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Johns Hopkins University’s Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship (PPF) program has selected four new researchers for its 2024-25 cohort. One of them, A. Michael West Jr., is joining the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The program, which was launched in 2015, identifies and supports early-career scholars with diverse life experiences and backgrounds as they pursue faculty positions and research.
“We are thrilled to welcome our newest cohort of Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellows,” said Roland J. Thorpe Jr., JHU’s associate vice provost for faculty diversity. “They represent the next generation of visionary scholars whose research and leadership will shape the future of academia and beyond. Their work at Johns Hopkins will not only advance their fields but also inspire new pathways for innovation, inclusion, and discovery.”
A. Michael West Jr. completed his PhD in mechanical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in May 2024 under Professor Neville Hogan. His research focused on improving control algorithms for robots used in rehabilitation and dexterous manipulation. He investigated human upper-limb motor control and perception during complex manipulation tasks, introducing novel analytical techniques and experimental paradigms that provided new insights to the field. West aspires to establish his own research laboratory focused on using insights from human motor control and perception to develop innovative rehabilitation and assistance technologies, such as prosthetics, exoskeletons, and therapeutic robots. He is thrilled to join the Haptics and Medical Robotics Laboratory under Jeremy Brown. His project will enhance the understanding of haptic feedback during manipulation tasks, which will then be used to improve robotic rehabilitation technologies. West’s passion for this field was sparked by his experiences as a college athlete. Recovering from various sports injuries fueled his dedication to developing technologies for injury recovery and motor impairment rehabilitation.
Following this postdoctoral appointment, West will join the faculty at the Georgia Institute of Technology as an assistant professor.
The PPF program prepares participants for future faculty positions while offering them community, networking, and mentorship opportunities. It was one of several programs outlined in the Faculty Diversity Initiative 2.0 in 2022’s Second JHU Roadmap on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and has since supported eight scholars.
Those interested in applying for next year’s cohort can learn more on the JHU Faculty Affairs website. Applicants are welcome from any area of study, though priority will be given to those from STEM disciplines. Applications are open through Oct 11.