Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) Architect of Enduring Change.

Education and Training

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As a collegiate athlete, McNitt-Gray earned her undergraduate degree in mathematics and statistics with a certification in coaching from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in 1980. After working in load research and management for the American Electric Power Service Corporation, she returned to graduate school at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. In 1985, she earned her master's degree in biomechanics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and was the assistant coach of the Carolina Women’s Gymnastics team. McNitt-Gray received her doctoral degree in biomechanics from The Pennsylvania State University in 1989.

Research and Career

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As the Director of the USC Biomechanics Research Laboratory, McNitt-Gray uses experimental and dynamic modeling approaches to investigate the control and dynamics of movement, focusing on how the neuromuscular system strategically prepares for high velocity interactions with the ground (e.g. landings) to satisfy task performance objectives while effectively mitigating detrimental mechanical loading[3]. The results of this research have highlighted the importance of body segment configuration relative to reaction forces, the kinematic context for muscle force production at specific lengths and velocities, and the potential for technology to effectively facilitate skill acquisition and improve performance[4][5][6][7]. McNitt-Gray has also worked across disciplines and institutions to advance data-driven human performance for personalized interventions. This work has improved the integration of knowledge, tools, and methods to address complex tasks within their specific context[8][9][10][11]. She has also collaborated with clinical partners and industry professionals to identify strategies for improving performance, personalizing the fit of assistive devices for individuals with disabilities, and translating research into clinical practice to preserve function, health, and well-being across the lifespan[12][13][14][15]

In collaboration with aerospace and mechanical engineering colleagues, McNitt-Gray has characterized individual control and dynamics through modeling and simulation to preserve function and develop personalized strategies to improve performance[16][17][18][19]. McNitt-Gray has also worked with colleagues worldwide to foster research cultures that empower individuals with diverse experiences and interests to advance in STEM fields through fieldwork, outreach, mentorship, and sports[16][20][21][22]. Recognized by the USC and a number of professional societies in biomechanics (see Honors), these activities include her involvement in 2016 as a Founding Member of the Steering Committee of the National Biomechanics Day (now international, Biomechanics Initiative), which has involved over 35,000 students and teachers from more than 30 countries. The National Science Foundation (NSF) and Departments of Defense have funded her innovative approaches to research and education.

Honors

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McNitt-Gray is a Gabilan Distinguished Professor of Science and Engineering and Chair of the Dornsife Women in Science and Engineering Committee at the University of Southern California. She has been awarded Fellowships from the American Society of Biomechanics (ASB), the International Society of Biomechanics (ISB), and the National Academy of Kinesiology. She received the prestigious Jim Hay Memorial Award from ASB for the originality, quality, and depth of her biomechanics research in sport. She was also honored with the Geoffrey Dyson Award from the International Society of Biomechanics in Sport (ISBS).

McNitt-Gray has also received the Harmon Brown Award for translating research into practice, the Joe Vigil Sports Science Coaching Education Award from USA Track and Field, and the Jean Landa Pytel Award from the ASB for her mentorship of underrepresented groups in biomechanics. McNitt-Gray has received the USC Mellon Culture of Mentoring Award for her work with the Women in Science and Engineering program (WiSE) and a USC Mellon Mentoring Award for mentoring undergraduate students. The Medical Commission of the International Olympic Committee recognized her research team’s work in the physical sciences with the Prince Alexandre de Merode Award. McNitt-Gray’s innovative approaches to research and education have been recognized by the USC Center for Excellence in Teaching.

Leadership

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McNitt-Gray has served on various ASB committees, including the ASB Membership Committee (1989-92) and the ASB Executive Board as Education Chair (1993-95) and Program Chair (2002). She was then elected to the primary ASB leadership positions of President-elect, President, and Past President (2009-2012). McNitt-Gray was elected to the Executive Council of the ISB from 2001 to 2007 and served as the ISB Liaison to Affiliated and Economically Developing Societies. McNitt-Gray was also a founding member of the outreach program National Biomechanics Day, which provides informal educational experiences in biomechanics and science, technology, engineering and mathematics. McNitt-Gray has served on the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Sports Biomechanics and the Journal of Applied Biomechanics. She is also an ad hoc reviewer for research funding agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, NSF, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and various governing bodies of sport.

