September 5, 1953 - July 30, 2014. Membership awarded posthumously.

At the time of her passing, Dr. Case-Smith was Professor and Director of the Program in Occupational Therapy in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Medicine at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. A highly regarded educator, Dr. Case-Smith was co-editor and author of a widely adopted textbook: Occupational Therapy with Children, now in its seventh edition.

Jane Case-Smith was considered one of the nation's foremost experts in pediatric occupational therapy and rehabilitation. She studied, wrote, and lectured on a broad range of topics such as early intervention, autism spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy, movement therapy, and home-based services. She was also a respected clinical scientist, and had extensive experience as a grant reviewer for federal agencies and charitable foundations. At the time of her passing, she was principal investigator on two NIH-funded studies.  

In 2001, Dr. Case-Smith was the recipient of the AOTF A. Jean Ayres award.  From 2008 - 2011, she was the chief editor of OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health, AOTF's research journal.  (Retrieved on February 25, 2015 from AOTF Mourns Passing of Dr. Jane Case-Smith.pdf)

An OTJR article (Roll, Darragh, O'Brien, and Fisher, 2014) celebrated Dr. Case-Smith's life and expounded on her outstanding contributions to occupational therapy as researcher, clinical practitioner, and educator.

Dr. Case-Smith is one of the 100 Influential People in Occupational Therapy named by AOTA.

Selected References

Case-Smith, J & O'Brien, JC. (Eds.).  (2015). Occupational therapy for children and Adolescents. (7th Ed.).  St Louis, Mo: Mosby/Elsevier.

Case-Smith, J, Frolek Clark, GJ & Schlabach, T. L. (2013). Systematic review of interventions used in occupational therapy to promote motor performance for children ages birth-5 years. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 67, 413-424.  

Case-Smith, J, Weaver, L & Holland T. (2014). Effects of a classroom-embeddedoccupational therapist-teacher handwriting program for first-grade students. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68, 690-698.

DeLuca, SC, Case-Smith, J, Stevenson, R & Ramey SL.  (2012). Constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) for young children with cerebral palsy: effects of therapeutic dosage.  Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine, 5, 133-142.

Roll, SC, Darragh, AR, O'Brien, JC & Fisher, TF. (2014).  In Memoriam: Jane Douglas Case-Smith (September 5, 1953 - July 30, 2014). OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health, 34, 171-175.

Dr. Mann is Distinguished Professor and Chair of Occupational Therapy, Director of the PhD Program in Rehabilitation Science at the University of Florida (UF), Gainesville, Florida, and Director of the UF Center for Telehealth and Healthcare Communications.  Dr. Mann also serves as Director of the VA Center of Innovation on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (CINDRR) at the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System, Gainesville, Florida. His research and rehabilitation experience extends internationally to collaborations in Canada, Europe and Brazil and Australia. Dr. Mann has over 35 years of experience in rehabilitation and community-based programs, spanning research, service and education, with a focus on applying technology to promote independence. Dr. Mann's current work addresses the needs of veterans with disabilities, applying home monitoring and communications technologies (telehealth, telerehabilitation) addressing the needs of Veterans with dementia and their caregivers, and tools for driver assessment and rehabilitation.  (Retrieved on July 1, 2015 from http://ot.phhp.ufl.edu/about/people/faculty/william-mann/) Dr. Mann was founder of the journal Technology and Disability and served as co-editor from 1990 to 2000.

REFERENCES

Belchior, P, Marsiske, M, Sisco, SM, Yam, A, Bavelier, D, Ball, K & Mann WC.  (2013). Video game training to improve selective visual attention in older adults. Computers in Human Behavior, 29, 1318-1324.

Davenport, RD, Mann, W & Lutz B. (2012). How older adults make decisions regarding smart technology: an ethnographic approach. Assistive Technology, 24, 168-181.

