Dr. Cohen is Professor, Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston.  She is the 2014 recipient of the Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lectureship and delivered her lecture, A career in inquiry, at AOTA's 95th Annual Conference & Expo, in Nashville on Friday, April 17, 2015.  This excerpt from the AOTA 2014 Awards brochure describes Dr. Cohen's research and practice interests.  (Retrieved on January 31, 2015 from (http://www.aota.org/-/media/Corporate/Files/EducationCareers/Awards/By-Year/2014-AOTA-AOTF-Award-Recipients.pdf.)

Dr. Helen S. Cohen receives the Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lectureship Award for her scholarly research, clinical practice, and teaching, which has been instrumental in developing strong evidence and expanding the scope of practice for occupational therapists in the area of vestibular rehabilitation. Dr. Cohen has presented internationally to therapists and physicians on how vestibular dysfunction reduces independence and participation in personal self-care skills and instrumental activities of daily living, and her work has provided evidence about the value of vestibular rehabilitation programs and occupational therapy for clients with many different types of vestibular disorders. Her collaborative work with investigators in the Neuroscience Research Laboratory at NASA/Johnson Space Center has provided an occupational therapist's perspective on specific on-going research projects and on general recommendations for the neuroscience research program for space exploration.

Q and A

Identify three words that others have used to describe you.
Hardworking, focused, intellectual.

How do you hope to make a difference in the world through research?
With greater knowledge comes the power to give better care, to improve the lives of our patients.

What is one piece of advice you have for individuals considering a career in science and research?
Be focused on one area of interest and learn everything you can about it.

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?
Research related to the many problems of aging. The population is aging; if we are going to have a significant role in the care of seniors then we need to be involved in research on all aspects of aging and care of elderly people, from behavioral mechanisms of motor problems and treatment of age-related weakness and balance disorders to the psychosocial aspects of care.

Describe the most important role that mentors played in your professional journey.
Every teacher, professor, mentoring therapist has had advice and has served as a role model in some way.  Even negative feedback has been useful to tell me how I appear to others and what I need to work on.

Identify a favorite occupation that renews you outside of your work.
Walking, observing nature.

What has been the most surprising or rewarding aspects of a career in science and research?

• Great people I have met.
• The opportunity to participate in fascinating research  in other areas of science that were not my initial focus, but for which my skills and background have been appropriate. Also, the opportunity to influence the direction of the science in grant reviews and manuscript reviews.
• The opportunity to travel to interesting places for scientific meetings.

Selected References

Cohen, HS.  (Ed.).  (1999). Neuroscience for rehabilitation. (2nd Ed.).  Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott; Williams & Wilkins.

Cohen, HS. (2014). Use of the Vestibular Disorders Activities of Daily Living Scale to describe functional limitations in patients with vestibular disorders. Journal of Vestibular Research, 24, 33-38.

Cohen, HS, Burkhardt, A, Cronin, GW, McGuire, MJ.  (2006). Specialized knowledge and skills in adult vestibular rehabilitation for occupational therapy practice. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 60, 669-678.

Reschke, MF, Cohen, HS, Cerisano, JM, Clayton, JA, Cromwell, R, Danielson, RW, Hwang, EY, Tingen, C, Allen, JR, Tomko, DL. (2014). Effects of sex and gender on adaptation tospace: neurosensory systems. Journal of Women's Health (Larchmont), 23, 959-962.

Dr. Mulcahey is Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health Professions, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Dr . Mulcahey's research focuses on the long-term outcomes of children with spinal injuries; developing computer adaptive testing platforms of activity performance and participation and; developing trajectories of typical participation patterns of children and adolescence living in the United States as way to better understand the similarities and disparities of participation in children with health conditions compared to peers without health conditions. She believes building knowledge on similarities and disparities will catalyze work involving the development of occupationally based methods to enhance participation. (Retrieved on February 25, 2015 from http://www.jefferson.edu/university/health_professions/departments/occupational_therapy/faculty/faculty/mulcahey.html.)

Q AND A

Identify three words that others have used to describe you.
Collaborative; Passionate; Optimistic.

How do you hope to make a difference in the world through research?
I hope my work will lead to the outcomes that are most meaningful to the people living with chronic conditions; I hope that through my work, people with chronic conditions have more opportunities for participation in the activities the are most relevant for them.

What is one piece of advice you have for individuals considering a career in science and research?
Seek out and develop strong relationships with several mentors and remain open to the possibilities they present to you. Focus on your vision.

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?
One of the most significant research priorities in occupational therapy and occupational science is to study, understand and test  "interventions" that are most effective in altering the environment so that persons with differences can participate in everyday living unencumbered by physical, social and cultural environments. Our research must focus on system level interventions that promote everyday living as opposed to intervention focused on changing individuals to a "norm."

Describe the most important role that mentors played in your professional journey.
My mentors taught me how to be systematic, reflective, collaborative and humble. They modeled high ethical standards. They affirmed me; pushed me beyond my comfort zone; celebrated my accomplishments and; showed me how to succeed in failure.

