Meet an engineering PhD candidate helping crack the code to why patients can experience walking impairments after strokes

Sebastián Correa grew up in Pittsburgh, far from the tropical flora and fauna of the Galápagos Islands, but his mamá’s tales of her experiences as a naturalist on the islands painted a vivid image. In high school, Correa had the chance to see it for himself when he went to visit family in Quito, Ecuador, and the Galápagos Islands. 

“The second we stepped foot onto Baltra, which is home to the main airport, I was awestruck,” said Correa, who had previously held engineering aspirations. He knew instantly that he wanted to incorporate biology into his future work.

When he and his family returned home, Correa began researching programs that would allow him to incorporate biology into engineering. That’s how he found biomedical engineering. 

He attended University of Pittsburgh for his bachelor’s degree, and is now a fourth-year PhD candidate in biomedical engineering at Case Western Reserve University.

Here, he conducts research in the Rewire Lab. Using non-invasive electrical stimulation to prompt spinal reflexes, Correa aims to understand how changes in a person’s spinal cord can affect walking impairments for those who have had a stroke. Correa examines the reflex pathways as a research participant is actively walking to get valuable insights into how the pathways change after a stroke, which could hold potential for targeted treatments in the future.

Most prior research on the topic has been conducted while participants have been seated and relaxed. By having his research participants actively moving while making his observations, Correa is gaining valuable, real-time insights.

“Extensive research has shown that the nervous system can behave very differently depending on the context, such as sitting, standing, or walking,” said Correa. “As walking impairments occur during walking, it is important to study the underlying physiology in that same context. Therefore, as my research does exactly this, we hope to gain insight that is more directly relevant to post-stroke gait impairments.”

Outside of his research, Correa also is engaged on campus, actively working to create community. He helped create the Latine Graduate Student Association, an organization that is still in its infancy but is already having an impact at CWRU. While Correa found the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineering (SHPE) and La Alianza welcoming, the organizations weren’t tailored to the graduate student experience. The Latine Graduate Student Association aims to fix that.

“So far, the biggest impact has been creating a space and community for Latine graduate students at CWRU, who did not previously have one,” he said. Personally, this has allowed me to build meaningful connections and friendships with people I otherwise would have never crossed paths with.” 

“This idea was one of my main motivations for creating the organization. Graduate students are often siloed within their specific labs or programs,” he continued. “While those communities are important, I think Latine people crave a community that shares their background and culture. Thus, I am very proud that creating a dedicated space is one product of the young organization already.”

Learn more about Correa’s community-building efforts.

Answers have been lightly edited for clarity and length.

1. What initially drew you to CWRU?

I was drawn to CWRU because of the opportunities available through the biomedical engineering department. Going into graduate school, I knew I wanted to contribute to impactful, clinically relevant medical research. CWRU was the perfect environment for this as the department has strong connections with hospitals and medical departments that would allow me to gain the perspective I was seeking during my PhD.

2. What is your vision for what Latine Graduate Student Association (LGSA) can achieve?

I have always had many long-term ideas for the organization, especially after being inspired by the work of Latine student associations across the country. One of my larger hopes is for LGSA to have a voice within the university's administration and faculty discussions. There are currently a handful of Latine faculty members at CWRU, reflecting the broader national disparity as only 6% of full-time postsecondary faculty in the U.S. are Hispanic despite the fact that we make up 20% of the population. Thus, I would love for LGSA to get the opportunity to advocate for greater representation and inclusion at CWRU by having a seat at the table. In the shorter-term, I hope LGSA can contribute to the CWRU Latinx graduation. Currently, I believe that La Alianza serves as the main organizer of the celebration. I would love for LGSA to help highlight and celebrate graduate and professional student achievements as well.

3. Why was it important for you to create this organization?

My main motivation for creating LGSA was to build a space and community for Latine graduate students at CWRU. I always knew we existed as I would occasionally hear people speaking Spanish around campus or see students expressing their culture through their attire. Thus, I wanted to give us a dedicated space to help bring together the community and provide opportunities for Latine graduate students at CWRU.

4.  Are you involved in any other ways on campus?

Apart from LGSA, I have also been heavily involved with the Community for Advocates for Representation in Engineering (CARE). The goal of CARE is to bring together graduate students to cultivate a welcoming community for everyone within the engineering school. Through CARE, I and many other student leaders have organized events focused on supporting students through graduate school, relieving stress through social gatherings, engaging with the community through breakfast clubs at local coffee shops, and introducing undergraduate students to what graduate school is really like. I would highly recommend this organization to anyone interested in these activities!

5. Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I would like to give a shout out to the CWRU Office for Campus Enrichment & Engagement. During my time at CWRU, I have attended many events held by the office and found them all to be very thought provoking and a great supplement to my education in biomedical engineering.