Dr. Joe Julian

Biography

After completing a medical degree, Joe Julian, MD, underwent nine years of post-doctoral training in neurology, internal medicine, and rehabilitation medicine. He served on the faculties of medical schools including the University of Wisconsin, University of Pittsburgh, and the Medical University of South Carolina, where he specialized in post-acute motor recovery from brain injuries and the clinical implications of neuroplasticity. Joe spent five years living, traveling, and working in Africa, Asia, and Central America, during which he developed rehabilitation programs for landmine victims along the Thai-Cambodian border. His ongoing interest in the brain as a 'creative engine' led to his work on making prosthetics and orthotics from locally available materials. He collaborated with Charles Garoian on a chapter in Garoian's book, 'The Prosthetic Pedagogy of Art', which further fueled his training in sculpture at Penn State University. In 2012, he was awarded an Artist Residence in the School of Visual Arts at PSU, and in 2015, he joined the Arts Design Research Incubator as Lead Investigator in Applied Neuroscience. Joe works collaboratively with faculty from the College of Arts and Architecture as well as other campus faculty on transdisciplinary projects at the intersection of neuroscience, visual arts, performance art, and the workings of the embodied brain and mind.

Research Interests