McNitt-Gray was also the Founding Director of the interdisciplinary graduate program in Integrative and Evolutionary Biology at USC and a founding member of the Advancing Women in Biomechanics working group of the ISB. McNitt-Gray has served as a biomechanist for the International Olympic Committee, as well as for several other national sports governing bodies, including the US Olympic Committee and the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Her leadership impact extends to initiatives that raise community awareness of biomechanics, such as a biomechanics segment on the television show Dancing with the Stars. She has also led efforts to lower barriers to exercise for individuals with ambulatory difficulties and to integrate STEM into youth sports experiences and in a science magazine for teenagers.

References

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  1. ^ Fields, Helen (2013-07-31). "Cool Jobs: Sports science". Science News Explores. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  2. ^ Joy, Darrin (2021-07-30). "USC Dornsife researcher puts Olympians on track to win at the Games". USC Dornsife | News and Events. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  3. ^ Langner, Selena (March 7, 2024). "Georgia Tech Partners on $15M NSF Grant to Explore Muscle Dynamics". www.gatech.edu. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  4. ^ McNitt-Gray, J. L.; Hester, D. M. E.; Mathiyakom, W.; Munkasy, B. A. (2001-11-01). "Mechanical demand and multijoint control during landing depend on orientation of the body segments relative to the reaction force". Journal of Biomechanics. 34 (11): 1471–1482. doi:10.1016/S0021-9290(01)00110-5. ISSN 0021-9290. PMID 11672722.
  5. ^ Zaferiou, Antonia M.; Flashner, Henryk; Wilcox, Rand R.; McNitt-Gray, Jill L. (February 2017). "Lower extremity control during turns initiated with and without hip external rotation". Journal of Biomechanics. 52: 130–139. doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2016.12.017. PMID 28057348.
  6. ^ McNitt-Gray, Jill L; Sand, Kathleen; Ramos, Christopher; Peterson, Travis; Held, Laura; Brown, Korkut (June 2015). "Using technology and engineering to facilitate skill acquisition and improvements in performance". Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part P: Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology. 229 (2): 103–115. doi:10.1177/1754337114565381. ISSN 1754-3371.
  7. ^ McNitt-Gray, J. L.; Requejo, Philip S.; Flashner, Henryk (2006-06-01). "Multijoint Control Strategies Transfer Between Tasks". Biological Cybernetics. 94 (6): 501–510. doi:10.1007/s00422-006-0063-y. ISSN 1432-0770. PMID 16550438.
  8. ^ McNitt-Gray, Jill L; Sand, Kathleen; Ramos, Christopher; Peterson, Travis; Held, Laura; Brown, Korkut (June 2015). "Using technology and engineering to facilitate skill acquisition and improvements in performance". Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part P: Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology. 229 (2): 103–115. doi:10.1177/1754337114565381. ISSN 1754-3371.
  9. ^ McNitt-Gray, Jill L. (2018-08-01). "2016 American Society of Biomechanics Hay Award Lecture: Preparing for Impact—Biomechanical Inspirations From Olympic Sports". Journal of Applied Biomechanics. 34 (4): 249–257. doi:10.1123/jab.2017-0270. ISSN 1065-8483. PMID 29991299.
  10. ^ Liu, Joseph; Stewart, Harper; Wiens, Casey; McNitt-Gray, Jill; Liu, Brent (2022-02-01). "Development of an integrated biomechanics informatics system with knowledge discovery and decision support tools for research of injury prevention and performance enhancement". Computers in Biology and Medicine. 141: 105062. doi:10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.105062. ISSN 0010-4825. PMID 34836623.
