Academic Credentials
  • Ph.D., Biomechanics and Movement Science, University of Delaware, 2017
  • M.S., Biomechanics and Movement Science, University of Delaware, 2016
  • B.S., Mathematics and Economics, Georgetown University, 2008
Licenses & Certifications
  • Certified Forklift Operator (CFO) on Standup Electric Trucks
  • Certified XL Tribometrist (CXLT)
  • OSHA #500 Trainer Course In Occupational Safety & Health Standards For Construction
Professional Honors
  • Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society
Professional Affiliations
  • Society of Automotive Engineers
  • American Society of Biomechanics
  • Gait and Clinical Movement Analysis Society
  • Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society

Dr. Rapp van Roden evaluates the mechanisms and risks of injury in motor vehicle, construction, occupational and recreational accidents. Her experience ranges from analyses of injury causation in low-energy events to evaluation of injury mechanisms and biomechanical issues related to product design and performance. 

Dr. Rapp van Roden has published research on occupational and automotive injuries and has conducted testing to evaluate loads on the body in various scenarios, including cadaveric spine testing and automotive crash and sled tests. She also possesses a background in the biomechanics of the shoulder joint and has extensive experience evaluating upper extremity injuries in children and adults. She currently serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Biomechanical Engineering. 

Dr. Rapp van Roden's previous research included the evaluation of shoulder biomechanics in children with brachial plexus injuries. Her doctoral research focused on analyzing the effect of instrumented spinal fusion on shoulder motion in children with scoliosis. Dr. Rapp van Roden also has several years of experience in sports biomechanics, specifically in the kinematic analysis of figure skating jumps for the U.S. Figure Skating Association and a partnership with athletic apparel companies to evaluate the biomechanics of breast motion during running.

Prior to joining Exponent, Dr. Rapp van Roden worked as a Research Assistant in the Upper Extremity Biomechanics Lab at the University of Delaware, as well as in the Motion Analysis Lab at Shriners Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, PA and the Gait Lab at Nemours/A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, DE. She co-authored a Shriners-funded medical research grant examining surgical technique for improving shoulder motion in children with Brachial Plexus Birth Palsy. 

Dr. Rapp van Roden is skilled in the use of multiple high-speed motion capture systems, strain gauge force plates, inertial measurement sensors, and electromyography data collection. She has additional experience in the use of biplane fluoroscopy in the analysis of 3D joint kinematics of the shoulder.