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Hi, I'm Kayna Hobbs-Murphy!
I am currently seeking a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Occupational Ergonomics and Safety. My dissertation work combines my past experience and education in apparel design with the ergonomics-based study of anthropometry: the size and shape of human beings. I will be using 3D facial scan data to extract and analyze measurements relevant to the fit of cloth face masks and respirators. This work involves scan data from Human Solutions: a company I have worked with in the past for their Size North America survey. For my master's degree (MS in Apparel Design), I conducted research in sportswear for disabled athletes. I worked with a Paralympic Shooting athlete who is set to compete in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. TEDxCSU invited me to give a talk on my work in this area in March 2020. Prior to my graduate studies, I worked in New York City in the high-fashion industry with my Bachelor of Science in Apparel Design from University of Minnesota. I worked as an associate patternmaker for a company called J. Mendel. This work can be seen under the "Fashion" menu on this website. My unique background has been beneficial, in that I served in intern position for summer 2021 with the US Army Development Command Center as a Clothing Design Trainee on their Applied Ergonomics Team. I continue to work with this team in a limited capacity during my semester work. In my work and research, I am interested in the interactions between bodies (of all shapes, sizes, and ability) and wearable items. I strive to conduct meaningful research that provides practical and important solutions (wearable or otherwise) to populations and communities. My graduate work and research have focused on performance, protective equipment, and underserved populations. In my personal life, I have a plethora of hobbies! I enjoy hiking with my two large rescue dogs, making synth music with my nerdy husband, and creating various textile-based art projects. |
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