Using Virtual Reality Technology to Increase Acceptance of Home Modifications for People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Pilot Study
Mentor: Brett Fling, PhD

Community Driven Methods for Screening for Developmental Delay Among Infants and Toddlers with Sickle Cell Disease
Mentor: Allison King, MD, PhD, MPH

The American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF) is thrilled to announce the recipients of its 2025 Research Grants. This funding supports OT faculty and early career researchers in pursuing their OT research. 

2025 Implementation Research Grant Recipients

Jessica Edelstein, PhD, OTR/L
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago dba Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
Complementary Implementation and De-Implementation Strategies to Close the Evidence-Practice Gap in Stroke Upper Extremity Rehabilitation
Mentor: Miriam Rafferty, DPT, PhD, PT

Janell Pisegna, PhD, OTR/L, CSRS
Colorado State University
Multifaceted Implementation Program for Occupational Therapy Practitioners Addressing Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms in Home and Community Care
Mentor: Lisa Juckett, PhD, OTR/L, CHT

Brocha Stern, PhD, OTR
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Characterizing and Refining Implementation of a Personalized Patient-Reported Outcome Measure in Outpatient Care
Mentor: Natalie E. Leland, PhD, OTR/L, BCG, FAOTA, FGSA

The Implementation Research Grant program is made possible through a generous donation from NBCOT.

2025 Intervention Research Grant Recipients

Catherine Hoyt, PhD, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
Community Driven Methods for Screening for Developmental Delay Among Infants and Toddlers with Sickle Cell Disease
Mentor: Allison King, MD, PhD, MPH

Vanessa Jewell, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Feasibility of the REAL-Fam to Support Diabetes Self-Management, Family Participation, and Child Health
Mentor: Beth Pyatak, PhD, OTR/L, CDCES, LRC, FAOTA

Jaewon Kang, PhD, MSOT
Colorado State University
Using Virtual Reality Technology to Increase Acceptance of Home Modifications for People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Pilot Study
Mentor: Brett Fling, PhD

The Intervention Research Grant program receives donations from the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and the AOTF St. Catherine Challenge.  

These innovative research projects demonstrate the critical role of occupational therapy in addressing complex health challenges across the lifespan. By supporting the development and implementation of evidence-based interventions, AOTF continues to invest in the future of OT science and practice. Congratulations to the 2025 recipients for their commitment to advancing the profession and improving health outcomes in the communities we serve.

On Sunday, July 9^th, 2023, the Occupational Therapy profession lost a genuinely wonderful person and significant member of our community, Lands Banks. Lands served as the Manager of Administration and Facilities for AOTA for over 25 years. Lands was an integral part of AOTA, a man with a magnetic and uplifting personality who was always there to help friends, colleagues, and family members. His passing leaves a large hole in the hearts of all those who knew him and those impacted by his work.

AOTF, AOTA, and its donors have created the Lands Banks Memorial Scholarship in Occupational Therapy to honor his memory and further his legacy. Thanks to the generosity of friends, family, colleagues, and dozens of occupational therapists, the Lands Banks Memorial Scholarship is now endowed! AOTF is highly grateful to all the donors who have helped secure this scholarship forever and keep Lands’ spirit alive by helping future generations of occupational therapy students. 

Congratulations to our inaugural recipient, Katerina Garbis, University of Illinois-Chicago!

• "I was introduced to the OT field by one of my childhood friends. I was feeling stuck and unsure of what I wanted to do during college, confused about how to incorporate all of my interests into my future career. She recommended I shadow some OTs, and I ended up loving it! I was drawn by the community care aspect of OT and how we encourage working with empathy at the forefront and by considering all aspects of a person. I also saw that as occupational therapists, we help people who may feel like they are at the lowest point in their life, where being unable to complete a part of a routine may feel dehumanizing and frustrating. I realized I would be a comforting figure in people's lives as an occupational therapist, and someone my patients found approachable in such a vulnerable time."

The Lands Banks Memorial Scholarship in Occupational Therapy will provide financial aid to support a student in pursuing their degree. Eligible candidates must be pursuing an entry-level degree, i.e., OTA, MOT, MSOT, or OTD, at an AOTA-accredited US institution, enrolled as a full-time student, and have completed at least one year of coursework.

In addition, candidates for this scholarship must demonstrate their involvement in community service and/or service leadership.

Preference for this scholarship will be given to students from historically underrepresented minorities in occupational therapy.

The annual scholarship award will be $2,000.

Support the Lands Banks Memorial Scholarship and the memory of Lands Banks with AOTA's I GOT YOU shirts, tumblers, and bags.