Two of our core faculty have received their doctorates this summer.

Congratulations to Dr. Patty Rigby on the successful defense of her dissertation entitled: Assistive Technology for Persons with Physical Disabilities: Evaluation and Outcomes.

Congratulations to Dr. Lynn Cockburn on the successful defense of her dissertation entitled: The Responses of Bamenda Disability Organizations to HIV and AIDS: A Multiple Case Study. 

Congratulations to Dr. Alex Mihailidis, who was granted tenure and promotion to Associate Professor. Dr. Mihailidis is the instructor in the Technology course within the OT program.

Congratulations to Dr. Angela Colantonio, who was promoted to Professor.

Congratulations to Dr. Deirdre Dawson, who was promoted to Associate Professor.

Both Dr. Colantonio and Dr. Dawson are instructors in the Enabling Occupation in Adults courses in year two of the OT program

Anne is an exceptional alumnus for many reasons. Her career accomplishments at the University of Toronto have brought her recognition and honour. For three decades she has made wonderful contributions to the education and well-being of thousands of students in the Faculty of Medicine, including those in the Departments of Physical Therapy and Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy.

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Congratulations to first year student Jennifer Li, this year’s recipient of the Colleen Tate Memorial Award. Jennifer was presented her award in-class on Monday, February 2, 2009 by Kamila Lear, Student Liaison Officer. Last year's recipient, second year student Mireille Amyotte, presented Jennifer with a cheque and a bouquet of flowers. Jennifer’s name will be added to the dedication plaque which includes the names of all the recipients.

Jennifer was chosen by her classmates because she exemplifies Colleen’s virtues: friendly, outgoing, caring, supportive of others, and a good student. The Colleen Tate Memorial Award was established by her family and friends after Colleen’s sudden death in a motor vehicle accident on January 31, 1993. Colleen had been a student in the program and was loved and admired by her classmates, family and friends.

There is cutting-edge research underway at the BrainFit lab (within the University of Toronto's occupational science and occupational therapy department) that studies the effects of hockey-related concussions in male and female youth players. BrainFit is run by Dr. Michelle Keightley, a neuropsychologist whose work shows that boys and girls are at similar risk.

"From our experiences working with male and female youth hockey teams, concussions are happening at approximately equivalent rates, regardless of gender," said Nick Reed, an occupational therapist and grad student who works with Keightley.

"The lack of bodychecking makes people assume that the contacts necessary to elicit a concussive episode aren't present in the female game. This simply isn't true. From our work and from the limited research (and) data out there, concussion is real in women's hockey."

Read the star article

How your body responds to the ergonomic stress of computer use depends on the entire set-up, the posture you assume when using the computer, the duration of time you spend doing it. You need to consider the position and height of the monitor; position and height of the keyboard; location of the mouse (if it’s an external mouse, it should be beside the keyboard). Then there’s the height of the desk. Other considerations are how stiff the keys of the keyboard are to push, whether there is a document holder beside the well-positioned monitor. The eyes should be about a third down from the top of monitor. If there is space beside the keyboard for the mouse arm, then this will work.”  

Read the Now magazine article

Dr.Mihailidis and his team of 12 graduate students dip into the fields of robotics, mechanical engineering, artificial intelligence, gerontology,
voice recognition and computer programming.

They have designed a personal emergency response system, an intelligent anti-collision wheel chair, a smart robotic device that helps stroke patients
strengthen weakened upper body muscles, and a "talking bathroom" that uses verbal and visual cues to assist people with dementia through the multiple steps
of hand-washing. His team are also the first to test home-based artificial intelligence systems in clinical trials.

The Star commented that he is a "smart, accomplished local person" with "one of the most innovative research spaces stacked along University Ave".

First-year students will take part in a number of activities planned by the OS & OT Department and O-Week Committee. Orientation Week events will run from September 2 – September 5, 2008.  

Since 1997 the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy has hosted the annual Thelma Cardwell Research Day with great success. This year's key note speaker was Margaret Trudeau. In recent years, she has been very outspoken about her own mental health challenges and she shared these, along with the important role employment played in her recovery, with 400 Occupational Therapy students and professionals at the Thelma Cardwell Research Day, an annual lecture presented by the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine.

Helene Polatajko, Chair of the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto is hoping that this event will bring attention to the need for additional research in the important area of mental health and the role that occupation plays in recovery. Occupational scientists involved in mental health research address a wide range of issues to enable people with mental illnesses to live satisfying lives and to move beyond their illnesses. This research addresses strategies for coping and skill development by those affected by mental illness as well as social and environmental supports that facilitate community and work integration.

July 16, 2008

The 2008 Circle of Honour awards were presented at an event at Bloorview Kids Rehab on June 18th.  The Circle of Honour awards are Bloorview’s highest honour, awarded to those who have made exceptional contributions to creating a better world for children and youth with disabilities.The awards are given for outstanding achievements in the areas of advocacy, education, philanthropy, research and service related to children's rehabilitation and complex continuing care.

The 2008 Circle of Honour recipient in the area of education is Professor Patty Rigby.  Professor Rigby is cross appointed as Associate Professor in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto.  She held the role of Graduate Coordinator from 2001-2007.  She is also a scientist in the Bloorview Research Institute.

Professor Rigby was honoured for her work as a respected teacher, author, mentor and collaborator. Patty has inspired and informed a wide variety of audiences and her work continues to have a significant impact on the lives of children with disabilities and their families.  Patty mentors occupational therapists and builds capacity in rehabilitation research. She is an outstanding educator who is highly productive and influential.

June 19, 2008

The Department has successfully completed the external review, which marks the end of Dr. Helene Polatajko’s tenure as Chair of the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy. Dr. Polatajko will officially step down as Chair on June 30, 2008.

Isobel Robinson (1915-2008), a passionate leader and outstanding contributor to the profession of Occupational Therapy both in Canada and internationally, died on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 in her 93rd year. She had a distinguished career at the University of Toronto, holding the position of Director from 1967 to her retirement in 1981.

• ead the eulogy given by Dr. Judith Friedland at Isobel’s funeral service
• Learn more about Isobel Robinson's role in OT

May 6, 2008

The Centre for Faculty Development (CFD) serves as a valuable network of teachers and educators while simultaneously ‘giving back’. With the successive launch of three categories, CFD Membership supports faculty to promote excellence in teaching, research, education scholarship and leadership. UofT Health Sciences faculty who have demonstrated accomplishment in educational scholarship and leadership are encouraged to apply for membership. For more information, please read the brochure or visit CFD's membership website.

March 17, 2008

The Ontario Council on Graduate Studies has now completed its review and has officially approved the recommendation of the Appraisal Committee that the MScOT program in Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto be approved to continue; thus the MScOT program was renewed for a duration of 7 years until the next OCGS periodic appraisal (2014). The program was deemed to be of good quality, the highest rating to be given by the Appraisal Committee. The Committee’s recommendation was based on its consideration of the University’s written submission of three volumes of briefs (July 2006), the consultants’ reports (July 17, 2007) from their Departmental site visit on June 7-8, 2007, and the University’s response (September 10, 2007).

February 11, 2008

Mireille was chosen by her classmates because she exemplifies Colleen’s virtues: friendly, outgoing, caring, supportive of others, and a good student. The Colleen Tate Memorial Award was established by her family and friends after Colleen’s sudden death in a motor vehicle accident on January 31, 1993. Colleen had been a student in the program and was loved and admired by her classmates, family and friends.

February 7, 2008

February 5, 2008

January 24, 2008

January 18, 2008