Dr. Hammel "is Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy and Department of Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois and has been named the Wade/Meyer Endowed Chair in Occupational Therapy. Dr. Hammel is a nationally and internationally recognized leader, scholar and educator in the areas of community living and participation disparities with people with disabilities as well as community-based participatory research."  Retrieved on April 29, 2015 from http://www.ahs.uic.edu/news/title,11430,en.html.)

Q and A

Identify three words that others have used to describe you.
Passionate, Creative, Participatory.

How do you hope to make a difference in the world through research?
I hope to make a difference by doing participatory research with disability communities that can be translated back to and inform communities, rehabilitation professionals and systems, and policy makers about participation disparities people with disabilities face and effective strategies and environmental interventions to respond to and address these disparities and instead create participation opportunities.

What is one piece of advice you have for individuals considering a career in science and research?
Collaborate with a respected mentor(s) and build strong community of learning/scholarship in which you can learn, thrive and be supported and challenged in your scholarship.

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?
Comparative effectiveness studies of interventions related to transitioning across the lifespan (K-12 to post secondary and independent living/work, nursing home to community living and work, transitions to home and community following rehabilitation, and aging in place transitions as an older adult).

Describe the most important role that mentors played in your professional journey.
They have inspired, empowered and critically challenged me at the same time-all of which are critically needed to become a scientist and scholar.  My mentors in the disability community have also grounded me in real life needs and issues from within the community.

Identify a favorite occupation that renews you outside of your work.
Traveling all over the place and meeting lots of different people.

What has been the most surprising or rewarding aspects of a career in science and research?
That research and evidence generated from it (qualitative and quantitative) can really make a difference in people's lives and in changing systems to support participation for many.

Selected References

Hammel, J, Magasi, S, Heinemann, A, Gray, DB, Stark, S, Kisala, P, Carlozzi, NE, Tulsky, D, Garcia, SF & Hahn EA.  (2015). Environmental barriers and supports to everyday participation: a qualitative insider perspective from people with disabilities.  Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 96, 578-588.  

Hammel, J, Southall, K, Jutai, J, Finlayson, M, Kashindi, G & Fok D.  (2013). Evaluating use and outcomes of mobility technology: a multiple stakeholder analysis. Disability and Rehabilitation.  Assistive Technology, 8, 294-304.

Zakrajsek, AG, Hammel, J & Scazzero, JA.  (2014). Supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to participate in their communities through support staff pilot intervention. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities. 27, 154-162.

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.

As of February 1, 2018, Dr. Gitlin is the Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In Her Own Words: Get to Know Laura N. Gitlin, PhD

Drexel University Interview with Dr. Gitlin.

Before moving to Drexel University, Dr. Gitlin was the Isabel Hampton Robb Distinguished Professor in the School of Nursing and and the Director, Center for Innovative Care in Aging at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland with a joint appointment in the School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry.   "Her programs of research include understanding adaptive processes in old age-particularly with the use of assistive devices and environmental modifications-psycho-social-environmental approaches to helping older people with physical frailty age in place, nonpharmacologic approaches to enhancing quality of life of persons with dementia and their family caregivers, mental health disparities in older African Americans and depression treatments, and translating and implementing evidence-based interventions for family caregivers, individuals with dementia, and older adults with functional difficulties."   (Retrieved on April 23, 2015 from http://nursing.jhu.edu/faculty_research/faculty/faculty-directory/community-publichealth/laura-gitlin.)

Selected References

Gitlin, LN, Winter, L & Stanley, IH.  (2015). Compensatory strategies: Prevalence of use and relationship to physical function and well-being. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 2015 Apr 13. pii: 0733464815581479. [Epub ahead of print]

Gitlin, LN, Szanton, SL, Huang, J &Roth, DL.  (2014). Factors mediating the effects of a depression intervention on functional disability in older African Americans. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 62, 2280-2287.  

Gitlin, LN, Mann, WC, Vogel, WB & Arthur PB.  (2013). A non-pharmacologic approach to address challenging behaviors of Veterans with dementia: description of the tailored activity program-VA randomized trial. BioMed Central Geriatrics, 2013 Sep 23;13:96.  doi: 10.1186/1471-2318-13-96. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3852524/

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.

Dr. Gisel is Professor Emerita, School of Physical & Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada.  "Dr. Gisel's research interests are directed toward the assessment and treatment of individuals with neurologically based eating impairments. Studies examining early markers of oral sensory problems in infants with feeding disabilities, as well as the influence of repetitive behaviors on motor development in children with autism spectrum disorders are currently in progress."  (Retrieved on April 28, 2015 from https://www.mcgill.ca/spot/faculty/gisel)

Q and A

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

How do you hope to make a difference in the world through research?
It allows me to give more evidence-based answers to questions of parents of my patients.

What is one piece of advice you have for individuals considering a career in science and research?
If you are uncertain about the treatment approaches we use, it is time to seek these answers through 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?
Multidisciplinary approaches to complex questions.

Describe the most important role that mentors played in your professional journey.
They allowed me to make my own mistakes and to learn from them, but at the same time pointed to future directions of my work.

Identify a favorite occupation that renews you outside of your work.
Classical music.

What has been the most surprising or rewarding aspects of a career in science and research?
The work with students.

Selected References

Francis-Bacz, C, Wood-Dauphinee, S & Gisel, E. (2013). The discriminative validity of the McGill Ingestive Skills Assessment. Physical & Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics, 31, 148-158.  

Fucile, S, McFarland, DH, Gisel, EG & Lau C.  (2012). Oral and nonoral sensorimotorinterventions facilitate suck-swallow-respiration functions and their coordination in preterm infants. Early Human Development, 88, 345-350.

Fucile, S, Gisel, EG, McFarland, DH, & Lau C.  (2011). Oral and non-oral sensorimotorinterventions enhance oral feeding performance in preterm infants. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 53, 829-835.