Hongwu Wang, PhD

Hongwu Wang, PhD is an Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Florida (UF). As a biomedical engineer and rehabilitation scientist, he develops and applies well-thought-out technology approaches to address occupational performance issues, improving mobility, participation, well-being, and quality of life in people with disabilities and older adults. His research focuses on user participatory design, wearable and mHealth, rehabilitation robotics, machine learning, assistive technology, and sensor-based outcome measures. Dr. Wang has received research and training grants from the National Institute on Disability Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), the Administration for Children & Families (ACF), Department of Education, and Craig H. Neilsen Foundation to design, develop and evaluate rehabilitative and assistive technology for patients across the lifespan. Dr. Wang has (co)authored 47 peer-reviewed publications and a book chapter; and has presented over 100 scientific abstracts and invited presentations regionally, nationally, and internationally. In recognition of his research excellence, Dr. Wang has received numerous accolades, including the 2021 Interstellar Initiative Scholar and Proposal Award from the New York Academy of Science and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, the 2019 Faculty Excellence in Research/Scholarly Achievement Award from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC), and the 2015 NIDILRR Switzer Distinguished Researcher Fellowship Award. His mentorship has also been instrumental in fostering the next generation of researchers, with one of his PhD students earning an Honorable Mention in the 2020 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program. At UF, he has served as a course instructor for graduate, professional, and undergraduate programs, including Doctor Seminars, Research Methods and Design, and a new Wearable Technology, Robotics, and Artificial Intelligence in Health course. He has mentored five PhD students as a committee chair or member, guiding them through dissertation proposals and qualifying exams, and has supervised 86 undergraduate students, including two honors theses and 84 group mentees in the Active Learning Program. Prior to UF, Dr. Wang held teaching roles at the OUHSC and the University of Pittsburgh, where he developed and taught courses such as Rehabilitation Sciences II and Statistical Applications in Health & Rehabilitation. His dedication to education was recognized with the 2021 Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award from the OUHSC. Dr. Wang holds six patents and four of them had been commercialized. Dr. Wang serves on review panels for Department of Defense, National Science Foundation, NIDILRR and Paralyzed Veterans of American Foundation for more than five years, and review board member for four peered reviewed journals as well an ad-hoc reviewer for more than 30 journals.

0000-0002-6567-9144

• Applied Machine Learning
• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Assistive Technology
• Biomechanics
• Diabetes Technology
• Functional outcome measures
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Neuropathy
• Rehabilitation
• Spinal cord injury rehabilitation
• Wearable Technology
• aging in place
• mHealth