Sara A. Harper, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Kinesiology, College of Education, Sport & Human Sciences, The University of Alabama in Huntsville

I study why people fall on stairs and what changes to the built environment prevent it. My work combines exercise physiology, biomechanics, and human factors, with a focus on older adults and people living with low vision. The HARPER Laboratory uses motion capture, instrumented stairs, eye tracking, and augmented reality to test which design changes actually work, with the intent of carrying findings into building codes and standard proposals.

I chaired the 2026 Slips, Trips and Falls International Conference, held at UAH in June 2026 and endorsed by the International Ergonomics Association. My current work is supported by a National Institute on Aging Extramural Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program award for evaluating stairway designs for individuals with vision impairment.

My research appears in the Journal of Ergonomics, Gait & Posture, Frontiers in Aging, Journal of Safety Research, Comprehensive Physiology, Brain Sciences, and Experimental Gerontology.

I teach kinesiology at UAH and mentor undergraduate and graduate researchers through RCEU projects, senior design, and thesis work. I also teach older adults directly through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.

I consult and serve as a human factors expert witness in stair fall and walking surface cases.

My Motivation

Who has influenced you most in how you approach your work?

My late Grandmother’s passion for life and mantra, ‘always keep moving’.