Gitlin, LN, Mann, WC, Vogel. WB & Arthur PB.  (2013 Sep 23). A non-pharmacologic approach to address challenging behaviors of Veterans with dementia: description of the tailored activity program-VA randomized trial. BMC Geriatrics, 2013 Sep 23;13:96. doi: 10.1186/1471-2318-13-96. 

Dr. Carey heads the Neurorehabilitation and Recovery research group in the Stroke Division, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health and is Professor of Occupational Therapy, School of Allied Health, La Trobe University in Australia. Dr. Carey's research program focuses on stroke rehabilitation and recovery: in particular how the brain adapts and how we might harness that potential in rehabilitation. She uses tools such as MRI to investigate changes in the brain and how this knowledge may be used to better understand recovery and target rehabilitation most optimally to individual stroke survivors. Research includes the impact of depression and cognition on stroke recovery. An important focus has been to translate these discoveries into clinical practice and better outcomes for stroke survivors.  (Retrieved on February 5, 2015 from   http://www.florey.edu.au/about-florey/our-people/staff-directory/39/leeanne-carey.)   

Q and A

Identify three words that others have used to describe you.
Visionary, dedicated, collaborative.

How do you hope to make a difference in the world through research?
I hope to harness real world drivers of neural plasticity to help stroke survivors realise their full potential.
I also hope to grow research-clinicians and research capacity in occupational therapy.

What is one piece of advice you have for individuals considering a career in science and research?
Go for it! If you have a question and a passion then seek an active research environment with strong supervisory team and make it happen! The benefits for you, your clients and our profession are immeasurable.

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 occupational therapists should be leading the way in conducting research that creates the right environment for healing and realising one's full potential.

Describe the most important role that mentors played in your professional journey.
Belief and challenge that help open the door to new perspectives and opportunities.

Identify a favorite occupation that renews you outside of your work.
Spending time with friends, family and colleagues who are also friends.

What has been the most surprising or rewarding aspects of a career in science and research?
Learning something new from each participant and student I work with, and seeing the difference new discoveries can make to the lives of people who have experienced brain injury.

Selected References

Carey, LM. (Ed.) (2012). Stroke rehabilitation insights from neuroscience and imaging.  New York: Oxford University Press.

Hubbard, IJ, Carey, LM, Budd, TW & Parsons, MW.   (2014). Reorganizing Therapy: Changing the Clinical Approach to Upper Limb Recovery Post-Stroke.  Occupational Therapy International, 18, 28-35.

Hubbard, IJ, Carey, LM, Budd, TW, Levi, C, McElduff, P, Hudson, S, Bateman, G & Parsons, MW.   (2014). A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effect of Early Upper-Limb Training on Stroke Recovery and Brain Activation. Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair, 19, 1545968314562647. [Epub ahead of print]

Pumpa, LU, Cahill, LS & Carey, LM.  (2015 Jan 23). Somatosensory assessment and treatment after stroke: An evidence-practice gap.  Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, doi: 10.1111/1440-1630.12170. [Epub ahead of print]

Dr. Majnemer is Professor, Director and Associate Dean, School of Physical & Occupational Therapy and an Associate Member of the Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology & Neurosurgery at McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.  Her research interests focus on the developmental, functional and quality of life outcomes of children with disabilities and their determinants. Populations of interest include preterm infants, children with congenital heart defects following open-heart surgery, children with cerebral palsy and developmental delay. She is also examining health service utilization patterns and quality of care in these populations.  (Retrieved on July 1, 20015 from https://www.mcgill.ca/spot/faculty/majnemer)    

Q AND A

Identify three words that others have used to describe you.
Creative; supportive; optimistic.

How do you hope to make a difference in the world through research?
Making a difference in the lives of children with disabilities and their families; by contributing new knowledge that is used to enhance their functioning, participation and well-being. I hope that I also inspire others to pursue academic research careers and be successful in making a difference in their own ways.

What is one piece of advice you have for individuals considering a career in science and research?
Follow your personal passions and interests; your work as an academic should excite you and stimulate you every day. Also, take advantage of the opportunity to work with colleagues within and across disciplines; this will greatly enrich your perspectives and potential for impact.

