October 23, 2025

Laura Baehr doesn’t take long to find the words to describe what motivates her. This young researcher has a wide variety of interests. She earned her dual bachelor’s degrees in dance and neuroscience from Muhlenberg College. She then worked as a research specialist for the University of Pennsylvania studying longitudinal biomarkers of movement disorders and related dementias while teaching Pilates and dance, went on to earn her Doctor of Physical Therapy from Temple University, and then her PhD in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences here at Drexel. It’s a long list of different experiences and studies that all involve one common theme — movement.

“What drives me is how movement is freedom and everyone deserves to have that freedom. I’m fascinated by ways to support people who might have movement limitations to be able to maximize their confidence but also their quality of life through movement,” Baehr said.

Baehr joined Drexel as an assistant professor in June 2024. Her work developing and testing an online seated exercise program for people with spinal cord injuries during her PhD studies alongside Margaret Finley, PhD, interim chair and associate professor in Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, has led, six years later, to a $3.2 million grant from the Department of Defense to complete a randomized controlled trial to determine the program’s effectiveness.

Baehr has also expanded her research scope to other adult populations at risk for chronic conditions due to disability and/or social factors. She recently completed an interdisciplinary assessment alongside Occupational Therapy of a local recreation center to support physical activity of West Philadelphians who are 55 years and older. She will also be implementing an evidence-informed exercise program in 2026 in a Philadelphia community center supporting older adults, funded by the Arthritis Foundation. Throughout all her research, engaging in community is one of Baehr’s favorite aspects, and an important factor for why she chose Drexel for her career.

“A major reason why I wanted to continue to grow my research and teach at Drexel is because of the Philadelphia community and the culture of civic engagement here,” Baehr said.

She wants to share research experiences with students to expand the definition of what health professionals can do in clinical science, particularly those in rehabilitation. Baehr tries to include students who have an interest in research in her work as soon as possible.

“The cutting-edge knowledge students have and the perspective and fresh thought are invaluable to our work. Many of them live in Philadelphia so it’s a practical growth opportunity for them to understand how our work applies to and can affect our city,” she said.

For Baehr, there is nothing more important than helping people through movement.

Whether she’s teaching classes or doing research work in the community, her focus is always on making movement accessible and meaningful. It’s a practical approach with a clear goal: to improve lives by helping people feel stronger and more confident in their bodies.