Research conducted by SPU alumna Leah Bouterse (BS Physiology '17) and Professor of Biology Cara Wall-Scheffler has uncovered significant differences in human walking speeds in groups and when carrying children. Comparisons of populations in the United States and in Uganda revealed that these differences are dependent upon cultural and environmental conditions. The study, "Children are not like other loads: a cross-cultural perspective on the influence of burdens and companionship on human walking", was published in the peer-reviewed journal
PeerJ on September 12, 2018. This study has garnered national attention, including coverage in
The New York Times.
Posted: Wednesday, September 19, 2018