Current projects utilizing this room include:

Motor Behavior Laboratory

Gerri Pellecchia

The 400 square foot Motor Behavior Laboratory is used for research in motor control and motor learning. Motor performance can be studied in detail with the equipment available in the lab, which includes a Skill Technologies 6DR/Ultratrak Pro electromagnetic motion analysis system, and AMTI Accusway Balance System, and an extensive variety of software for acquisition, analysis and modeling of data. Current research projects are investigating the influence of cognition on postural sway and bimanual coordination. Sources of funding include the National Science Foundation and the Donaghue Medical Research Foundation.

Research Laboratory

Mary Gannotti

Dr. Mary Gannotti uses research laboratory space in Dana Hall (at the University of Hartford’s Physical Therapy Program) to work on data reduction and data analysis. Dr. Gannotti is a medical anthropologist and her research is primarily focused on identifying the impact of social structures, policy, and culture on the disability experience, with special consideration of people from ethnic and minority groups and the developing world. She also works in collaboration with therapists at the Shriner’s Hospital for Children, Baystate Medical Center, Yale Center for Children with Special Health Care Needs, and Gaylord Hospital on clinically based research aimed at improving interventions for children and adults with neurologic dysfunction. She is often working with large data sets, performing both qualitative and quantitative analysis. Recent projects include a needs assessment of Latino families of children with special health care needs in the State of Connecticut Title V Program and an exploratory study on factors associated with positive long-term outcomes of children with cerebral palsy who underwent multi-level orthopedic surgery.