Tianna began her research career at the University of Windsor following the completion of her first year of her Bachelor’s of Human Kinetics degree, specializing in Movement Science.  Her main work pertained to a 5-year longitudinal ergonomics project, under the supervision of Dr. Joel Cort, that involved a complete assessment and reform of right-angle power tool (RAPT) use in Ford, General Motors and Chrysler Assembly plants. She then continued her education at the University of Ottawa and is currently completing her Master’s degree under the supervision of Dr. Ryan Graham. Her thesis work, entitled “Inflammatory Responses to Acute Spinal Loading” approaches the issue of musculoskeletal disorders in an occupational setting from an interdisciplinary perspective, blending biomechanics with physiology to view the problem through a number of different lenses. She will be continuing this line of research in the fall of 2018, as she begins her PhD under the supervision of Dr. Graham. Her PhD research will delve further into understanding and mitigating occupational musculoskeletal injuries by investigating the effects of both physiological (e.g., inflammatory cytokines, body composition) and neuromuscular (i.e., motor control patterns) factors on the way tasks are performed and how that affects injury risk.  

Themes

• Spine

• Ergonomics

• Physiology

• Acute inflammation

• Interdisciplinary approaches

Funding Sources

• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) PGS-D (2018-2021)

• University of Ottawa Excellence Scholarship (2018-2021)

• University of Ottawa Admission Scholarship (2016-2018)