Dr. Kristie Patten is Counselor to the President at NYU, overseeing the strategic priorities of the president and university-wide initiatives. She is a professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy, having previously served as Department Chair and Vice Dean of Academic Affairs at NYU Steinhardt. Her research has focused on shifting the paradigm from a deficit-based to a strength-based or neurodiversity-affirming perspective in the field of autism. She is the principal investigator of the NEST project, funded by New York City Public Schools, the largest inclusion program in the country. The research of her lab has been funded by the National Science Foundation continuously for the last 9 years, which has focused on prioritizing autistic interests in maker clubs. She founded the NYU Connections Program, which supports autistic students, and her most recent NSF work, "Making Mentors," teaches autistic college students how to mentor autistic high school students in STEAM fields. She was awarded and delivered the Eleanor Clark Slagle Lecture in 2022. 

Dr. Parush is Senior Lecturer and Chairperson, Graduate Program, School of Occupational Therapy, Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.  Her research interests are in developmental delays in pediatrics; early detection of children with developmental delays and preventive intervention. Sensory processing/modulation disorder, school function of children with special needs; developmental coordination disorder (DCD); and dyspraxia.  (Retrieved on August 7, 2015 from http://www.huji.ac.il/dataj/controller/ihoker/MOP-DEPARTMENT_DESCRIPTION_LINK?department_no=000486.)

Q AND A

Identify three words that others have used to describe you.
Dedicated, out-of-the-box thinker, leader.

How do you hope to make a difference in the world through research?

• Executing quality research.
• Educating professionals to consume and integrate research in their work to further evidence-based practice.
• Publish, publish, publish!!!   

What is one piece of advice you have for individuals considering a career in science and research?
If you decide on a career in research, never compromise on the research methodology and conduct only the highest quality research to enable the research to be published in high impact scientific journals.

Beside your own areas of inquiry, what is one research priority that you believe is important for the future of occupational science and occupational therapy?
Technology.

Describe the most important role that mentors played in your professional journey.
The use of valid and reliable measures in addition to the traditional tools of occupational therapy.

Identify a favorite occupation that renews you outside of your work.
Reading for leisure.

What has been the most surprising or rewarding aspects of a career in science and research?
When analyzing the research data discovering that you are not always "proving the obvious" which makes it a real learning experience!!!

REFERENCES

Mazor-Karsenty, T, Parush, S, Bonneh, Y & Shalev L.  (2015). Comparing the executive attention of adult females with ADHD to that of females with sensory modulation disorder (SMD) under aversive and non-aversive auditory conditions. Research in Developmental Disability, 37, 17-30.

Rihtman, T & Parush, S.  (2014). Suitability of the Miller Function and Participation Scales (M-FUN) for use with Israeli children. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68, e1-e12. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2014.008573.

Tal-Saban, M, Ornoy, A & Parush S.  (2014). Young adults with developmental coordination disorder: a longitudinal study. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68, 307-316.

Dr. Pfeiffer is an associate professor in the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA, and the director of the Research, Engagement, and Advocacy for Community Participation and Health (REACH) Lab. Her research focuses on the development of interventions and outcome measures to support engagement in meaningful activities in the community for transitional-age youth and young adults with ASD and/or IDD.

In all aspects of her work in the REACH lab, she is committed to engaging stakeholders/community partners in research planning and decision-making. Dr. Pfeiffer teaches research in the post-professional and entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate program and mentors PhD students. She continues her clinical practice in pediatrics.

Roberta Gittens Pineda, PhD, OTR/L, CNT, Associate Professor, Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California Los Angeles, Calif.

Dr. Roberta Pineda is a tenured Associate Professor and Director of the NICU Laboratory within the Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at the University of Southern California. She is also a founder and co-chair of the Neonatal Therapy Certification Board. Dr. Pineda’s impactful research program investigates factors that support or impede the function of infants born prematurely with a long-term goal of developing strategies and interventions that can optimize neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Over the past decade, she has received $7 million in grant funding to support the development and implementation of several innovative programs, assessments, and products that have revolutionized key aspects of the NICU environment, including an evidence-based multimodal program that facilitates positive sensory exposures in the NICU, a standardized neonatal feeding outcome measure, a new bottle technology that paces the timing of food intake, and a community-based program that addresses gaps in therapy services associated with the transition from NICU to home, especially among populations with known health disparities.

Dr. Polatajko is Professor, Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy,  University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, as well as cross appointments in the Graduate Department of Rehabilitation Science,  the Dalla Lana School of Public Health and the University of Toronto Neuroscience Program (UTNP). Her research interests are focused on occupation and its enablement. Her specific emphasis on the enablement of children with Developmental Coordination Disorder has led to the development of a new approach to enhancing performance, the Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP), a cognitive-based treatment approach that enables clients with performance problems to reach their occupational goals.  (Retrieved on August 10, 2015 from http://www.ot.utoronto.ca/faculty/faculty_directory/polatajko_h.asp.)

Dr. Polatajko was the recipient of the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists, 1992 Muriel Driver Memorial lectureship Award.  From 2004 - 2007, she was the editor of AOTF's research journal, OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health and is now serving on the AOTF Scientific Advisory Council (SAC).  In addition, Dr. Polatajko is currently the editor-in chief of the Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy.

