Dr. Lara A. Thompson is a 2022 recipient of the Alan T. Waterman award, the nation’s top honor for early career scientists and engineers.  Since the Alan T. Waterman award’s inception in 1975, she is the first awardee from a historically black college and university (HBCU), and further, she is the first self-identified female of color recipient.  Dr. Thompson is a professor of Mechanical Engineering and is the founding Director of the Biomedical Engineering program, the first ABET-accredited Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering program at an HBCU, and the Center for Biomechanical & Rehabilitation Engineering (CBRE) at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), a state-of-the-art research facility focused on human mobility.  

​Dr. Thompson’s previous research involved the novel studies of non-human primate posture and balance for varied degrees of vestibular (equilibrium) dysfunction. In particular, the impacts of compensative strategies that the subject developed when suffering from mild or severe vestibular-impairment and the effects of using an invasive vestibular prosthesis prototype that partially restored missing vestibular information needed for balance.  This research was motivated by the several millions of Americans that suffer balance impairments due to vestibular loss. Thompson has trailblazed new research initiatives and educational programs and spearheaded new infrastructure tied to biomedical engineering. She utilizes her engineering background to develop new technological innovations, while implementing engineering techniques to understand the mechanisms that underlie the neurological impairments, tied to balance.  

At present, she investigates assistive technologies, robotics, and methodologies towards improving balance and reducing fall-risk in the rapidly growing aging population. Her research experience heavily involves conducting postural investigations in both non-human primate subjects and human participants.  Her aims are to advance the field of rehabilitation engineering and biomechanics towards improving the quality-of-life for mobility impaired populations. In parallel to her research, in terms of building new research infrastructure, one of her most recent and intensive projects involves leading the design of a new, multi-laboratory facility (a specialized center for assistive rehabilitation research) aimed to focus on gait & balance, assistive robotics, virtual reality rehabilitation, and biomechanics.