# Robin Queen (biomechanist)

Robin Marie Queen PhD, FACSM, FIOR, FASB, FAIMBE, is an American academic focused on biomechanics, particularly in foot and ankle biomechanics, sports biomechanics, and footwear biomechanics. She currently holds the position of Professor with Tenure in Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics at Virginia Tech.
Queen serves as the L. Preston Wade Professor of Engineering and holds affiliate professorships in Mechanical Engineering, Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, and Health Sciences. Her research focuses on load and movement symmetry, clinical and field-based assessments, post-operative functional return, and rehabilitation engineering, to improve patient outcomes through therapeutic interventions.

## Education

Queen completed her Bachelor of Science in Applied Science with a minor in Physics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2000. She continued her studies at the same institution, earning a Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering in 2001 and a Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering in 2004.

## Academic career

Queen began her academic career as a graduate teaching assistant and project coordinator at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She then joined Duke University Medical Center, where she was the Director of the Michael W. Krzyzewski Human Performance Lab and Medical Instructor in the departments of Surgery and Orthopaedic Surgery.
In 2015, Queen joined Virginia Tech University as an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, later becoming a full professor. She has also held the position of Kevin P. Granata Faculty Fellow and currently directs the Kevin P. Granata Biomechanics Laboratory. Additionally, she is an Affiliate Professor at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine and Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine.

### Consulting and advisory roles

Queen has served on advisory boards and committees, including the Medical and Scientific Advisory Board at Quest Diagnostics and the Expert Advisory Committee for the National Basketball Association (NBA).

### Professional development and leadership

During her career, Queen has participated in professional development programs, including the Executive Leadership in Academic Technology, Engineering, and Science (ELATES) Fellowship and the Duke Science & Society SciComm Fellows Program.
She has also been active in academic administration, serving as a Faculty Fellow in the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation at Virginia Tech and as Vice President of the Virginia Tech Faculty Senate.

### Honors and awards

Queen is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (FAIMBE, 2022), the American Society of Biomechanics (FASB, 2021), the American College of Sports Medicine (FACSM, 2014), and the International Orthopaedic Research (FIOR, 2019).
She has also received the Jean Landa Pytel Award for Diversity Mentorship in Biomechanics from the American Society of Biomechanics (2023), an Honorary Doctor of Science from Union College, Schenectady, NY (2022), the Adele Boskey Award from the Orthopaedic Research Society (2020), and the AAOS Kappa Delta Young Investigator Award (2017).

### Professional service and editorial roles

Queen is a member of several professional societies, including the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES), the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS), and the Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS). She has held leadership positions in these organizations, including chairing committees and serving on editorial boards for journals like the Journal of Orthopaedic Research and Foot and Ankle International.

### Research contributions

Queen has contributed to research in biomechanics, focusing on how biomechanical principles can improve athletic performance and rehabilitation outcomes. She has studied the biomechanics of feet during different tasks for sports and clinical applications, the effects of footwear on athletic performance and injury prevention, biomechanics of load and movement symmetry, and the development of new assessment tools for clinical and field settings

### Leadership and service

Queen has chaired several committees, including the Orthopaedic Research Society's Women's Leadership Forum Committee (2015–2017) and the American Society of Biomechanics' Diversity Committee (2017–2020).
Additionally, she has served on the Executive Boards of both the Orthopaedic Research Society and the American Society of Biomechanics, contributing to the advancement and diversity of the field.