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?
There are many gaps between our scientific discoveries and the use of this new knowledge by front-line occupational therapists and by consumers and decision-makers within the health care system. Occupational therapy researchers are well positioned to advance the field of knowledge translation and implementation science, so as to ensure that practices and policies are evidence-based and in line with best practices.

Describe the most important role that mentors played in your professional journey.  
Recognizing the importance and value of mentorship at all levels of your career trajectory; seeking out mentors to serve as role models that can guide you, and in turn, mentoring others that can benefit from your experiences and successes.

Identify a favorite occupation that renews you outside of your work.
I am fortunate to travel extensively, both as part of my academic work and also with my husband as part of leisure activities. These opportunities allow me to disconnect from the day to day occupations, enabling me to reflect on work and on life. These varied experiences continue to enrich my views and also energize and inspire me.

What has been the most surprising or rewarding aspects of a career in science and research?
The dedication and successes of my colleagues at the School of Physical & Occupational Therapy at McGill University is truly inspiring. I take tremendous pride in all that we have achieved together as a faculty, and I am honored to be their Director. My personal career achievements have been greatly facilitated by the incredible support of my husband and two daughters.

REFERENCES

Cavello, S, Majnemer, A, Duffy, CM & Ehrmann Feldman, D.  (2015). Participation in leisure activities by children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.  Journal of Rheumatology, 2015 Jun 15. pii: jrheum.140844. [Epub ahead of print]

Majnemer, A, Shikako-Thomas, K, Lach, L, Shevell, M, Law, M & Schmitz, N.The QUALAGroup.  (2013). Mastery motivation in adolescents with cerebral palsy. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 34, 384-392.

Solaski, M, Majnemer, A & Oskoui, M. (2014).  Contribution of socio-economic status on the prevalence of cerebral palsy: a systematic search and review. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 56, 1043-1051.

Dr. Bundy is Chair of Occupational Therapy in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Sydney. For 3 decades, she has conducted research into children's play and is recognised as an expert internationally. She is best known for developing theory and research in play with children who have disabilities and in sensory integration. She has a strong interest in the everyday lives of children with disabilities   (Retrieved on Dec 19, 2014 from http://sydney.edu.au/health-sciences/about/people/profiles/anita.bundy.php.)     

Q and A

Identify three words that others have used to describe you.
Creative, persistent, playful.

How do you hope to make a difference in the world through research?
A lot of my research has been into children's play--often considered a "second class occupation". I hope that my work helps therapists and others to understand the importance of play and to promote it actively and unabashedly.

What is one piece of advice you have for individuals considering a career in science and research?
Do work that you are passionate about and develop a very thick skin.

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 research testing interventions is among the most important work we have yet to do.

Describe the most important role that mentors played in your professional journey.
Mentors have asked the hard questions--the ones that make me ponder for weeks and sometimes years.

Identify a favorite occupation that renews you outside of your work.
There are several: cooking, gardening, playing the flute, hiking, biking.

What has been the most surprising or rewarding aspects of a career in science and research?
I always thought I would hate doing research and then I discovered that it was like a giant puzzle; you find one piece and it leads to the next.

Selected References

Bundy, AC, Kolrosova, J, Paguinto, SG, Bray, P, Swain, B, Wallen, M & Engelen, L. (2011). Comparing the effectiveness of a parent group intervention with child-based intervention for promoting playfulness in children with disabilities. The Israeli Journal of Occupational Therapy, 20, E95-E113.

Bundy, AC, Waugh, K & Brentnall, J. (2009). Developing assessments that account for the role of the environment: an example using the Test of Playfulness and Test of Environmental Supportiveness. OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health, 29, 135-143.

Hill, C. & Bundy, AC. (2014).  Reliability and validity of a new instrument to measure tolerance of everyday risk for children. Child Care, Health and Development, 40, 68-76.