Internship leads to a published paper for undergrad
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Interdisciplinary research brings together theories, procedures, and tools from different fields to offer new perspectives on complex problems. It leads to discoveries, provides answers to real-world problems, and drives innovation.
At UIC, Hannah Lofton, a recent biomedical engineering graduate, had the opportunity to experience interdisciplinary research firsthand with MIE Associate Professor Myunghee Kim in the Rehabilitation Robotics Laboratory.
“Robotics is very interdisciplinary,” Kim said. “Our research incorporates biomedical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science, allowing us to view problems through different lenses and perspectives that complement mechanical engineering.”
Kim’s research focuses on enhancing human locomotion with assistive devices by integrating machine learning methods, model-based approaches, and hardware experimentation, including controlled human-subject experiments with wearable robots.
“I worked with a hip exoskeleton,” Lofton said. “I was part of a team focused on personalizing wearable robot assistance based on human signals. Based on the biological signals the subject emits, we integrate them back into our framework. Then, based on those outputs, we make sure the device is helping the person wearing it.”
The research led to Lofton co-authoring a peer-reviewed paper, “Multimodal Error-Augmented Gait Adaptation Using a Wearable Hip Exoskeleton and Visual Feedback Distortion” with Kim, PhD student Ronak Vyas, and Dominik Zielinsky, who was a master’s student during the research and is now a PhD student. The paper was accepted to the International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) 2026, one of the top conferences in robotics, which received 4,348 paper submissions and accepted only 1,585.
“Publishing research at IROS is a significant accomplishment even for graduate students, and it is especially meaningful for an undergraduate student to contribute at this level,” Kim said. “Hannah contributed to developing an idea, tested it experimentally, and worked through many challenges that are part of the research process. There are always frustrating moments when things do not work as expected, and research requires persistence, problem-solving, and a willingness to keep asking questions. She went through this entire process, achieved a successful outcome, and contributed to writing the paper. That is not an easy accomplishment, especially for an undergraduate student.”
“I did not expect to write a paper at all, and I was really intimidated. But Dr. Kim was always very supportive,” Lofton said. “I worked hard, and she recognized it. She can tell when you’re working really hard, and she rewards that. If I was having trouble with anything, she recognized that, too. She adjusts to ensure you have a good experience in the lab.”
Lofton earned her internship through the College of Engineering’s Early Access to Paid Internships Program(EAPIP), which is designed to help students gain experience. Impressed with her work as an intern, Kim invited Lofton to continue working in the lab throughout her senior year.
“This interdisciplinary experience was super important for me. When I first applied to the internship, I intentionally applied to one in the mechanical engineering department because I wanted to branch out from biomedical engineering,” Lofton said. “I was specifically interested in Dr. Kim’s lab because of what they do. I want to work in bioastronautics, and having some mechanical engineering experience will be beneficial.”
Lofton isn’t the only one who appreciates the program. Kim is grateful for the program and the opportunities it provides to undergraduate students to engage in research.
“Hannah’s accomplishment demonstrates how the program can provide students with an entry point into research and enable them to make meaningful contributions to high-quality scholarly work. I have other EAPIP students conducting research in my lab, and I am hopeful that their projects will similarly develop into conference publications,” Kim said.