Judith M. Burnfield, PhD, PT

Director, Institute for Rehabilitation Science and Engineering
Madonna Research Institute
Lincoln, Nebraska

Judith M. Burnfield, PhD, PT, is Director of the Institute for Rehabilitation Science and Engineering, Director of the Movement and Neurosciences Center and the Clifton Chair in Physical Therapy and Movement Sciences at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital. Dr. Burnfield earned her PhD in Biokinesiology from the University of Southern California and completed her post doctoral training at the Pathokinesiology Laboratory at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center. Dr. Burnfield holds adjunct faculty appointments at Creighton University, the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, University of Nebraska Medical Center, University of South Dakota, and University of Southern California. Dr. Burnfield's research aims to 1) enhance the independence and quality of life of individuals with and without disabilities, emphasizing locomotive disorders such as gait; 2) prevent secondary medical complications in persons with chronic medical conditions; and 3) expand physical therapists’ capacity to meet existing, evolving, and future societal health care needs through development and application of clinical innovations and technology. Her teaching emphasis includes normal and pathologic gait, orthotics, prosthetics and biomechanics.