Hanna has always been a runner, so when studying biomedical engineering in college, she set her sights on joining the track team. At her first outdoor track meet, Hanna noticed someone wearing running blades. Watching him pass his opponents in almost every race was eye-opening for Hanna, and she went into her sophomore year with a newfound interest in POP.

Though the pandemic limited her clinical internship options, Hanna found an opportunity at an animal orthotics and prosthetics clinic. Hanna loved the experience so much that she spent another summer at the clinic. She credits her mentor at the clinic with educating her about the profession and encouraging her to get her master’s in prosthetics and orthotics at Northwestern University.

Now a second-year student at Northwestern, Hanna loves learning about upper limb devices and the mechanics of body-powered prosthetics. She looks forward to expanding her skills to focus on adaptive devices for people – specifically athletes.