Q AND A

Identify three words that others have used to describe you.  
Scholar, generous, visionary.

How do you hope to make a difference in the world through research?
Dare to ask the important questions, be rigorous in the scholarship and be opened to the data--whether  the findings are popular or not! – Pursue questions that will push forward out understanding - open new doors to improving occupational performance and engagement for all

What is one piece of advice you have for individuals considering a career in science and research?
Have a passion for your questions – and be open to ANY answer – as long as it is found through solid scholarship – know that the best outcome of any study is the elucidation of the next important question

Beside your own areas of inquiry, what is one research priority that you believe is important for the future of occupational science and occupational therapy?
The neuroscience of meaningful occupational engagement – explicit evidence that occupational engagement is a protective factor!

Describe the most important role that mentors played in your professional journey.
Helping me stay focused and understand the progression of a truly scholarly career.

Identify a favorite occupation that renews you outside of your work.
I don’t really have one – my work (teaching and research) is my favorite occupation.

What has been the most surprising or rewarding aspects of a career in science and research?
The most surprising is the impact my work has had – the most rewarding is seeing my work improve the lives of children

REFERENCES

Polatajko, HJ. (1992). 1992 Muriel Driver Lecture: Naming and framing occupational therapy: a lecture dedicated to the life of Nancy B. The Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 59, 189-200.

Cantin, N, Ryan, J & Polatajko, HJ.  (2014). Impact of task difficulty and motor ability on visual-motor task performance of children with and without developmental coordination disorder. Human Movement Science, 34, 217-232.

Dawson, DR, Binns, MA, Hunt, A, Lemsky, C & Polatajko, HJ.  (12013). Occupation-based strategy training for adults with traumatic brain injury: a pilot study. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 94, 1959-1963.

Ng, EM, Polatajko, HJ, Marziali, E, Hunt, A & Dawson DR.  (2013). Telerehabilitation for addressing executive dysfunction after traumatic brain injury. Brain Injury, 27, 548-564.

Dr. Poole is Professor, Occupational Therapy Graduate Program, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico.  Dr. Poole's research interest is in scleroderma and the functional impact of the disease on tasks of daily living, oral hygiene, parenting and employment.  She has conducted a number of studies examining rehabilitation interventions with people with scleroderma and, with a colleague, is developed a self-management program for persons with scleroderma.  She has also authored several textbook chapters on rehabilitation for persons with scleroderma.  (Retrieved on August 11, 2015 from http://www.occupationaltherapy.com/articles/occupational-therapy-and-scleroderma-systemic-2321.)

Q AND A

Identify three words that others have used to describe you.
Astute, generous, adaptable.
 
How do you hope to make a difference in the world through research?
I hope my research will stand the test of time, and become absorbed in the literature  to provide evidence that occupational therapy is a necessary and effective intervention.

What is one piece of advice you have for individuals considering a career in science and research?
Find an experienced and accomplished mentor.

Beside your own areas of inquiry, what is one research priority that you believe is important for the future of occupational science and occupational therapy?
Studies on the effectiveness of occupational therapy interventions and dissemination beyond occupational therapy literature.

Describe the most important role that mentors played in your professional journey.  
I think the most important thing I learned from my mentor is that the mentoring relationship is two-sided.  While I expected her to share her wealth of knowledge and experience with me, provide advice, timely feedback and support, I had to hold myself accountable and do my part to meet timelines, be open to feedback and suggestions, and follow through with goals we established.  She also provided me with useful contacts and recommended me for different volunteer positions and committees.

Identify a favorite occupation that renews you outside of your work.
I love to swim laps in an outdoor pool.  Luckily in New Mexico, I can swim outside about 5 months out of the year.

What has been the most surprising or rewarding aspects of a career in science and research?
I very surprised to find so many wonderful people who were willing to participate and help me in my research and that they thanked me for caring about how the condition affects their lives.  Since I work with people with a rare disease, my research is often done online, or through phone interview and surveys.  It is very rewarding to actually meet them at a local or national conferences.  

REFERENCES

Poole, JL, Gashytewa, C & Sullivan AT.  (2015). Activity limitations, participation, and quality of life in American Indians with and without diabetes. Occupational Therapy in Health Care. 2015 May 28. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 26020568.

Poole, JL, Chandrasekaran, A, Hildebrand, K & Skipper B.  (2015). Participation in life situations by persons with systemic sclerosis. Disability and Rehabilitation, 37, 842-845.

Poole, JL, Hare, KS, Turner-Montez, S, Mendelson, C & Skipper, B.  (2014). Mothers with chronic disease: a comparison of parenting in mothers with systemic sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosus. OTJR; Occupation, participation and Health, 34, 12-19.

Elizabeth Pyatak’s original and impactful research program focuses on the development, implementation, and assessment of innovative occupational therapy interventions that enhance the health, well-being, and quality of life of individuals with chronic conditions such as diabetes, particularly among medically underserved and at-risk populations.  By grounding her pioneering lifestyle interventions on the findings of her qualitative inquiries on the day-to-day issues of underserved populations living with diabetes, Dr. Pyatak has transformed how the field of occupational therapy approaches the management of medically complex chronic conditions by addressing not only the therapeutic needs of clients, but also the broader social contexts that contribute to their conditions.  She currently serves as Principal Investigator on two NIH R01 awards totaling over $6.7 million, has published 39 peer-reviewed articles in high impact journals, and has provided over 70 invited and refereed presentations to international, national, and regional audiences.
 

