Our Staff
Dr. Gordon has a broad background in neurophysiology and biomechanics and has extensive clinical and research expertise involving children with cerebral palsy. He has been studying hand motor control in healthy individuals and individuals with CP for over 25 years.
Dr. Gordon has a broad background in neurophysiology and biomechanics and has extensive clinical and research expertise involving children with cerebral palsy. He has been studying hand motor control in healthy individuals and individuals with CP for over 25 years. In 1996 he founded the Center for Cerebral Palsy Research at Teachers College, Columbia University. The Center places emphasis on understanding the mechanisms underlying motor disorders associated with CP, and developing evidence-based treatment approaches targeting these disorders using motor learning approaches taking advantage of neuroplasticity. More than 300 children with unilateral CP (hemiplegia) have participated in constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT), bimanual training (HABIT), and recently combined upper and lower extremity training day camps (HABIT-ILE) for children with bilateral CP. Recently he has been capitalizing on his neuroplasticity findings associated with these approaches to pair non-invasive brain stimulation with motor training, and he and his colleagues have developed a robotic trunk training device for training seated postural control. He is a fellow in the National Academy of Kinesiology, has more than 160 peer-reviewed papers and has received grant funding from the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and numerous private foundations.
Karen currently oversees management of all of our Center’s research projects, including several collaborative studies with Columbia University, Burke Neurological Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, and Shriners Hospitals for Children.
Astrid is a postdoctoral researcher and a trained physiotherapist with a PhD in motor science from the Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium (2024).
Astrid is a postdoctoral researcher and a trained physiotherapist with a PhD in motor science from the Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium (2024). Her research focuses on developing and implementing intensive motor skill learning interventions for individuals with neurological disorders, particularly infants and children with cerebral palsy. In her spare time, she enjoys running, playing tennis, and traveling.
Nicole is a licensed and board-certified Occupational Therapist, with an M.S. in Occupational Therapy from Columbia University and a B.A. in Psychology from Colgate University.
Nicole is a licensed and board-certified Occupational Therapist, with an M.S. in Occupational Therapy from Columbia University and a B.A. in Psychology from Colgate University. She previously worked at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, where she specialized in neurological disorders and dysfunctions. Her current research examines the effects of non-invasive brain stimulation on motor learning in children with cerebral palsy. In her spare time, she enjoys running, swimming, and painting.
Jordana is a doctoral student in the Kinesiology program. She received her B.S. in Kinesiology with a concentration in Exercise Science at California State University, Sacramento and an M.S. in Kinesiology at California State University, San Marcos with a research focus in biomechanics that applied different theoretical frameworks to predict potential locomotor strategies when energetics and stability were jeopardized.
Jordana is a doctoral student in the Kinesiology program. She received her B.S. in Kinesiology with a concentration in Exercise Science at California State University, Sacramento and an M.S. in Kinesiology at California State University, San Marcos with a research focus in biomechanics that applied different theoretical frameworks to predict potential locomotor strategies when energetics and stability were jeopardized. Jordana is currently on a project that will investigate the transference of learned object manipulations across multiple effectors in healthy individuals. Her future research goals include analyzing hand function in children with Cerebral Palsy and exploring alternative methods for treatment. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, exploring new restaurants, strength training, reading, and spending time with her two cats.
Sirui is a doctoral student in the Kinesiology program. She received her Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering at Central South University, and Master of Research in Bioengineering (Musculoskeletal Science) at Imperial College London.
Sirui is a doctoral student in the Kinesiology program. She received her Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering at Central South University, and Master of Research in Bioengineering (Musculoskeletal Science) at Imperial College London. In her spare time, she enjoys playing badminton, crocheting, and baking.
Chen-Hui (Chloe) Chu is a Speech-Language Pathologist licensed in Taiwan, where she earned her B.S. in Speech-Language Pathology from Chung Shan Medical University. She is currently pursuing an M.S. in Neuroscience and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Chen-Hui (Chloe) Chu is a Speech-Language Pathologist licensed in Taiwan, where she earned her B.S. in Speech-Language Pathology from Chung Shan Medical University. She is currently pursuing an M.S. in Neuroscience and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. She has several years of clinical experience in hospitals, specifically in rehabilitation medicine and otolaryngology departments. She has also worked in clinics, schools, and private practice, supporting individuals with voice, swallowing, and communication disorders.
Her research interests focus on neurological disorders, rehabilitation medicine, and eye-tracking technology, particularly in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy. She aims to integrate neuroscience, education, and rehabilitation medicine to support neurodiverse individuals and their families. In her free time, she enjoys ice skating, playing the trombone and piano, and traveling.