ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa.— Elizabethtown College Professor of Engineering, Dr. Kurt DeGoede has been newly appointed as Etown's Faculty Athletics Representative.

A member of the Etown faculty for 25 years, DeGoede focuses his research on multidisciplinary biomechanics projects, collaborating with local physicians, faculty, and students in the Occupational
Therapy program and Athletics. DeGoede has mentored Engineering research students every summer since 2002. Recently, his students have worked on tools for use in occupational therapy and have explored human performance in sport.

DeGoede, a graduate of Hope College with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics, went on to earn his Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University. DeGoede holds a Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan.

DeGoede teaches courses across the Engineering curriculum from introductory courses for Engineering majors to capstone projects, including a course in experimental biomechanics. In 2010, he developed a study abroad program in West Africa built around collaborative social enterprise projects. Students from across the campus can fulfill a general education requirement in cultural understanding through participation in a two-credit course followed by a two-week site visit. During the site visit the team lives in Pirang Village, amsall village in The Gambia, and explores this window into life and culture in West Africa.

DeGoede got his start in Athletics in 2011, serving  as a mentor to Etown's Cross Country and Track & Field teams, where he often enjoys running with the team at practices. After training with the team for a several years, he went on to complete the 2013 Boston Marathon in just under three hours.