In addition to the inaugural World Occupational Science Conference, members of the OSOT faculty were also able to connect with colleagues and share their research at another international conference: the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) Congress, which took place in Paris this August.
Drs. Ben Mortenson, Tal Jarus and Jill Zwicker, and Assistant Professor of Teaching Katie Lee Bunting took part in the conference, which is designed to connect occupational therapists from across the world in a global convergence of research and expertise.
Dr. Mortenson presented on older adults’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic; Dr. Tal Jarus presented on her team’s innovative research-based theatre project, Alone in the Ring, and Dr. Jill Zwicker presented on cortical brain changes in children with developmental coordination disorder.
Ben gave a broad summary on the feeling of the conference:
Overall it was really great to be back in person after such a big gap in WFOT conferences. It was so nice to see colleagues again in person from around the world, but also from Canada! I think it was great having a hybrid option, especially to allow people to attend from other countries. Karen’s (Karen Whalley Hammell, Honorary Professor at OSOT) session was extremely well-attended and really needed a bigger room!
Katie went on to note:
This was my first WFOT, and honestly a lot felt like a bit of a blur! The energy was amazing, as you’re connecting with folks from across the globe. It made me realize both how big, and also how connected our community is.
Images: Courtesy of Ben Mortenson.