Dan Ding, PhD leads the Accessible SmartTech Research Group. She serves as Director of the Wireless RERC and SmartTech Hub for Paralysis Care. She is an engineer who received postdoctoral training in assistive technology and rehabilitation engineering. Dr. Ding is Professor and Vice Chair for Research and Translation in the Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology at the University of Pittsburgh. She is also a Research Biomedical Engineer within the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System. She holds a secondary appointment at the Department of Bioengineering and McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine.
With a PhD in Robotics and interdisciplinary postdoctoral training in rehabilitation engineering, Dr. Ding’s research integrates advanced technologies such as sensors, artificial intelligence, and human-machine interaction to create assistive devices that enhance the lives of people with disabilities. Her work spans smart home technology, wearables, and assistive robotics, aiming to promote independence, well-being, and participation among individuals with disabilities and older adults. Dr. Ding has secured significant funding as a principal investigator on numerous federal grants and from non-profit organizations and published over 230 peer-reviewed articles. Dr. Ding also has extensive experience leading training grants and mentoring students at all academic levels. She is deeply committed to fostering the next generation of researchers and engineers in rehabilitation science.