Team

​Nancy Getchell, Ph.D.

Graduate Students

Elham Bakhshipour

Elham is a 4th year Ph.D. student in the Biomechanics and Movement Science (BIOMS) program at the University of Delaware. Elham earned her bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran, and her Master of Sport Sciences and Corrective Exercises from the University of Isfahan, Esfahan, Iran, where she completed her thesis entitled, “A comparison between 8-week aerobic exercise protocol and play-based intervention on motor skills of children with ADHD” under the direction of Dr. Nader Rahnama. Before starting her P.h. D., Elham worked as an occupational therapist with children with different developmental disorders, including ADHD, DCD, SPD and ASD for five years. Her research interest is focused on investigating neural biomarkers in developmental disorders, more specifically in ADHD.

Reza Khoeilar, M.S.

Reza is a 3rd year doctoral student in the Biomechanics and Movement Science (BIOMS) program at the
University of Delaware. Reza earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from
University of Tehran where he completed his thesis entitled, “Tube Layout Optimization in Cross Flow
Heat Exchangers Using Genetic Algorithm and Neural Networks”. Reza joined Neuromuscular
Biomechanics Lab while doing his Mechanical Engineering Master’s work at the University of Delaware
developing 3D forward dynamic simulations of stroke gait. Reza completed his thesis entitled, “Changes
in Muscle Coordination of Stroke Patients Due to Robotic and Body Weight Supported Treadmill
Training” under the supervision of Dr. Jill Higginson. Reza conducted two years of research under the
supervision of Dr. Sam Lee in University of Delaware and Shriners Hospital for Children, using FES to help
improve walking and cycling in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP). Reza joined
Developmental Motor Control Lab in 2016 and is currently working on application of Functional Near
Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) to detect neural correlates of learning and rehabilitation. His areas of
research interest include: fNIRS, fMRI, Stroke Rehabilitation, Normal & Pathological gait, Biomedical
Signal Processing, Optimization.