  11. ^ McNitt-Gray, Jill L.; Held, Laura; Mathiyakom, Witaya; Peterson, Travis J.; Zaferiou, Antonia M. (2024-07-09). "Make an impact: going full circle together". Sports Biomechanics: 1–20. doi:10.1080/14763141.2024.2369206. ISSN 1476-3141. PMID 38982830.
  12. ^ Requejo, Ps; Maneekobkunwong, S; McNitt-Gray, J; Adkins, R; Waters, R (2009). "Influence of hand-rim wheelchairs with rear suspension on seat forces and head acceleration during curb descent landings". Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine. 41 (6): 459–466. doi:10.2340/16501977-0360. ISSN 1650-1977. PMID 19479159.
  13. ^ Munaretto, Joseph M.; McNitt-Gray, Jill L.; Flashner, Henryk; Requejo, Philip S. (2013-08-01). "Reconfiguration of the upper extremity relative to the pushrim affects load distribution during wheelchair propulsion". Medical Engineering & Physics. 35 (8): 1141–1149. doi:10.1016/j.medengphy.2012.12.002. ISSN 1350-4533. PMID 23352613.
  14. ^ Russell, Ian M.; Raina, Shashank; Requejo, Philip S.; Wilcox, Rand R.; Mulroy, Sara; McNitt-Gray, Jill L. (2015-10-26). "Modifications in Wheelchair Propulsion Technique with Speed". Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. 3: 171. doi:10.3389/fbioe.2015.00171. ISSN 2296-4185. PMC 4620433. PMID 26579513.
  15. ^ Slowik, Jonathan S.; McNitt-Gray, Jill L.; Requejo, Philip S.; Mulroy, Sara J.; Neptune, Richard R. (March 2016). "Compensatory strategies during manual wheelchair propulsion in response to weakness in individual muscle groups: A simulation study". Clinical Biomechanics. 33: 34–41. doi:10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2016.02.003. ISSN 0268-0033. PMC 4821704. PMID 26945719.
  16. ^ a b Tseng, Zhijie Jack; McNitt-Gray, Jill L.; Flashner, Henryk; Wang, Xiaoming; Enciso, Reyes (2011-04-29). "Model Sensitivity and Use of the Comparative Finite Element Method in Mammalian Jaw Mechanics: Mandible Performance in the Gray Wolf". PLOS ONE. 6 (4): e19171. Bibcode:2011PLoSO...619171T. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0019171. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 3084775. PMID 21559475.
  17. ^ Munaretto, Joseph M.; McNitt-Gray, Jill L.; Flashner, Henryk; Requejo, Philip S. (March 2012). "Simulated effect of reaction force redirection on the upper extremity mechanical demand imposed during manual wheelchair propulsion". Clinical Biomechanics. 27 (3): 255–262. doi:10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2011.10.001. PMID 22071430.
  18. ^ Brown, Korkut; Flashner, Henryk; McNitt-Gray, Jill; Requejo, Philip (2017-09-01). "Modeling Wheelchair-Users Undergoing Vibrations". Journal of Biomechanical Engineering. 139 (9). doi:10.1115/1.4037220. ISSN 0148-0731. PMID 28696486.
  19. ^ Russell, Ian M.; Wagner, E.V.; Requejo, P.S.; Mulroy, S.; Flashner, H.; McNitt-Gray, J.L. (February 2022). "Characterization of the shoulder net joint moment during manual wheelchair propulsion using four functional axes". Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology. 62: 102340. doi:10.1016/j.jelekin.2019.07.010. PMID 31387793.
  20. ^ Requejo, Philip S.; McNitt-Gray, Jill L.; Flashner, Henryk (May 2004). "Modification of landing conditions at contact via flight". Biological Cybernetics. 90 (5): 327–336. doi:10.1007/s00422-004-0473-7. ISSN 0340-1200. PMID 15221393.
  21. ^ Zaferiou, Antonia M.; Wilcox, Rand R.; McNitt-Gray, Jill L. (October 2016). "Modification of Impulse Generation During Pirouette Turns With Increased Rotational Demands". Journal of Applied Biomechanics. 32 (5): 425–432. doi:10.1123/jab.2015-0314. ISSN 1065-8483. PMID 27046934.
  22. ^ Peterson, Travis J.; McNitt-Gray, Jill L. (August 2018). "Coordination of lower extremity multi-joint control strategies during the golf swing". Journal of Biomechanics. 77: 26–33. doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2018.06.004. PMID 29945785.