Colin Rubow, working on his master’s in mechanical engineering, has become a devoted student at the Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (RMCOEH). Rubow, through his extensive work and research, has been making significant progress in the discipline of ergonomics, where he is working towards improving head and neck support.
Rubow became affiliated with RMCOEH through Dr. Andrew Merryweather, who formerly served as the director of the center’s Ergonomics and Safety program. Rubow said funding support from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) through RMCOEH served as the catalyst for his introduction to occupational safety and. Currently stationed at Dr. Haohan Zhang's research lab in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rubow’s research aims to address the challenges faced by individuals with dropped head syndrome (DHS), particularly those dealing with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Rubow and his team are currently exploring the intricacies of gravity balance mechanisms and robotic neck braces.
One notable aspect of Rubow’s research includes the design of robotic neck braces able to assist with head control, a technology that carries the potential for assisting ALS patients. However, there are many challenges involved in determining the optimal method to control these neck braces. Traditional means, such as joysticks, often prove either unintuitive or impractical for these populations. Rubow and the team are exploring eye movement as a potential control mechanism based on the hypothesis that the head generally follows the movement of the eyes.
Beyond his contributions to RMCOEH’s Ergonomics and Safety program, Rubow actively engages with the center’s weekly hourlong Journal Club in which two trainees each present an article published in a peer-reviewed journal, followed by in-depth group discussion. The sessions aim to develop trainees’ critical thinking and presentation skills, as well as probe questions about how to perform high-quality research. He has enjoyed being exposed to a wide range of occupational and environmental safety and health research and has incorporated studies that have been presented into his own research. He has also appreciated a new addition to RMCOEH’s Journal Club activities this year: “flash” sessions where trainees’ presentations are limited to five minutes. He said he’s used the “flash” Journal Club as a way to hone his “elevator pitch” for projects that he is working on.
“Something that stood out to me with the Rocky Mountain Center’s Journal Club was the quality of research involved,” he said. “… The Journal Club has helped me learn how to do studies with people of very high quality.”
Rubow envisions a long-term trajectory for his career in research and development within private industry. His goal is to transition into a teaching position where he hopes to continue research and to share what he has learned with others. With support from his family, including his wife, a 2-year-old child, and another child on the way, Rubow's commitment to advancing ergonomics promises continued breakthroughs in the field.
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