Stephen Cain appointed to inaugural Statler College Visiting Committee faculty fellowship position

Assistant professor Stephen Cain works with students Kathylee Pinnock Branford and Daniel Duque Urrego in the Advancing Wearable Systems for Out-of-the-lab Measurement and Evaluation (AWeSOME) research lab here at Statler College, advancing biometric research and real-world applications (WVU Photo/J. Paige Nesbit).

Stephen Cain, assistant professor of biomedical engineering in the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University, has been appointed the inaugural Statler College Visiting Committee faculty fellow through June 2027.

Story by Kaley LaQuea, Communications Specialist
Photos by J. Paige Nesbit, Director of Communications

Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

Fellowship recipients may use the funds for supplemental compensation, work-related travel, research support, technology and equipment enhancements, library resources, staff support and student support.

"This program is an exceptional initiative to recognize our excellent and talented faculty members. I am extremely thankful to the Visiting Committee for their support of our faculty and their contribution to one of the College’s most pressing needs: to acknowledge and enhance the outstanding work of our tenure-track faculty members," said Statler College Glen H. Hiner Dean Pedro Mago. "Stephen is an outstanding faculty member, and he is truly deserving of this honor. I am immensely proud of his achievements and I’m excited to see his continued growth and success.”

Originally from western Pennsylvania, Cain earned his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from Penn State University. He went on to complete his M.S.E. and doctorate in biomedical engineering from the University of Michigan.

Cain joined WVU in August 2021. He runs the Advancing Wearable Systems for Out-of-the-lab Measurement and Evaluation (AWeSOME) research lab, where he’s focused on wearable human sensors that measure biomechanics in lab and real-world environments for things like gait, balance, baseball pitching, riding bikes and more.

“Our research enables studies of human biomechanics and movement outside of traditional laboratory settings, which is critical for creating new knowledge about the progression of musculoskeletal diseases and the effectiveness of physical therapy treatments,” Cain said.

Cain plans to utilize resources to support preliminary data collection for new research projects in the lab. Students working in the lab will gain hands-on, collaborative experience working with clinicians and professionals outside of engineering.

“I am honored to be appointed as the inaugural Statler College Visiting Committee Faculty Fellow and acknowledged for the research my group and I are doing at WVU,” Cain said. “With the additional resources provided by the fellowship, I can further support our novel work using wearable sensors to measure human biomechanics and strengthen research collaborations at WVU and beyond.”

Composed of distinguished alumni, donors and friends from academia to industry, the Visiting Committee provides insight to the College through engagement, mentorship and support to strengthen the academic experience for future generations of engineers and computer scientists.

---