Jessie VanSwearingen is an associate professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, teaching graduate courses in the area of neuroscience, and neuromotor control applied in clinical practice in neurological decision-making, clinical electrotherapy, and geriatric physical therapy. She serves as a reviewer for both basic science and clinical journals, reviews research abstracts for professional meetings in Geriatrics and Physical Therapy, and chairs the Research Committee for APTA Academy of Geriatrics. VanSwearingen is honored as a Worthingham Fellow of the APTA. Her research interest is in the assessment and treatment to enhance neuromotor control in older adults (and [future] companion dogs). Specific research: 1) development and implementation of physical therapist delivered task-specific motor learning exercise interventions to improve the motor skill of walking in older adults with mobility disability, and 2) innovative methods to measure the efficiency and motor skill of walking and neural efficiency in brain networks underlying motor skill in walking (VanSwearingen JM, Studenski SA. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2014; 16:1429-1436). Her Therapy Dog International certified companion dogs provide pet therapy visits in the community.