1916-2012

Dr. Reilly was among the first three individuals inducted into the AOTF Academy of Research in 1983.  The other two were A. Jean Ayres, PhD, OTR, FAOTA and Elizabeth J. Yerxa, EdD, OTR/L, FAOTA, her California colleagues.  Dr. Reilly was on the faculty of the Occupational Therapy Department of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles California.  "In the 1960's, [she] redesigned the USC's master's program in occupational therapy around core theoretical and philosophical knowledge rather than merely technical skills," (Clark, 2012, p. 16).  She retired from USC in 1978 and was named Emeritus Professor.  

Many people are familiar with this quote from Dr. Reilly's 1962 Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lecture:

• Man through the use of his hands as they are energized by mind and will, can influence the state of his own health. (Reilly, 1962, p. 2).

Florence Clark, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA wrote:

• The quote encapsulates what Dr. Reilly became internationally renowned for in the 1960's and 1970"s: developing a frame of reference for occupational behavior that described the biopsychosocial nature of man through the occupations of work, play, and self-care. (Clark, 2012, p. 16).

Linda Florey, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA wrote:

• Dr. Reilly is responsible for the rich resources occupational therapy now possesses in the areas of play, occupation, work, and the work-play continuum otherwise known as "occupational behavior". She did not do all of the work herself but skillfully directed and influenced a cadre of over 90 occupational therapy students pursuing graduate degrees at the University of Southern California. These students moved around the country and seeded practice, education, and organizational leadership in their areas. (Florey, 2012).

Dr. Reilly read in many disciplines and some books from her remaining library are part of the "Mary Reilly Collection" in the Wilma L. West Library.

REFERENCES

Clark, F.  (2012 Spring). Remembering Mary Reilly: an iconoclast, visionary and friend.  USC Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy Newsletter, 14-16.

Florey, L.  (2012), In memoriam: Mary Reilly.  California Foundation for Occupational Therapy Yearly Newsletter.     

Reilly, M.  (1962). Occupational therapy can be one of the greatest ideas of 20th century medicine.  1961 Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lecture. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 16, 1-9.

Reilly, M.  (1969). The Educational Process. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 23, 299-307.

Reilly, M (Ed.). (1974). Play as exploratory learning: Studies of curiosity behavior. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications.

Reilly, M.  (1977). A response to: Defining Occupational Therapy: The meaning of therapy and the virtues of occupation. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 31, 673-674.

Dr. Reistetter is Professor and Associate Dean for Research in the School of Health Professions at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in San Antonio (as of January 2019). He is widely recognized for his leadership in health services research within rehabilitation in general, and in occupational therapy specifically. Through Dr. Reistetter’s K12, K01, and subsequently his currently funded Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality R01, he has brought the discussion of how to measure rehabilitation geographic regions to the forefront. Specifically, he is translating methodology from the hospital-centric research conducted at Dartmouth College and implementing these approaches to a rehabilitation context to define rehabilitation geographic services areas. Prior to Dr. Reistetter’s seminal work, any researchers examining geographic variations in rehabilitation quality of care were limited to the hospital-based regions, called Hospital Service Areas, even if they did not adequately reflect the context and environment in which rehabilitation was provided across the country, as this was the accepted approach. Thus, it has been Tim’s work, which has focused on developing and evaluating Rehabilitation Service Areas that has provided health services researchers with the necessary tools to effectively measure variations in service delivery, access, and quality. 

Selected References

Reistetter, TA, Chang, PJ, & Abreu, BC (2009) Showering habits: Time, steps, and products used after brain injury. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 63, 5, 641-645.

Reistetter, TA, Graham, JE, Deutsch, A, Markello, S, Granger, CV, & Ottenbacher, KJ (2010) Utility of functional status for classifying community versus institutional discharges following inpatient rehabilitation for stroke. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 91, 345-350.

Reistetter, TA, Graham, JE, Deutsch, A, Markello, S, Granger, CV, & Ottenbacher, KJ (2011) Age and diabetes comorbidity tier groups influence length of stay, functional status and discharge setting in persons with hip fracture receiving inpatient medical rehabilitation. Diabetes Care, 34, 137-139. 

Ottenbacher, KJ, Karmarkar, A, Graham, JE, Kuo, YF, Deutsch, A, Reistetter, TA, Al Snih, S, Granger, CV (2014) Thirty-Day hospital readmission following discharge from post-acute inpatient rehabilitation in fee-for-service Medicare patients. JAMA, 31, 6, 604-614. 

Reistetter ,TA, Kuo, YF, Karmarkar, A, Eschbach, K, Srinivas, T, Freeman, J, Ottenbacher, KJ (2015) Geographic and facility variation in inpatient stroke rehabilitation: multilevel analysis of functional status. Archives of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, 96, 1248-54. 

d. 2017

Dr. Rodger was Professor, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and Director of Research and Education at Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism Spectrum Disorders (Autism CRC).

