Gregory A. Youdan Jr.

HUMAN MOVEMENT SCIENTIST | DATA SCIENTIST | SCIENCE COMMUNICATOR

Specializing in Gait Neuromechanics

Greg the Scientist

Gregory Youdan Jr., MA, MS is the research and advocacy coordinator for Dance/NYC. Dance/NYC’s mission is to promote the knowledge, appreciation, practice, and performance of dance in the New York City while emboding the values of justice, equity, and inclusion. Greg is the social media manager for KnowScience, an international education and advocacy organization working to promote knowledge of science and scientific research to a non-specialized audience. Greg is an active human movement scientist specializing in dance science. His background and research have focused on dance for health for communities including those with neurodegenerative diseases.

Education

  • MS 2019

    MS in Applied Statistics

    Teachers College, Columbia University

  • MA 2017

    MA in Motor Learning and Control

    Teachers College, Columbia University

  • BA 2007

    BA in Dance

    Hofstra University

Honors

  • 2019
    Teachers College Minority Scholarship
  • 2019
    Teachers College General Scholarship
  • 2018
    Huntington Study Group New Member Scholarship 2018
    Huntington Study Group
  • 2018
    Provost’s Grant for Professional Development
    Teachers College, Columbia University
  • 2016 - 2017
    Ann Gentile Memorial Scholarship
    Teachers College, Columbia University
  • 2016
    International Society for Posture and Gait Research Travel Fellow
    International Society for Posture and Gait
  • 2015 - 2016
    Teachers College Scholarship
    Teachers College, Columbia University
  • 2004 - 2007
    Mildred Elizabeth McGinnis Endowed Scholarship
    Hofstra University
  • 2003 - 2007
    Hofstra Presidential Scholarship
    Hofstra University

Greg is fascinated with the neuromechanics of dance, with a specific interest in people with neurological disorders or diseases. The important topics he researches are 1) Dance for health interventions (e.g. Parkinson’s, Huntington’s) , 2) interactions between musculoskeletal biomechanics and sensorimotor control of lower extremity function with particular emphasis on dance, 3) the application of data science approaches to human movement research.

Grants and Funding

  • 2018

    Co-Investigator. Implementing a health screening app to match people with lower limb loss at high risk for low function to personalized physiotherapy and injury prevention education. $100,000.

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Greg collaborates on projects funded through the Huntington Study Group, Gossweiller Foundation, CHDI Foundation, American Society of Neurorehabilitation and the Academy of Hand & Upper Extremity PT, APTA.

Selected Teaching Experience

  • Present2017

    Instructor / Lecturer -- Motor Learning Laboratory

    Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY

  • Spring2018

    Guest Lecturer -- Using Dance as a Rehab Strategy in Patient Populations

    Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY

  • Spring2018

    Guest Lecturer -- Quantitative and Qualitive Approaches to Dance Research in Impaired Populations

    New York University, New York, NY

  • 2018Fall

    Guest Lecturer -- Contextual Interference Effect

    New York University, New York, NY

Past Courses

Selected Invited Presentations

  • July2020

    Keynote Panelist

    Dance and Technology, International Conference on Movement and Computing, Virtual

  • Nov2019

    Platform Speaker

    Using Augmented Reality in Rehabilitation to Optimize Gait Training in People With Parkinson’s Disease. American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, Chicago, IL

  • Oct2019

    Panelist, Symposium

    Dance and Diplomacy, High Fest Symposium with US Embassy in Armenia, Yerevan, Armenia

  • June2019

    Moderator -- An Evening with 500 Queer Scientists

    Elsevier and Cell, New York, NY

  • April2017

    Speaker at Conference -- Academic Festival

    Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY

  • Nov2016

    Speaker at Conference -- International Society for Posture and Gait Research

    University of North Texas, Fort Worth, TX

Selected Student Evaluation Comments

“Greg’s enthusiasm is undeniable, his love of the motor learning field makes for an absolutely enjoyable class experience. His knowledge is broad and his ability to communicate the course material is effective. He answers questions with thoughtfulness and respect for students and takes time to explain material when students have questions.“

“The course [Motor Learning Laboratory] is well structured. It really helped me understand what we learned in theory and it was great to see what we were learning in motor learning class applied practically. Greg was a great instructor!“

Greg is well versed in many different techniques to study human movement including inertial sensors, physical activity monitors, two-dimensional and three-dimensional motion capture as well as cognitive testing and clinical examination.

Relevant Links

Neurorehabilitation Research Lab

Media

Contact Information

gregory.youdan@gmail.com