We hope you had as much fun as we did playing #OTWordle during April!

3 players who submitted their results on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram #OTWordle posts were randomly selected in our May 2nd drawing for AOTF Prize Packs and notified by email:

• Alaa Abou-Arab, OTD, OTR/L, Acute Care Therapist
• Ashika Shah, BS, OTS, OTD Student
• Becky Alwood, MHS, OTR/L, Occupational Therapist

Stay connected with upcoming news on grants, scholarships and more by signing up for AOTF emails:

Supporting the Future of OT Research and the Profession

A cohort of entry-level students participated in the AOTF/AOTA Future Scientists Institute, April 1st in San Antonio, TX. The facilitators and mentors included faculty and doctoral/post-doctoral students from established research programs from around the nation. The program included several panel discussions covering the myths and truths of research, how and where it fits into occupational therapy, plus how it can elevate equity, justice and human potential.

The participants were also invited to our Breakfast with a Scholar and State of the Science programs, AOTA's Presidential Farewell/Inaugural Addresses, as well as the Eleanor Slagle Lecture featuring our AOTF Board Vice Chair, Kristie Patten. 

Applications open later this year for 2023.

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.