Her research interests were primarily in the areas of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), top down interventions, Cognitive Orientation for daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP), Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), early intervention, family centred practice and parent education.(http://researchers.uq.edu.au/researcher/133)

Dr. Rodger was the 2011 recipient of the Sylvia Docker Lecture, established in 1964 by Occupational Therapy Australia, to honor Miss Sylvia Docker who established the first training school for Occupational Therapists in Sydney in 1941. The purpose of the lecture is to encourage occupational therapists in their professional careers and to honor those who have outstanding contributions to occupational therapy. (Retrieved on September 20, 2015 from http://www.otaus.com.au/about/association-awards/award-winners.)  

Dr. Rodger received Australia's Freda Jacob Award in 2014 which acknowledges occupational therapists who contribute significantly to the profession with their vision, advocacy, and innovation.
 

Q AND A

Identify three words that others have used to describe you.
Visionary, persistent and determined, innovative.

How do you hope to make a difference in the world through research?
My research to date has focused on real world issues and real world solutions, such as through leadership in scholarship and capacity building our emerging academic leaders and researching effective mechanisms to address this challenge. My future clinical research will focus on making a difference to the lives of Australians with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) through the establishment of a Cooperative Research Centre (CRC). As CEO I will have the capacity to shape the national research agenda of the CRC over the next 8 years to be coordinated, relevant, end user focused, and embedded into the health, education ,community service sectors. and to ensure that we tackle the real world issues that are important to our end users.

What is one piece of advice you have for individuals considering a career in science and research?
You will be surprised what doors can be opened for you. In my experience by being open to opportunities, there are possibilities to make the most of situations. Mentors have provided me many opportunities and they have been astounding. You don't always know what the outcome will be but sometimes you have trust the journey (not just the destination). While it is good to be strategic and plan your future, there are times where serendipity and opportunities present themselves, so take risks and have a go! If someone opens a door for you and provides you an opportunity, seize it even if you don't know where it might lead you. What happens when you go through the door is up to you!

Beside your own areas of inquiry, what is one research priority that you believe is important for the future of occupational science and occupational therapy?
Establishing how and why occupation makes such a difference in people's lives, how it is health giving and nurturing; how its absence or limitations impacts negatively on health and well-being. I have a sense that many people (outside of OT) are beginning to see that doing, activities and being engaged in life situations are health giving. This is the essence of OT and something we need to research and develop the evidence base for, namely the engagement in purposeful and meaningful occupation. Finding the right tools, methodologies and evaluation strategies remains critical to this agenda. Much has been done but so much more is still needed, so that we can provide solid evidence for the most crucial theoretical underpinnings of our profession.

Describe the most important role that mentors played in your professional journey.
In my professional career I have been fortunate to have had access to and support from different mentors. At different stages of my career, I have needed different mentors - the right person for the right time. But some have hung in with me for a long time! Don't be afraid to ask someone really senior within the profession nationally or internationally for help or advice. My experience is that these people are extremely generous and they are keen to share their tips and mistakes with you and to assist with the development of the next generation of researchers. No one has ever turned a call for help down in my experience, so be brave and ask!

Identify a favorite occupation that renews you outside of your work.
Recently my husband and I have become dog owners thanks to our son who bought a Border Collie puppy two years ago. She has introduced us to dog parks, off-leash areas and the joys of talking to other dog owners as we walk. People stop and talk to you when you have a dog! It has been life changing! Dogs always love to see you no matter how bad your day has been, they just love to see you when you get home!

What has been the most surprising or rewarding aspects of a career in science and research?
Probably what I have learned from research participants. Any time you think you have it together as a researcher, your participants have another view, that needs to be heard, considered, and often leads to new research directions that we would never have followed had we not listened to what is important to them and what their experiences are. This has often been the most humbling and inspiring of experiences. As researchers it is a privilege that participants trust us enough to engage in our research. We owe them a debt of gratitude and we owe them the respect to listen and learn. Their expertise in their lived experience when we really listen, makes our own pale into insignificance.

REFERENCES

Rodger, S. (2012). Leadership through an occupational lens: Celebrating our territory. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 59, 172-179.

Chien, CW, Rodger, S & Copley, J.  (2015). Development and psychometric evaluation of a new measure for children's participation in hand-use life situations. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 96, 1045-1055.

Kennedy-Behr, A, Rodger, S & Mickan, S.  (2013). A comparison of the play skills of preschool children with and without developmental coordination disorder. OTJR: Occupation, participation and Health, 33, 198-208.  

Rodger, S, Coleman, A, Caine, AM, Chien, CW, Copley, J, Turpin, M & Brown, T.  (2014). Examining the inter-rater and test-retest reliability of the Student Practice Evaluation Form-Revised (SPEF-R) for occupational therapy students.  Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 61, 353-363.

More references.

Dr. Rogers is Professor Emeritus, Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Her research interests include functional assessment, the relationship between pathology, impairment, and disability (activity limitations and participation restrictions) in adults and older adults; and enabling dementia care.  (Retrieved on September 13, 2015 from https://www.shrs.pitt.edu/jcr/.)

