New Exhibit at Heinz History Center Showcases Pitt’s Rory Cooper

October 18, 2024

Rory Cooper, Distinguished Professor of Rehabilitation Science and Technology, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, is featured in a new exhibit at the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, located within the Heinz History Center.

The exhibit celebrates Cooper’s achievements in the world of adaptive sports and technology. It includes the racing handcycle and helmet he used to win the 2009 Pittsburgh marathon. Alongside these items, the exhibit offers pictures and text that take a deeper look into Cooper’s multifaceted career as a professor, inventor, Paralympian and disability advocate.

In addition to his sporting achievements, the display highlights Cooper’s founding of the Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL) at the University of Pittsburgh in 1994. Since then, HERL has pioneered cutting-edge research, prototyping, and design and technologies that enhance the health and mobility of people with disabilities and older adults.

photos courtesy of Agustin Urioste