Meet the Team
Our team is composed of members from several different Collaboratory teams that partner with CURE Orthopedic Hospital in Kijabe, Kenya. These teams have been working on various projects throughout the academic year to target the needs of the hospital. To learn more about these projects, please visit the Collaboratory website at https://www.messiah.edu/collaboratory.
Not Pictured: Prof. Howell, Dr. Giraldo, and Dr. Soerens
Professor Howell
Prof. Howell has been working with Messiah University Biomedical Collaboratory teams, CURE International, HopeWalks, and Cunningham Prosthetic Care since 2017. He is the Project Manager for the Cunningham Clubfoot Brace team and has been to Kijabe three times with student teams. Each time the staff at CURE International’s Kijabe hospital and HopeWalks Kenya have been so supportive and engaging. He is looking forward to the work the teams have planned to complete this visit and the feedback from staff and patients to advance our projects for the coming years.
Professor Giraldo, PhD
Dr. Giraldo is a new member to the team, and he is going to start working as a Mechanical Engineering Professor at Messiah in the Fall of 2022. He is hoping to learn as much as possible during the visit to Kijabe, as well as to make connections with the students and patients. Prior to Messiah, Camilo worked at Olivet Nazarene University as an Engineering Professor.
Professor Soerens, PhD
Dr. Soerens is a professor of Civil and Environmental engineering and has led student teams on international site visits in the past. This is his first trip to Kenya and he is most excited about being involved with the Cunningham Clubfoot work and exploring Kenya.
Antonio Santelli
Antonio is going into his senior year studying Biomedical Engineering, and he is also the student leader of this trip! He is part of the Muscle Activated Prosthesis team and will become Student Project Manager (SPM) of the team in the Fall, should the project continue. The trip to Kenya will be an opportunity for the Antonio to determine if CURE is interested in a partnership with the MAP team, which will largely determine if the project is to continue. Antonio is looking most forward to visiting a new continent for the first time and experiencing the wildlife of Africa.
Ethan Cornwell
Ethan has already graduated earlier this year with a bachelor's in mechanical engineering with a minor in Computer Science. He was a founding member of the stance control knee orthotic. His project is seeking to enable children with mobility disabilities to walk with intelligent bracing with CURE Ethiopia, but there is an opportunity that CURE Kenya might be interested as well. He is looking forward to travelling to Kenya, meeting the people and helping further the work of the Clubfoot team.
Jacob Cornwell
Jacob is a recent Messiah graduate and former member of the Cunningham Clubfoot brace team. He graduated with an Electrical Engineering major and a Computer Science minor. He worked on the CCB team for two years and developed the force testing system to the point it is at today. His main role on this trip will be performing force measurements using the force testing system.
Sam Rasinske
​Sam is a rising senior majoring in Biomedical Engineering and minoring in Music and Worship. He is a member of the Cunningham Clubfoot Brace team at Messiah's Collaboratory. In addition to the hands-on experience with engineering testing, Sam is excited to visit and learn about the culture in Kijabe.
Brittney Fouse
Brittney is an upcoming senior studying Biomedical Engineering. This next year, she will be the Student Project Manager (SPM) of the Cunningham Clubfoot Brace team. She is excited to engage with people and BABIES!!!! and learn from the practitioners.
Rachel Huang
Rachel is an upcoming junior studying Biomedical Engineering and minoring in Electrical Engineering. This past academic year, she has been a volunteer for the Rapid Orthotics for CURE Kenya (ROCK) Team. She is excited to be immersed in the local culture and to build relationships with the staff at CURE hospital.