In 1982, the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) awarded Dr. Rogers the Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lectureship, its highest academic award and in 1990 AOTA’s Award of Merit.  From 2007 – 2010, Dr. Rogers chaired the newly created AOTA/AOTF Research Advisory Panel.  AOTA and AOTF recognized Dr. Rogers’ longstanding contributions to practice and research with the AOTA/AOTF Presidents' Commendation in Honor of Wilma L. West Award in 2010. Dr. Rogers was named one of the 100 People Who Influenced Occupational Therapy by AOTA.

REFERENCES

Rogers, JC. (1983). Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lectureship, 1983: Clinical reasoning: The ethics, science, and art. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 37, 601-616.

Chisholm, D, Toto, P, Raina, K, Holm, M & Rogers, J.  (2014). Evaluating capacity to live independently and safely in the community: Performance Assessment of Self-care Skills.  British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 77, 59-63.

Leibold, ML, Holm, MB, Raina, KD, Reynolds, CF 3rd & Rogers, JC.  (2014). Activities and adaptation in late-life depression: a qualitative study. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68, 570-577.

Rodakowsk, J, Skidmore, ER, Rogers, JC & Schulz, R.  (2013). Does social support impact depression in caregivers of adults ageing with spinal cord injuries? Clinical Rehabilitation, 27, 565-575.

Dr. Shawn C. Roll is an Associate Professor at the University of Southern California’s Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, where he also directs the PhD in Occupational Science program. Dr. Roll is a licensed occupational therapist, registered sonographer, and occupational scientist who studies the relationships between musculoskeletal conditions of the arms and hands, people’s ability to perform activities and their health outcomes within the workplace. His specialties include using ultrasound to study carpal tunnel syndrome, which affects an estimated 10 million Americans with annual health care costs of $2 billion, funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). He also studies holistic approaches for improving the experience and results of hand therapy. His largest current project, funded by the National Science Foundation, is designing the next generation of intelligent “smart desks” that can automatically learn from, adapt to, and respond to users’ habits and preferences to improve worker health and well-being.

Q&A

Identify three words that others have used to describe you: Attentive, Strategic, Tenacious

How do you hope to make a difference in the world through research? I hope that my research will support long-term, positive changes in workplace environments, work design, and workers’ engagement in their daily activities resulting in workers who are healthier, happier, and able to flourish in their lives. I strive to support this vision by conducting research that illuminates how physical health and mental well-being are shaped by the intersections among the physical, social, and organizational environments with the individual characteristics of workers’ as they engage in daily occupations in the workplace.

What is one piece of advice you have for individuals considering a career in science and research? Build, maintain, and foster relationships. You should identify what you are most passionate about, be persistent, and be resilient, but a scientist cannot conduct robust research in isolation. Instead, building relationships with other scientists and developing interdisciplinary collaborations will both open more opportunities and broaden the impact of the research.

Beside your own areas of inquiry, what is one research priority that you believe is important for the future of occupational science and occupational therapy? Measuring, understanding, and supporting meaningful engagement. While there has been much exploration of engagement and theories developed regarding the importance of how we engage in daily occupations there is limited direct, quantitative examination of engagement relative to the success of preventive, rehabilitative, and habilitative interventions.

Describe the most important role that mentors played in your professional journey: Seeing my potential and creating opportunities to ensure I was able to thrive as a scholar. I wouldn’t be where I am today with the early vision and support of my career from Dr. Jane Case-Smith and the ongoing opportunities created by Dr. Kevin Evans. Each of my mentors were able to vision all of the potential paths that were ahead of me well before I saw them myself, and they engaged me in activities, introduced me to opportunities, and planted seeds of ideas that allowed me to become a successful scientist.

Identify a favorite occupation that renews you outside of your work: Spending quality time with friends and loved ones over a glass of wine, with good food, watching television or movies, at the theater, on a hike, or just sitting in shared silence with each other.

What has been the most surprising or rewarding aspects of a career in science and research? Without a doubt the most rewarding aspect of my career is witnessing the “lightbulb moments” of my students and mentees. I aim to emulate my own mentors, by visioning the opportunities and paths ahead of my individual mentees, and then proving the necessary scaffolding and support to help them travel forward on their own best path. It gives me great joy to see the moments along the way when mentees reach new levels of thought and clarity regarding their ideas and own work that propels them forward on their path.

How have you been involved with AOTF to date? I have been a strong supporter of AOTF’s mission to advance knowledge that supports the work of our profession to ensure people’s successful participation in life. This support began as a student when I joined Pi Theta Epsilon as a lifetime member, and has continued throughout my career by providing financial support to AOTF, attending AOTF events, and submitting/reviewing manuscripts in OTJR, and serving as a mentor for the Summer Institute for Future Scientists.

