In the latest episode of UPMC NOW, the series features local events Empowered Esports and the Keystone Wheelchair Games and its commitment to inclusion
UPMC NOW highlights Dr. Drew Redepenning and Dr. Rory Cooper
Rory A Cooper
Keystone Wheelchair Games provide a platform for para-athletes in Pittsburgh
Hosted by the Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL), Dr. Rory A. Cooper speaks about the games, which are an annual, winter-based adaptive sports competition held in Pittsburgh’s Bakery Square designed for para-athletes to compete in events. (photo: Massoud Hossaini | TribLive)
Two HERL (Human Engineering Research Laboratories) students receive the 2025 Most Innovative Award at the VAPHS Annual Best Practice Conference
Jeffrey Pettigrew, 4th year medical student at Pitt, and Owen Flaugh, doctoral student in Bioengineering at Pitt, received the 2025 Most Innovative Award at the VAPHS 18th Annual Best Practice Conference for their presentation: “Evaluation of the Active Permeable Pressure Relieving Dynamic Seating System at the 2024 National Veterans Wheelchair Games and 2025 National Disabled Veterans Winter Sport Clinic.” This project is part of a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Health Spinal Cord Injury Program (PI, Rory A. Cooper and Co-Investigator, Brad Dicianno).