Sydney Peterson: From Slopes to Lab, Balancing Paralympic Dreams and Neuroscience PhD
A Champion's Dual Pursuit
U.S. Paralympic Ski Team member Sydney Peterson is preparing for the 2026 Winter Paralympics while simultaneously pursuing a PhD in neuroscience at the University of Utah. Her research focuses on movement disorders, a field connected to her own neurological condition.
Peterson, 23, began cross-country skiing at age five.
Personal Connection to Research
She has dystonia, a condition causing involuntary muscle contractions in her left arm and leg, leading her to ski with a single pole. Skiing initially served as physical therapy for her symptoms, which worsened in college.
The Lab and the Slopes
As a multi-medal Paralympian from the 2022 Beijing Games, Peterson splits her time between daily ski training and laboratory work. In the lab, she conducts experiments using fruit flies to test the efficacy of different drugs on genetic movement disorders. These experiments involve FDA-approved medications, some of which Peterson has used herself.
Future Focus and Broader Impact
Peterson states that balancing competitive skiing and graduate school provides mutual benefits, allowing her to shift focus when facing challenges in one area.
While she acknowledges the benefits of research, she plans for a career in clinical research but not directly on her own condition, seeking a broader positive impact on patients' lives. She is currently focused on training for several Paralympic ski events in Italy.