Dr. Sainburg is a Professor of Kinesiology and Neurology at Penn State University and Penn State College of Medicine, and Director of the Center for Movement Science and Technology (C-MOST) in the Huck Institute of Life Sciences. He manages two laboratories, the Movement Neuroscience laboratory at Penn State University, department of Kinesiology on the main (University Park) campus and the Neurorehabilitation Research Laboratory at Penn State College of Medicine (Hershey), department of Neurology. His research program is fundamentally translational, focusing on understanding basic neural mechanisms that underlie control, coordination, adaptation, and learning of voluntary movements in humans. A major theme of his research has been neural lateralization for motor control. His research in patient populations addresses the functional neuroanatomy underlying lateralized processes of motor control, and the deficits that occur due to neuronal damage to the associated structures. Dr. Sainburg’s research has led to a model of neural lateralization that attributes different aspects of control to each hemisphere, such that each hemisphere contributes unique control mechanisms to both sides of the body. This bi-hemispheric model of motor control has been able to predict hemisphere-specific deficits in both arms of unilaterally lesioned stroke patients. Most importantly, this work has led to a mechanistic understanding of non-paretic arm (ipsilesional) motor deficits in stroke patients. His current research along with Collaborator Carolee Winstein PT PhD at USC is exploring occupational therapy based clinical intervention that uses virtual reality and real-world training to ameliorate these deficits and improve functional independence in stroke patients. 

Q & A

Identify three words that others have used to describe you.
Irreverent, Energetic, Gregarious 

How do you hope to make a difference in the world through research?
I think that in order to achieve the ideal of translational research in rehabilitation for neural diseases and stroke, it is incredibly important to understand the mechanisms that underlie the neurobehavioral functions that are affected by damage and disease. I have tried to follow a logical progression in delineating the lateralized mechanisms of neural control that underlie voluntary motor behavior through combining techniques of biomechanics, neural imaging, computational simulations, and empirical studies in individuals with and without neurological disease and stroke. This has led from basic mechanism to interventions, and has been tremendously satisfying. However, the greatest impact that I have is in mentoring early stage scientists, including students, post-docs, and faculty. 

What is one piece of advice you have for individuals considering a career in science and research?
As with all things in life, the best reason to pursue something is that you cannot not pursue it. That is, if you are so excited to engage in the experience, and you wake up every morning with that excitement about your interests, then the chances are that your choice is very well made. After all, the best work is play.

Beside your own areas of inquiry, what is one research priority that you believe is important for the future of occupational science and occupational therapy?
I think that it is incredibly important to pursue a better understanding of the cognitive-perceptual-motor interface in humans. This very complex interplay between domains of function is the very basis of the occupational performance that OT’s confront every day. No other rehabilitation professional has taken on this interface as the basis of their professional focus. I believe that it is time for OT’s to claim this incredibly important aspect of human performance, and integrate more specific and detailed studies of these domains into professional training. 

Describe the most important role that mentors played in your professional journey. 
The role of mentors in my professional life has been so incredibly important, and continues to be so important, that answering this question is near impossible, except to say that I have been tremendously lucky to have had absolutely fantastic mentors at all stages of my career.
  
Identify a favorite occupation that renews you outside of your work.
Hiking, biking, camping, and traveling with family and friends. This includes but is not limited to sampling the world’s best Belgian ales.

What has been the most surprising or rewarding aspects of a career in science and research?
The great privilege of a life in academics and science is the people that you develop friendships with through research. I have some very strong and deep friendships with scientists over the many years of my career. For those young academicians who may be reading this, cherish your professional friendships. These are the people who you will see and interact with over many years, and who share many of your passions. 

Selected References

Mani S, Mutha PK, Przybyla A, Haaland KY, Good D, Sainburg RL. (2013) Contralesional motor deficits after unilateral stroke reflect hemisphere-specific control mechanisms. Brain 136(Pt 4):1288-303.

Sainburg RL. Convergent Models of Handedness and Brain Lateralization, (2014) Frontiers in Psychology, Movement Science and Sport Psychology 5, 1092-1108.

Schaefer SY, Mutha, PK, Haaland, KY, Sainburg, RL. (2012) Hemispheric specialization for movement control produces dissociable differences in online corrections after stroke. Cerebral Cortex 22, 6, 1407-1419.

Sainburg RL, Frey S, Liew SL, and Clark F. (2017) Promoting the translation between movement science and occupational therapy. J Mot Behav 49(1):1-7. doi: 10.1080/00222895.2016.1271299. 

Sainburg RL, Ghilardi MF, Poizner H, Ghez C. (1995) The control of limb dynamics in normal subjects and patients without proprioception. J Neurophysiol. 73, 2, 820-835.

Dr. Roseann Schaaf is professor and chair in the Department of Occupational Therapy at Thomas Jefferson University, Jefferson College of Health Professions and Faculty at the Farber Institute for Neuroscience at Jefferson. Dr. Schaaf is a translational scientist who has devoted her career to the study of children with autism and other developmental disorders, in particular how processing and integrating sensory information impacts participation in daily occupations. Building on her training as a behavioral neuroscientist, Dr. Schaaf's psychophysiological laboratory was funded by NIH and provided insight into the neurological mechanisms of sensory difficulties in children with autism.

She has received over 35 funded grants totaling $8 million dollars including a recent $4.1 million dollar grant from the NIH to conduct a comparative effectiveness study of occupational therapy using sensory integration. This grant is in collaboration with her colleagues at Einstein Medical College and Queens University and includes a multisensory integration biomarker as an objective outcome measure of neuroplasticity. Roseann has over 70 peer-reviewed journal articles and abstracts, is the author of five books and 13 book chapters and has presented over 150 papers and presentations spanning national and international venues. She is a 2008 recipient of the A. Jean Ayres Research Award and a 1996 recipient of the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching. Dr. Schaaf became an associate editor of OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health in 2017.

