New Fellows inducted into the OTA Research Academy

The Occupational Therapy Australia Research Academy was established to recognise scholars and enhance research capacity building in the profession. Admission as a Fellow is a prestigious honour recognising research and scholarship of the individual to be complex, context bound, social phenomena, which benefits the profession. The award of Fellow acknowledges significant contributions to the development of the body of knowledge for the profession.

At our 30th National Conference & Exhibition (OTAUS2023) in June, we welcomed four new Fellows to the Occupational Therapy Australia Research Academy.

Congratulations to Kate Laver, Rachael McDonald, Stacey George and Jacki Liddle. The Fellows were inducted by OTA President Professor Carol McKinstry.

Kate Laver

Professor Laver’s research develops, tests and implements interventions that aim to support older people to remain healthy, happy, and in their own homes for longer. She works in partnership with older people to ensure age-friendly housing and implementing new technologies, such as telehealth, which promote good health and social connection and reduce the need for hospitalisation. Her impressive career includes MRFF, NHMRC and ARC funding; presentation at international conferences; design of new tools for patients; awards; training over 200 occupational therapists in implementation of COPE; and coordinating the development of the first clinical practice guidelines for dementia endorsed by the NHMRC in Australia.

Congratulations to Professor Leeanne Carey, recipient of the 2023 Sylvia Docker Lectureship award. Leeanne delivered her lecture, Ignite Your Passion, and Connect, to Make a Difference, at OTAUS2023.

Leeanne is a Professor of Occupational Therapy at La Trobe University and Founding Head of the neurorehabilitation and recovery research laboratory, Florey Institute. Her stroke research program focuses on stroke recovery, brain function and plasticity, restorative rehabilitation and knowledge translation. She has led several major cohort, intervention, and implementation clinical trials.

Professor Carey has developed a successful, neuroscience-based approach to help survivors of stroke regain a sense of touch, enabling them to use their hands more effectively to engage in daily activities. She is a Fellow of the Occupational Therapy Australia Research Academy and the American Academy of Occupational Therapy.

Rachael McDonald

Professor McDonald is a clinical, research and teaching occupational therapist with an interest in enabling people with lifelong disabilities to participate in life situations. She is Director of the MedTechVic Hub, a multidisciplinary research hub creating innovative enabling technology, products and services to enhance lives for people with disability and their supporters. Professor McDonald’s research played a key role in establishing the NDIS, including involvement in early consultation meetings for OTA. She has consistently demonstrated exceptional research outputs, making an enduring impact on the profession. Her sustained efforts over more than 30 years have yielded impressive results, inspired others and driven meaningful change in our field.

Jacki Liddle

Associate Professor Liddle is an OT and researcher with a focus on quality of life and participation, working with older people, people with neurological conditions, people living with dementia, and families. She is interested in researching areas of community mobility and participation, life transitions, and technology co-design. She began her research by wanting to improve outcomes for people who struggled with stopping driving, leading to development of driving cessation intervention and program of research, which has been adopted internationally. She researches with interdisciplinary teams including lived experience experts, clinicians, health, and technology researchers at the University of Queensland and The Princess Alexandra Hospital.

Stacey George

Professor George is one of the leading occupational therapy clinical researchers nationally. Her research expertise involves the development and translation of evidence, leading to practical changes to improve participation for people with neurological conditions. Her PhD research led to development and validation of the Adelaide Driving Self-Efficacy Scale, which has been incorporated as an outcome measure in international research projects. Her work has been cited in international stroke guidelines and informed the National Assessing Fitness to Drive medical standards publication by Austroads and NDIS policies on funding vehicle modifications. Professor George has a reputation for authentic engagement for the integration of occupational therapy clinical services and research.

The new Fellows join the following Fellows who have been inducted since the inaugural round in 2017:

• Reinie Cordier

• Pamela Meredith

• Iona Novak

• Mandy Stanley

• Sally Bennett

• Helen Bourke-Taylor

• Jodie Copley

• Louise Gustafsson

• Christine Imms

• Karen Liu

• Ted Brown

• Anita C. Bundy

• Leeanne M. Carey

• Lindy Clemson

• Anne Cusick

• Jennifer Fleming

• Tammy Hoffman

• Natasha A. Lannin

• Lynette Mackenzie

• Annie McCluskey

• Sylvia Rogers AM

• Jenny Strong

• Carolyn Unsworth

• Gail E. Whiteford

• Jenny Ziviani