Education
- Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah. Project: Recreating the Human Hand: Providing Intuitive Motor Control and Natural-Feeling Sensory Feedback to Amputees
- M.S., Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah
- B.S., Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin
- Certificate, Computational Science and Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin
Research Summary
Dr. Jacob A. George is the director of the Utah NeuroRobotics Lab. His research seeks to augment biological neural networks with artificial neural networks and bionic devices to treat neurological disorders and further our understanding of neural processing. Working at the intersection of artificial intelligence, robotics, and neuroscience, his NeuroRobotics lab is developing biologically-inspired artificial intelligence and brain-machine interfaces to restore and/or enhance human function.
Biography
Dr. Jacob A. George is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering and the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the University of Utah. He is also a foundational researcher for the Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital and the director of the Utah NeuroRobotics Lab.
Jacob A. George received his B.S. in Biomedical Engineering and a Certificate in Computational Science and Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin in 2016. Dr. George graduated with Highest Honors and was the sole recipient of the Biomedical Engineering Student Leadership Award for his contributions to his department as President of the Biomedical Engineering Honor Society. He then received his M.S. and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Utah in 2018 and 2020, respectively. At Utah, Dr. George served as the Co-President of the Graduate Student Advisory Committee and Inaugural President of the IEEE Engineering Medicine and Biology Student Chapter. Dr. George briefly served as a postdoctoral fellow in the Bionic Engineering Lab at the University of Utah before establishing his own independent research program.
Dr. George received the Don B. Olsen Graduate Fellowship in 2016, a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship in 2017 and an NIH TL1 postdoctoral fellowship in 2020. Dr. George was the recipient of two Society for Neuroscience Awards, the IEEE Best Paper Award, the Ripple Innovation in Research and Promising Young Investigator Finalist, and the Association of Clinical and Translational Sciences Outstanding Postdoc Award. In 2020, he was awarded the NIH Director’s Early Independence Award (DP5) to establish his own independent research lab - the Utah NeuroRobotics Lab. As faculty, Dr. George has been the recipient of the ECE Junior Faculty Rising Star Award, the Outstanding ECE Teaching Award, the Outstanding Undergradaute Rresearch Mentor Award, the Distinguished Gould Lecturer, the I-Corps Award, the Meta Distinguished Faculty Award, and the Utah Innovator of the Year Award.
Dr. George has been an author on numerous peer-reviewed manuscripts and conference abstracts (Google Scholar). He has also received over $5,820,000 in research funding to date. Dr. George’s research has been proven to be high-impact: his 2019 publication in Science Robotics resulted in over 398 unique news articles, 450.4 million views, and $4.5 million in advertising for the University of Utah. Dr. George has also been featured in numerous additional high-profile media outlets, including Forbes 30 under 30.
Outside of the lab, Dr. George enjoys taking advantage of the nearby Wasatch Mountains. He is an avid hiker, mountain biker, and skier.
Prospective Students
Dr. George received supplemental certifiation as a STEM teacher/mentor with an emphasis on teaching students from diverse backgrounds. He has mentored numerous undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds. His NeuroRobotics lab is actively recruiting trainees at all levels (undergraduate, graduate, postdoc). If you are interested in joining the NeuroRobotics Lab, please visit the lab webpages for prospective PhD students, masters students, and undergraduates. Prior experience in related fields is useful, but not always necessary. Underrepresented minorities are highly encouraged to apply!
Selected Works
- J. A. George*, D. T. Kluger*, T. S. Davis, S. M. Wendelken, E. V. Okorokova, Q. He, C. C. Duncan, D. T. Hutchinson, Z. C. Thumser, D. T. Beckler, P. D. Marasco, S. J. Bensmaia, G. A. Clark, “Biomimetic Sensory Feedback through Peripheral Nerve Stimulation Improves Dexterous Use of a Bionic Hand,” Science Robotics. DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.aax2352 *contributed equally. Published, 07/2019.
- D. M. Page*, J. A. George*, D. T. Kluger, C. C. Duncan, S. M. Wendelken, T. S. Davis, D. T. Hutchinson, G. A. Clark, “Motor Control and Sensory Feedback Enhance Prosthesis Embodiment and Reduce Phantom Pain after Long-term Hand Amputation,” Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00352 *contributed equally. Published, 09/2018.
- J. A. George, M. R. Brinton, C. C. Duncan, D. T. Hutchinson, G. A. Clark, “Improved Training Paradigms and Motor-decode Algorithms: Results from Intact Individuals and a Recent Transradial Amputee with Prior Complex Regional Pain Syndrome,” 2018 40th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC). DOI: 10.1109/EMBC.2018.8513342. Published, 07/2018.
- J. A. George, T. S. Davis, M. R. Brinton, G. A. Clark, “Intuitive Neuromyoelectric Control of a Dexterous Bionic Arm using a Modified Kalman Filter,” Journal of Neuroscience Methods – Special Issue: Methods for Interfacing with the Peripheral Nervous System. DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2019.108462. Published, 11/08/2019.