Hail to a pioneering engineer

Before becoming a world-renowned pioneer of rehabilitation engineering, P. Hunter Peckham, MS ’68, PhD ’72, was an unsure college student at Clarkson University.

In May, he returned to the campus in northern New York to accept an honorary doctorate and to address the graduates. He told them the paths they envision might change, often abruptly, but that new challenges lead to new wonders.

“Rest assured, you will encounter uncertainty again and again throughout your lives,” Peckham said. “As uncomfortable as they may be in the moment, I have found that surprises often lead to the greatest gifts.”

Clarkson honored Peckham, a Professor Emeritus of Biomedical Engineering at the Case School of Engineering, for his lifelong commitment to rehabilitation research benefitting people with spinal cord injuries as well as for his leadership in the biomedical and rehabilitation engineering community.

As founder and executive director of the Cleveland Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) Center, Peckham pioneered neuroprostheses, helping restore sensation in the arms and legs of paralyzed individuals. Known worldwide for his research, he is the recipient of some of CWRU’s most prestigious awards — including the Hovorka Prize and the title of Distinguished University Professor.

In his commencement address, Peckham described his plans to pursue a doctorate in fluid dynamics. A new vision emerged at Case Institute of Technology, where he joined researchers who believed they could restore movement with electric stimulation.

“This idea of using electrical current inside the body to move muscles in precise ways sounded more like science fiction than scholarship,” he said. “No road map existed.”

His early discoveries serve as a foundation for work that continues to expand and enhance lives.

Peckham, who continues to do research at Case, encouraged the graduates to embrace ambiguity, take chances, and pursue a path that excites them.