Q AND A

Identify three words that others have used to describe you.
Energetic, persistent, optimistic.

How do you hope to make a difference in the world through research?
My work has focused on helping children with autism spectrum disorders and their families participate fully in daily life. The data shows us that one factor limiting full participation in school, community, work and leisure activities for children with autism and their family members is difficulty processing and integrating sensation. Hence, our team studies the neural mechanisms of sensory integration (to gain insight into how better to target our interventions) and the effectiveness of occupational therapy using sensory integration to facilitate functional skills and participation. Through our research we hope to facilitate participation for these children and their families.

What is one piece of advice you have for individuals considering a career in science and research?
Love what you do, surround yourself with competent, positive people, and find a mentor! I guess that is 3 pieces of advice - all equally important.

Beside your own areas of inquiry, what is one research priority that you believe is important for the future of occupational science and occupational therapy?
I believe we must be systematic about implementing and evaluating occupational therapy interventions, measuring outcomes and publishing our work in inter-professional venues. Intervention research (from mechanism to community impact) is important and a priority for occupational science and occupational therapy!

Describe the most important role that mentors played in your professional journey.
I have had many mentors throughout my professional journey as an occupational therapist, educator and now an occupational therapy researcher who kept me focused and helped me to re-focus when things were challenging. The most important role my mentors played is supporting me in so many ways - intellectually, emotionally, and professionally. This kept me going.

Identify a favorite occupation that renews you outside of your work.
I love the outdoors - nature keeps me centered so I like to hike, bike, walk, cross country ski and explore. Currently I am learning to mountain bike and jump over tree roots as I roll through the woods -- yikes!

What has been the most surprising or rewarding aspects of a career in science and research?
Most surprising for me has been the incredible occupational therapists I have had the opportunity to collaborate with in research. They are so committed and passionate and always go above and beyond for the greater good. They are committed to occupational therapy and excited to collaborate in research.

REFERENCES

Schaaf, R.C., Benevides, T., Mailloux, Z., Leiby, B., Kelly, D., Faller, P., Hunt, J., Freeman, R., Sandecki, J., vanHooydonk, E., (2014). An intervention for sensory difficulties in children with Autism: A Randomized Trial. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44 (7), 1493-1506. DOI 10.1007/s10803-013-1983-8. PNID: 24214165

Schaaf, R. C., Burke, J.P., Cohn, E., May-Benson, T.A., Schoen, S.A., Smith Roley, S., Lane, S.J., Parham, L.D., Mailloux, Z. The Issue Is: The State of Measurement in Sensory Integration. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68, e149-e153. Doi:10.5014/ajot.2014.012526

Schaaf, R. C. & Lane, A. (2015). Toward a best-practice protocol for assessment of sensory features in ASD. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 45(5) 1380-1395 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-014-2299-z

Dr. Schneider is Professor, Departments of Kinesiology and Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Her research statement reads:    
Our research program focuses on behavioral and neurobiological effects from fetal alcohol exposure alone or in combination with prenatal stress. We study rhesus monkeys, examining growth and development, learning and memory, and stress reactivity across the life span. We also use state-of-the-art neuroimaging techniques to elucidate possible abnormalities in neural processing. We assess dopamine system function, using positron emission tomography, to determine whether altered DA function might underlie some of the motor, learning, and neuroendocrine outcomes associated with these prenatal treatments. We have recently expanded our nonhuman primate model to examine the neurochemical and developmental basis for sensory regulation disorders and risk factors for excessive alcohol consumption in adulthood. Our work is funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (Retrieved on September 16, 215 from https://www.waisman.wisc.edu/pi-Schneider-Mary.htm.)

Q AND A

How do you hope to make a difference in the world through research?
I think that making a difference in the world is a tall order. I developed the only existing primate model for the study of prenatal alcohol exposure, prenatal stress, and sensory processing disorder, conditions highly relevant to occupational therapy practice.  I hope that my work will contribute to detailed understandings of brain pathways and neuroadaptations regulated by dopamine and serotonin -- understandings that will potentially aid in the development of new targets for prevention and interventions. My work is designed to address a fundamental gap in understanding how prenatal conditions and genotype induce mental health and alcohol disorders.

What is one piece of advice you have for individuals considering a career in science and research?
Find the best mentor  —  someone who is doing what you would like to do someday and spend as much time shadowing/volunteering with this person as feasible.

Beside your own areas of inquiry, what is one research priority that you believe is important for the future of occupational science and occupational therapy?
Intervention research with cutting edge assessments, including state-of-the-art brain neuroimaging. Investigate how certain genotypes interact with intervention outcomes, such that some individuals respond better than others. Tailor the intervention to the genotype and brain function.
 
Describe the most important role that mentors played in your professional journey.  
Mentors are critical.  Ginny Scardina was my first mentor -- she was an extraordinary OT/human being. She taught me so much and inspired me for life.  

