Dr. Kevin Otto of Purdue University will be joining the J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Florida starting in August.

Dr. Otto’s research is in the area if neural prostheses and neurotechnologies. He was hired as part of the Neuroscience and the Brain thrust area for the UF Rising to National Preeminence initiative at UF.

Dr. Otto received a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from Colorado State University in 1997, an M.S. degree in Bioengineering in 2002 and a Ph.D. Degree in Bioengineering in 2003 from Arizona State University, Tempe. From 1997 to 2003 he was a Research Assistant in the Bioengineering Department, Arizona State University, where his work was in the areas of neural engineering and sensory neuroprostheses. From 2003 to 2004 he was a Research Fellow in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor where his work focused on brain-machine interface systems and implantable devices. From 2004 to 2006 he was a post-doctoral fellow in the Central Systems Laboratory in the Kresge Hearing Research Institute in the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor where his work focused on cochlear implants. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and Biomedical Engineering at Purdue University. His research interests include neuroprostheses, systems neuroscience, and neurotechnologies.

Congratulations Kevin! We welcome both Kevin and his wife, Dr. Elizabeth Nunamaker, who will be joining the veterinary team of the Animal Care Services.