KINGSTON, R.I. — April 10, 2025 — High school students from schools around the state got a hands-on look at the high-tech equipment in the University of Rhode Island Department of Kinesiology, as professors and students welcomed them to Mackal Field House during URI’s annual celebration of National Biomechanics Day on April 9.

More than 500 high school students from 10 schools got interactive lessons on biomechanics and other science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields as they sampled the high-tech equipment used in biomechanical research and challenged themselves—and each other—in several physical tests laid out across the gym floor. Students assessed their sprint speed, grip strength, dead-lift ability, and motor dexterity. They stood on force plates to test their balance and the amount of force they put on their feet; sampled motion capture technology to see how their bodies move; and, using wearable sensors, watched a real-time digital readout of the energy their bicep muscles use when curling a dumbbell.

“I think this is an exciting way to experience science because it’s so hands-on,” said kinesiology Assistant Professor Susan D’Andrea, who helps organize and run the annual event. “This is the equipment we use for research in our biomechanics lab, so they’re getting to see things that they otherwise might not be exposed to. That’s especially important for students from under-resourced schools who aren’t always exposed to these types of field trips.”

The exhibits organized by professors and graduate students in kinesiology, physical therapy, biomedical engineering, and strength and conditioning showed students what is available to them at URI. The hands-on nature of the disciplines showed students how science can apply directly in their daily lives and, hopefully, encourages those interested in science and technology to see kinesiology, biomechanics, or other STEM fields as a viable option for them in the future, according to kinesiology Assistant Professor Ryan Chapman.

“What we hope they get out of it is a STEM experience, something they would never have been able to see otherwise,” Chapman said. “They get to see that STEM can be hands-on, and it can be a career for them. It’s fun because it can get competitive. They want to know how high they can jump, how much they can lift, how strong are their muscles, how fast can they run. When you incorporate that with the STEM, it shows them how fun science can be. If they decide to do STEM or PT or biomedical engineering and they see URI as a viable option, that’s fantastic.”

Both D’Andrea and Chapman credit the URI graduate students who planned for weeks in advance to organize the exhibits, coordinate staffing, and execute the event. “They’ve taken what they’ve learned, and become the instructor on this day, teaching all these kids how to use the equipment and what it all means,” Chapman said. “Students and teachers come up and ask the grad students questions, so they need to know what they’re doing and why they’re doing it. They do a great job.”

The annual event at URI is part of National Biomechanics Day, a world-wide celebration of biomechanics in its many forms for high school students and teachers. Biomechanics investigates “the broad expanse of biology in the physical world,” according to the Biomechanics Initiative, which organizes the national event. The discipline contributes to biology, physics, medicine and health care, human movement and performance, biomedical engineering, prosthetics and human-machine interactions, among many other endeavors.