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

What has been the most surprising or rewarding aspects of a career in science and research?
The most rewarding aspect of a career in research are the relationships you establish with other people  -- people from such diverse perspectives; the diversity and their influence have made me a better scientist, clinician and person.

REFERENCES

Mulcahey MJ, Merenda, L, Tian, F, Kozin, S, James, M, Gogola, G, & Ni, P.  (2013). Computer adaptive test approach to the assessment of children and youth with brachial plexus birth palsy. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 67, 524-533.

Muller, M, Toth-Cohen, S & Mulcahey, MJ.  (2014). Development and evaluation of a hospital-based peer support group for younger individuals with stroke. Occupational Therapy in Health Care, 28, 277-295.

Russell, HF, January, AM, Kelly, EH, Mulcahey, MJ, Betz, RR & Vogel, LC. (2015). Patterns of coping strategy use and relationships with psychosocial health in adolescents with spinal cord injury.  Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 40(5):535-43. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsu159.

Tian, F, Ni, P, Mulcahey, MJ, Hambleton, RK, Tulsky, D, Haley, SM & Jette, AM.  (2014). Tracking functional status across the spinal cord injury lifespan: linking pediatric and adult patient-reported outcome scores. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 95, 2078-2085. 

Dr. Classen is Professor and Chair, Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Founding Director of Western and UF’s international, post-professional distance learning Master of Clinical Science in Driving Rehabilitation Therapy (MClSc DRT) program; Director of the University of Florida’s Institute for Mobility, Activity and Participation and an Extraordinary Professor at Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.  She has been the Editor of OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health since 2015.  

Click here for Dr. Classen's Google Scholar Page.

Dr. Classen's research interests include:

• Development of measurement tools for driver screening and/or assessment
• Evaluation and intervention of:
  • Older drivers
  • Drivers with neurological conditions (Parkinson's Disease and Returning Combat Veterans with TBI and/or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Healthy teens
  • Teens with Autism Spectrum Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
• Driving simulation
• Driving cessation

Q and A

Identify three words that others have used to describe you.
Competent, innovative, energetic.

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

• Continue to make excellent contributions to the science of driving rehabilitation
• Provide knowledge translation of driving rehabilitation science to occupational therapy practitioners (and others) to ensure best practices
• Training 1000s of therapists, worldwide, in a newly established post-professional Master's Program in Driving Rehabilitation Therapy, to build capacity through the globe, in providing driving and community mobility services.

What is one piece of advice you have for individuals considering a career in science and research?

• Create a bold vision that embodies your ultimate purpose
• Plan action steps (types and mechanisms of grants, publications, conference presentations) purposefully-starting with the end in mind
• Be true to yourself, appreciate your mentors, respect your colleagues, and support those who are looking up to you
• Expect disappointments, manage them, and be grateful for them, for they do make one stronger
• Nurture those who you love-they are your safe harbor
• Seek excellence
• 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?
• Ensure our measures are valid and interventions are effective.

Describe the most important role that mentors played in your professional journey.
Identifying potential in me and providing me with opportunities to pursue a variety of scientific or leadership roles.

Identify a favorite occupation that renews you outside of your work.
Road cycling, cross-country skiing, theater, spending time in Cape Town, South Africa.

What has been the most surprising or rewarding aspects of a career in science and research?
Embarking upon a task -- driven by a bold vision-- and experiencing how one becomes a co-creator in knowledge generation.     

Selected References

Classen, S., Velozo, C., Winter, S.M., Wang, Y., Bedard, M. (2015). Psychometrics of the Fitness-to-Drive Screening Measure. The Occupational Therapy Journal of Research: Occupation, Participation and Health, 35(1), 42-52.

Classen, S., Holmes, J., Alvarez, L., Loew, K., Mulvagh, A., Rienas, K., Walton V., He, W. (2015). Clinical assessments as predictors of primary on-road outcomes in Parkinson’s disease. OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health, 35 (3), 1-8. DOI: 10.1177/1539449215601118

Classen, S., Monahan M., Auten, B and Yarney, K.A. (2014). Evidence based review of rehabilitation interventions for medically at risk older drivers. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68(4), 107-114.

Dr. Miller is founder and Clinical Director, STAR (Sensory Therapies and Research) Center, Greenwood Village, Colorado, an Associate Clinical Professor, Departments of Rehabilitation Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, Professor, Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, Doctoral Programs in Pediatrics, Provo, Utah, and founder and Research Director, Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) Foundation, Greenwood Village, Colorado. (Retrieved on July 13, 2015 from http://spdstar.org/files/2011/12/MillerAbbreviatedCV15.pdf.)  As an occupational therapist and research scientist, Dr. Miller's mission is  studying the validity of Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and evaluating the effectiveness of occupational therapy in changing  occupational outcomes in children with SPD and other neurodevelopmental and behavioral conditions.

AOTF awarded Dr. Miller the A. Jean Ayres Research Award In 1992.  Dr. Miller was the recipient of the American Occupational Therapy Association's highest award, the Award of Merit, in 2004 and named her one of the 100 Influential People in Occupational Therapy.

Q AND A

Identify three words that others have used to describe you.
Persistent, Focused, Committed.