Identify a favorite occupation that renews you outside of your work.
Meditation and mindfulness is the most important occupation in my life.
 
What has been the most surprising or rewarding aspects of a career in science and research?
The people I have met have been extraordinary. I have made lifelong friends within the context of pursuing research and science.

REFERENCES

Converse, AK, Moore, CF, Holden, JE, Ahlers, EO, Moirano, JM, Larson, JA, Resch, LM, DeJesus, OT, Barnhart, TE, Nickles, RJ, Murali, D, Christian, BT & Schneider, ML.  (2014). Moderate-level prenatal alcohol exposure induces sex differences in dopamine d1 receptor binding in adult rhesus monkeys.  Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 38, 2934-2943.

Schneider, ML, Larson, JA, Rypstat, CW, Resch, LM, Roberts, A & Moore, CF.  (2013). Moderate-level prenatal alcohol exposure enhances acoustic startle magnitude and disrupts prepulse inhibition in adult rhesus monkeys. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 37, 1729-1736.  

Wooten, DW, Hillmer, AT, Murali, D, Barnhart, TE, Thio, JP, Bajwa, AK, Bonab, AA, Normandin, MD, Schneider, ML, Mukherjee, J & Christian, BT.  (2014). Initial in vivo PET imaging of 5-HT1A receptors with 3-[(18)F]mefway.  American Journal of Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging,  4, 483-489.

1937-2018

Dr. Shah was Professor of Occupational Therapy, AT Still University, Mesa, Arizona and a Senior Research Fellow of the Stockton Center on Successful Aging (SCOSA) before his retirement after a fifty-seven year career at the age of 78 years. He passed away on September 6, 2018.

Dr. Shah completed 57 years in four continents as an occupational therapy clinician, private practitioner, educator, chair, researcher, and a mentor. He had the privilege of being the first professor of occupational therapy in England, UK; first professor of OT and a first OT professor of Neurology at the UTHSC, Memphis, a Professor of OT at the A T Still University in Arizona, and a visiting professor of neurorehabilitation at the LMU, Leeds, UK. One of his functional measures, the Modified Barthel Index (MBI) for dependency needs of people with disability, has been translated in numerous languages and is one of the most cited (1207 researchers) research by health professionals. He also granted permission to use the MBI in funded research to Merck & Co (11 nations Hip # trial), Abbott International (23 nations TBI trial), and now Bristol-Meyers-Squibb (Across the Globe pediatric research). Dr. Shah's academic focus has been generating new knowledge (120 peer-reviewed publications), evaluating new knowledge (reviewer of 15 journals and databases), and disseminating emerging trends for practicing therapists (120 peer-reviewed presentations).

Q AND A

Identify three words that others have used to describe you.
Assiduous, Doyen, Resplendent.

How do you hope to make a difference in the world through research?
Tap dormant potential in each individual, instill an attitude to strive higher, and challenge borrowed occupational therapy concepts to make their own distinct impact on quality of life of patients we serve.

What is one piece of advice you have for individuals considering a career in science and research?
Please define your purpose, stay focused, and work hard. Don't be discouraged even if things look insurmountable - be persistent. Do not waste time dichotomizing the intertwined patient care, research and science.

Beside your own areas of inquiry, what is one research priority that you believe is important for the future of occupational science and occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy publications should actively solicit "Letters to the Editor" that challenge proposed concept/s from theorists to maximize scientific impact.

Describe the most important role that mentors played in your professional journey.
The surgeons demonstrated by example the importance of documenting every patient interaction and encouraging converting interactions to generating new knowledge.

Identify a favorite occupation that renews you outside of your work.
Travel with the family that explores environments, exchanges cultural heritages and enhances capacity to participate globally for sensitivity to culture rich differences.

What has been the most surprising or rewarding aspects of a career in science and research?
The openness of medical journal editors to accept novel contributions without prejudice or hidden agenda to explore all research dimensions for interconnectedness and interdependence.

REFERENCES

Shah, S. Tartaro, C., Chew, F., Morris, M. (2013). Rehabilitation efficiency and effectiveness in minimizing dependency in patients with arthritis: Analyses of 3,551 admissions. PRO Newsletter, 50, 16-23.

Cherry, K., Kitchens, K., Nicholson, C., Soden, I., Tomkiewicz, J., Kedia, M., & Shah, S. (2009). Cultural awareness and competency of graduate entry-level OT students. Education: Special Interest Quarterly, 19, 1-4.

Shah, S., Holmes, & Leisman, G. (2007). Performance on figure ground perception following stroke induced hemiplegia: A comparison of pre- and post-rehabilitation with the neurologically unimpaired. International Journal of Neurosciences, 117, 711-31.  

Shah, S., & Muncer, S. A. (2003). Comparison of rehabilitation outcome measures for traumatic brain injury. OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health, 23, 2-9.

Shah, S., Vanclay, F., & Cooper, B. (1992). Stroke rehabilitation: Who benefits? Comparison of medical wards and rehabilitation units. Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, 4, 401-10.

Shah, S., & Bain, C. (1989). Admissions, patterns of utilization and disposition of acute strokes in Brisbane hospitals.  Medical Journal of Australia, 150, 256-260.