Conference Scientific Program
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Meeting schedule for SIGs and other meetings
view: Conference Scientific Program Committee
Scientific Program (.pdf)
Colour Coded Session Streams
- Neurology
- Contemporary Practice Issues
- Occupational Therapy Education
- Occupational Therapy Research
- Children, Youth & Families
- Mental Health
- Palliative Care
- Community Mobility & Driving
- Indigenous Health
- Occupational Science
- Rural & Remote Health
- Assistive Technology
- Ageing / Healthcare Reform
- Chronic Pain
- Ergonomics / Workplace Health
- Rehabilitation
- Community Development
- Home
- Occupational Transitions
- Chronic Conditions
- Educating Evidence-based Practitioners
Please note that program is subject to change
Conference Scientific Program Committee
Natasha Lannin - Chair
Dr. Natasha Lannin is a Lecturer of the Rehabilitation Studies Unit, Sydney Medical School of The University of Sydney. She holds a Ph.D. in occupational therapy from the University of Western Sydney. Currently, Natasha is a principal investigator for the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry, whose primary goal is to improve the quality of stroke care, and is a Senior Research Fellow of The George Institute for International Health and the National Stroke Research Institute. Her primary research and scholarly activity has been in three areas: contracture management in adults and children with central nervous system dysfunction, efficacy of occupational therapy assessment and intervention in rehabilitation, and the role of occupational therapists in research.
Carolyn Unsworth
Carolyn is an Associate Professor and the Research and Higher Degrees Co-ordinator, in the School of Occupational Therapy, La Trobe University, Australia. Carolyn has taught occupational therapy undergraduate and post graduate students over the past 20 years at La Trobe University as well as in the US (where she was an Assistant Professor at Tufts University), Singapore, and Sweden where she holds a position as an Adjunct Professor at Jönköping University. Carolyn is also currently a Visiting Professor at London South Bank University, UK. Carolyn’s research and teaching interests include clinical reasoning and decision making, driver assessment and rehabilitation, outcomes research and evidence-based practice particularly in the area of stroke recovery, development of functional assessments including the Australian Therapy Outcome Measures for Occupational Therapy (AusTOMs-OT), and cognitive and perceptual rehabilitation. Carolyn has authored over 60 journal articles, 22 book chapters and a book on clinical reasoning with clients who have cognitive and perceptual problems.
Catherine Cook
Catherine has worked in the Occupational Therapy programme at the University of Western Sydney since 1995. Prior to this time, she worked in the clinical areas of occupational rehabilitation, brain injury and spinal cord injury both overseas and in Australia. Her interest in workplace based rehabilitation led to graduate studies in ergonomics.
Catherine teaches ergonomics, occupational analysis and occupational rehabilitation to undergraduate students. She also supervises honours and PhD students. Catherine’s main research areas include computer workstation ergonomics and the use of outcome measures by allied health professionals. Catherine was a member of the Scientific Programme committee for WFOT 2006 in Sydney.
Christine Imms
Dr Christine Imms graduated from the South Australian Institute of Technology with a degree in Occupational Therapy in 1983, from the University of British Columbia with a Master of Science in Rehabilitation Science in 1999 and La Trobe University in 2009 with a doctor of Philosophy. Christine's clinical experience has predominantly been in the area of paediatric practice, gained in both Australia and Canada. Since the year 2000 she has taught in paediatric occupational therapy and evidence based practice at La Trobe University as well as working part time at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne as a Senior Clinician responsible for research. Christine has published 21 peer reviewed journal publications, one book and nine book chapters. Her research is primarily concerned with the participation of children and youth with cerebral palsy, investigation of the impact of upper limb interventions on functional performance of children and the development of paediatric outcome measures.
Jane Galvin
Jane Galvin works clinically as a Senior Occupational Therapist in the Victorian Paediatric Rehabilitation Service - RCH, and lectures in the School of Occupational Therapy at Latrobe University. She is also Neuro Rehabilitation Research Stream Leader at Murdoch Children's Research Institute and is involved in a number of projects investigating interventions and outcomes for children with acquired injuries. Jane is currently co-convenor of the Paediatric Special Interest Group in Victoria and is enrolled in a PhD program at the University of Melbourne.
Judith Merritt
Judith has practiced occupational therapy in vocational and community settings and as an academic throughout Australia. After teaching about rural practice for many years she has finally taken the plunge and is now the Broken Hill Program Manager for the Riverina Division of General Practice and Primary Health.
Julia Schmidt
Julia is an Occupational Therapist working at the Brain injury unit Royal Rehabilitation Centre in Sydney. She is completing her PhD at The University of Queensland. Julia has extensive experience in neurological impairment, with expertise in cognitive rehabilitation. She has presented in workshops and training seminars focusing on neurological rehabilitation.
Justin Scanlan
Justin is currently cluster professional senior for occupational therapy in Area Mental Health, Sydney South West Area Health Service. His clinical and research interests are generally focussed on mental health practice: including outcome measurement, clinical practice development and workforce issues. His PhD research investigated the relationship between meaningful use of time and health for unemployed 18- to 25-year-olds in New South Wales.
Louise Gustafsson
Dr Louise Gustafsson is a Lecturer in Occupational Therapy at the University of Queensland. She has extensive clinical experience in stroke rehabilitation and now teaches and conducts research in the areas of occupational therapy practice in stroke, promoting transition and participation after stroke, and driving cessation.
Margaret Wallen
Margaret Wallen is Senior Occupational Therapist - Research at The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Sydney and a PhD candidate at the University of Queensland. She combines a clinical caseload in paediatrics with a longstanding interest in research and evidence-based practice.
Michael Curtin
Michael Curtin has been the course coordinator for the occupational therapy program Charles Sturt University since May 2005. He graduated from the University of Queensland in 1983 with a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy and has since worked in various states in Australia, in Botswana, and England, and has conducted a number of consultancies in a number of other countries. His practice work has been with children and adults whose participation has been impacted by their physical and cognitive impairments. His interests lie in the field of disability, in particular the rights of people with disability. Prior to moving to Charles Sturt University, Michael lectured at the University of Southampton, England for nine years. He was a member of the conference scientific committee for the WFOT conference in Sydney in 2006 and the last OT Australia National conference in Melbourne, in 2008.
Imelda Burgman
Dr Imelda Burgman has recently commenced as an Early Childhood Intervention Specialist with Autism Spectrum Australia, in Wagga Wagga NSW. Imelda has extensive clinical experience in paediatric practice, in Australia and the USA, since her graduation from the University of Sydney in 1982. For the last five years she lectured at the University of Newcastle including, undergraduate OT students’ paediatric practice and rural and remote practice, and undergraduate Health Sciences students’ qualitative research skills. She also coordinated the Honours program for Health Sciences students. Her research focused on children with disabilities, and she supervised Honours, Masters and PhD students. She has published her research as journal articles and invited book chapters, and has remained as a Conjoint Senior Lecturer with the University of Newcastle.