How do you hope to make a difference in the world through research?
I hope to improve the quality of care for the clients that we serve by improving the quality of OT assessments and interventions.

What is one piece of advice you have for individuals considering a career in science and research?
Find a strong 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?
PCORI emphasis on comparative effectiveness studies.

Describe the most important role that mentors played in your professional journey.  
Mentors have both challenged and supported me in exploring research ideas and methodologies.

Identify a favorite occupation that renews you outside of your work.
I enjoy racquetball as an enjoyable aerobic exercise and an opportunity to be competitive with persons much younger than me!

What has been the most surprising or rewarding aspects of a career in science and research?
The most surprising aspect has been the fact that so many people have cited my early research on the measurement of grip and pinch strength. The most rewarding aspect has been the fact that my research has helped change OT assessments and interventions for the better! I believe that it has improved the quality of care that we provide to our clients. In addition, the opportunity to mentor future researchers and academicians has been very rewarding.

REFERENCES

Miller, LJ, Nielsen, DM & Schoen SA.  (2012). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and sensory modulation disorder: a comparison of behavior and physiology. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 33, 804-818.

Schoen, SA, Miller, LJ & Sullivan JC.  (2014). Measurement in sensory modulation: the sensory processing scale assessment. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68, 522-530.

Sullivan, JC, Miller, LJ, Nielsen, DM & Schoen SA.  (2014). The presence of migraines and its association with sensory hyperreactivity and anxiety symptomatology in children with autism spectrum disorder. Autism, 18, 743-747. 

Dr. Clark is Professor at the Mrs. T. H.  Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles. She is a past president of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). In 1992, Dr. Clark was the Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lecturer, AOTA's highest academic honor, and in 1999 she received AOTA's Award of Merit. Dr. Clark received the AOTA-AOTF Presidents' Award in Honor of Wilma L. West in 2017 and was named one of the 100 Influential People in Occupational Therapy by AOTA.

Since 1985, Florence Clark has attracted more than $10 million in extramural funding from NIH, NIDRR, and other federal agencies for research and training in the areas of healthy aging and the secondary conditions that impede the flourishing of people with disabilities in their real life circumstances. Dr. Clark's research programs in healthy aging and in the prevention of pressure ulcers in persons with spinal cord injury have followed a blueprint for translational research which she first developed with colleagues in connection with the USC Well Elderly Study. Initiated in 1993, the Well Elderly Study (RO1 AG11810) was a randomized controlled trial which demonstrated that preventive occupational therapy forestalls the declines associated with typical aging and improves the health of independently living elders.   (Retrieved on January 29, 2015 from http://chan.usc.edu/faculty/directory/Florence_Clark/.)

Q and A

Identify three words that others have used to describe you.
Tenacious, creative, hardworking.

How do you hope to make a difference in the world through research?
By developing cost-effective interventions that prevent chronic disease and disability.

What is one piece of advice you have for individuals considering a career in science and research?
Stay focused and be open to learning from mentors.

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?
Demonstrating the efficacy of occupational therapy intervention approaches in improving quality of life of individuals on the autism spectrum.

Describe the most important role that mentors played in your professional journey.
They were extremely encouraging, believed in my potential, and trusted that I was highly motivated to serve the public good.

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

What has been the most surprising or rewarding aspects of a career in science and research?
I have been surprised to discover that components of interventions I assumed were accounting for certain beneficial effects were irrelevant.  What has been most rewarding is providing evidence that interventions we develop actively produce positive health outcomes cost-effectively in underserved, ethnically diverse populations.

Selected References

Blanche, EI, Fogelberg, D, Diaz, J, Carlson, M, & Clark, F. (2011). Manualization of occupational therapy interventions: Illustrations from the Pressure Ulcer Prevention Research Program. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 65, (6), 711-719.

Clark, F. (1993). Occupation Embedded in a Real Life: Interweaving Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy: 1993 Eleanor Clark Slagle Lecture. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 47, (12), 1067-1078.

Clark, F, Azen, SP, Zemke, R, Jackson, J, Carlson, M, Mandel, D, Hay, J, Josephson, K, Cherry, B, Hessel, C, Palmer, J & Lipson, L.  (1997 Oct 22-29).  Occupational therapy for independent-living older adults. A randomized controlled trial. JAMA, 278, 321-1326.

Clark, F, Jackson, J, Carlson, M, Chou, CP, Cherry, BJ, Jordan-Marsh, M, Knight, BG, Mandel, D, Blanchard, J, Granger, DA, Wilcox, RR, Lai, MY, White, B, Hay, J, Lam, C, Marterella, A & Azen, S. P.   (2012). Effectiveness of a lifestyle intervention in promoting the well-being of independently living older people: results of the Well Elderly 2 Randomised Controlled Trial. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 66, 782-790.  

Ghaisas, S, Pyatak, EA, Blanche, E, Blanchard, J, Clark, F; PUPS II Study Group.  (2015 Jan-Feb). Lifestyle changes and pressure ulcer prevention in adults with spinal cord injury in the pressure ulcer prevention study lifestyle intervention. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 69(1):6901290020p1-6901290020p10. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2015.012021.