There are several ways to participate in the AI Biomechanics Lab's mission to understand how human movement affects musculoskeletal health. Whether you're interested in contributing as a research participant, community advisor, or student researcher, we'd love to hear from you.
We are currently recruiting participants for several studies exploring movement, pain, and joint health. Our current studies are listed below. If none of the current studies are a good fit, please revisit this page in the future. New research opportunities are posted here as they open.
Lab Phone: (352) 392-5353 | Principal Investigator: Dr. Kerry Costello
We are seeking individuals with knee osteoarthritis to serve on our Community Advisory Board. No experience is necessary — just a willingness to share your perspective and help shape our research.
Undergraduate student volunteers are an important part of our team. Except in very rare cases, undergraduate student researchers are expected to commit to 10 hours per week for at least two semesters. This work is typically unpaid, however, some students will choose to do undergraduate research for course credit (with or without an honors thesis) and/or will apply for funding through programs such as the University Scholars program. Undergraduate student researchers will be evaluated at the end of each semester. Due to the number of excellent, highly motivated undergraduates who are interested in research, only those students who make consistent and significant contributions to the lab will be invited to continue in future semesters.
Applications are usually reviewed during the first three weeks of the semester, but you are free to apply at any time. We have many talented undergraduates apply each year and unfortunately are not able to offer positions to all of them. We encourage you to also consider the many other excellent biomechanics and engineering research labs across campus – talking to multiple professors/labs, including ours, will help you find the best fit for your interests.
Ph.D. student positions are dependent on funding availability and applicants are considered on a case-by-case basis. Potential Ph.D. students are encouraged to reach out to Dr. Costello at any time by email with questions and/or a brief statement of research interests and experience (in the body of the email), a resume/CV, and (if available) a scientific writing sample. While most graduate students in the lab are in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Ph.D. program (Dr. Costello’s home department), students interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, or related fields are encouraged to reach out to Dr. Costello to discuss this possibility. Applications are typically due on December 5th for priority consideration for Fall admission and fellowships for UF’s engineering Ph.D. programs, however, potential students may contact Dr. Costello at any time.
Students pursuing M.S. degrees at UF who want to conduct research in the lab are considered on a case-by-case basis. Students wishing to conduct M.S. thesis research in the lab can email Dr. Costello to discuss whether their research interests are a good fit with the lab’s current needs. Non-thesis students may find it challenging to fit research into their course schedule but are encouraged to reach out if they are interested and have time available to commit to research. These positions are typically unpaid unless the student has existing research funding. Unpaid M.S. positions can sometimes lead to funded Ph.D. positions in the lab.
We are not currently hiring for other specific positions in the lab, however, you are welcome to contact Dr. Costello at any time with questions and/or a statement of interest. These will be considered on a case-by-case basis.