Celebrating 70 Years of Excellence

For seven decades, the Northwestern University Prosthetics-Orthotics Center (NUPOC) has been at the forefront of education, research and clinical innovation in prosthetics and orthotics. Through groundbreaking discoveries, technologies and exceptional training programs, NUPOC has helped transform the profession and improve the lives of individuals around the world.

Our alumni have played a major role in prosthetics and orthotics research, education and clinical care across the United States and internationally. Many of the field's most respected research programs are led and staffed by NUPOC-trained graduates and postdoctoral fellows, and the majority of prosthetics and orthotics training institutions in the United States have been founded, directed or supported by NUPOC alumni.

As we celebrate 70 years of excellence, we honor the people whose vision, expertise and dedication have shaped NUPOC and extend our heartfelt gratitude to the students, faculty, staff, investigators, alumni, partners and supporters who have been part of our journey. Together, we celebrate NUPOC's legacy while looking ahead to the next 70 years of discovery, innovation and impact.

Our History

The roots of NUPOC trace back to 1945, when leaders in medicine, engineering and rehabilitation gathered at Northwestern University to address the urgent need for improved artificial limbs for World War II veterans. Their vision laid the foundation for a national prosthetics research effort and established Northwestern as a center of innovation in rehabilitation science.

In 1956, the Northwestern University Prosthetics Research Laboratory (NUPRL) was established under the leadership of Clinton Compere, MD. Two years later, in 1958, the Northwestern University Prosthetics-Orthotics Center was founded, becoming one of the nation's earliest and most influential prosthetics education programs. Since then, NUPOC has trained generations of clinicians, educators, investigators and leaders who have helped shape the profession worldwide.

Over the past 70 years, NUPOC faculty and investigators have advanced innovations in prosthetic and orthotic technology, rehabilitation engineering and patient care. From pioneering myoelectric prosthetic systems and rehabilitation engineering research programs to developing new educational models and graduate training pathways, NUPOC has consistently helped define the future of the field.

As we commemorate this milestone, we honor the visionaries who built NUPOC, the alumni who have carried its influence across the globe and the students, faculty and staff who continue to advance its mission.