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.

The American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF) is proud to announce the opening of applications for its prestigious fellowships and scholarships. These opportunities are designed to support and encourage exceptional researchers and doctoral students in advancing the field of occupational therapy.

Fellowships for Post-Doctoral Researchers

• Nedra Gillette Endowed Research Fellowship: This fellowship supports a postdoctoral researcher's foundational occupational therapy study into the human condition.

• Nancy Talbot Postdoctoral Research Fellowship: Designed to enhance diversity within the occupational therapy workforce by supporting postdoctoral training for underrepresented groups.

Scholarships for OT Doctoral Students

• NEW! Dr. A. Jean Ayres Occupational Therapy Doctoral Candidate Research Scholarship: A new scholarship honoring the pioneer of sensory integration, supporting doctoral research in this area.

• Dr. Gary Kielhofner Doctoral Research Scholarship in Occupational Therapy: Provides support for doctoral students pursuing research in occupational therapy.

• Bonita Kraft Occupational Therapy Doctoral Student Scholarship: Dedicated to supporting doctoral research in mental health and serious mental illness.

Application Period: All fellowships and scholarships will be open for applications from August 1, 2024 to September 15, 2024.

These awards offer invaluable support to researchers and doctoral students as they contribute to the body of knowledge in occupational therapy. We encourage eligible candidates to apply.

For more information, visit the Grants section.

Implementation Research Grant Recipients

Areum Han, PhD, OTR/L, University of Alabama at Birmingham
"Implementing an Occupational Therapist-Led Acceptance and Commitment Training Group for Parents in Pediatric Outpatient Clinics"
Mentor: Hee Yun Lee, PhD

Laura Swink, PhD, OTR/L, Colorado State University
"Social Prescription for Loneliness in Community-based Group Exercise Classes for People with Parkinson Disease"
Mentor: Cory Christiansen, PT, PhD

Lauren Wengerd, PhD, OTR/L, The Ohio State University
"Identifying Evidence-Based Practice Gaps in Stroke Rehabilitation to Maximize Research Impact: A Video Observational Study"
Mentor: Timothy Wolf, OTD, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA

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

Intervention Research Grant Recipients

Emily Grattan, PhD, OTR/L, University of Pittsburgh
"Examining Metacognitive Strategy Training for Individuals with Unilateral Spatial Neglect"
Mentor: Elizabeth Skidmore, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, FACRM

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

Health Services Research Grant Recipients

Adam Kinney, PhD, OTR/L, University of Colorado
"Inequitable Access to Occupational Therapy Services among Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury and Cognitive Impairment"
Mentor: Nazanin Bahraini, PhD

Sabrin Rizk, PhD, OTR/L, University of Illinois at Chicago
"Utilizing Electronic Health Records (EHR) for the Surveillance of Referral-Making Processes in Medical Home Primary Care for Children and Youth on the Autism Spectrum (CYAS)"
Mentor: Teal Benevides, PhD, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA 

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

Nedra Gillette Endowed Research Fellowship
Jaewon Kang, PhD, MSOT​
University of Illinios Urbana-Champaign​

Nancy Talbot Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
Lindsay Spell, OTD, OTR/L​
Washington University in St. Louis

Dr. Gary Kielhofner Doctoral Research Scholarship
Cristina Parsons, MOT, OTR/L, PhD Candidate​
Colorado State University

Bonita Kraft Occupational Therapy Doctoral Student Scholarship
Samantha Randolph, OTR/L, PhD Student​
Washington Univesity in St. Louis

2025 applications will open this summer!