Fellows and Scholars Directory

Alumni Spotlight

Matthew Major
Whitaker Fellow 2006-07
University of Salford

As a Whitaker International Fellow, Matthew Major worked to improve how lower-limb prosthetics respond to realtime input and feedback at the University of Salford (United Kingdom). "This project will put me on the path to becoming an international leader in biomedical engineering for prosthetic design." 

While he has completed his Whitaker grant, he is continuing his work on prosthetics. He is currently doing post-doctoral work, and will continue prosthetic work.

Matthew writes:

Following a successful application to the Whitaker International Fellows and Scholars Program, I performed a study at the University of Salford in the United Kingdom during the academic year of 2006 and 2007. I feel this experience was tremendously valuable to my life, allowing me to develop both professionally and personally in ways that could not be achieved solely through my university education in the US.  During my Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, I undertook courses in Bioengineering and human physiology, which subsequently sparked my interest in prosthetic devices. I began to appreciate how engineering could be used to improve the quality of life for those who suffer from certain deficiencies.

Read more about what Matthew had to say about the Whitaker experience...