2005 Press Releases

14 Jul 2005

UCC hosts the 4th Occupation UK and Ireland Occupational Science Symposium, 8-9 September


In recognition of Cork's designation as European Capital of Culture 2005, the Department of Occupational Therapy, University College Cork (UCC) will host the 4th Occupation UK and Ireland Occupational Science Symposium on 8-9 September next.

This interdisciplinary symposium, which will explore the theme of 'Culture and Health: An Occupational Perspective', will bring together clinicians, researchers and educators in Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy and those with an interest in understanding and enhancing the health and well-being of people across cultures. There is a growing recognition of culture and diversity in occupational experiences across the globe, and their relationship with health and well-being.

Cultural awareness and sensitivity in health education and service delivery is a professional imperative.  According to Betty Risteen Hasselkus, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Occupational Therapy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA, culture can be understood as the experience of similarity and difference in our lives. She suggests that 'the routines of our daily activities, the symbols and images found in our day-to-day surroundings, the priorities we set as we plan our days, our perceptions of what kinds of activities are 'appropriate' as related to our community, country, gender, age, size, colour, past experiences, religious upbringing, social relationships, obligations and responsibilities - all of these phenomena constitute elements of culture in our lives' .

Speakers at the Symposium include:

Bette Bonder, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Professor of Health Sciences and Psychology and Associate Dean in the College of Science at Cleveland State University who is an occupational therapist and psychologist with experience working with individuals from diverse backgrounds in mental health, gerontology and developmental disabilities.

Frank Kronenberg, BScOT, BA (education), MScOT student
International Guest Lecturer in Occupational Therapy and Coordinator of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists [WFOT] Community Based Rehabilitation project team. Frank is also a Joint Founder of SPIRIT of SURVIVORS - Occupational Therapists Without Borders, an international network of proactive occupational therapists working towards occupational justice.

Professor Malcolm MacLachlan BSc, MSc, MA, PhD, DipBA, FPSI, FTCD
Professor Malcolm MacLachlan BSc, MSc, MA, PhD, DipBA, FPSI, FTCD is with the Centre for Global Health and the Department of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin. His research interests include the interplay between culture and health, organisational aspects of international aid and the rehabilitation of people with physical disabilities. Matthew Molineux BoccThy, MSc, ILTM, AccOT, SROT

Matthew Molineux BoccThy, MSc, ILTM, AccOT, SROT
is currently Head of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy in the School of Allied Health Professions at Leeds Metropolitan University. He is currently finishing a PhD in occupational therapy at the University of Queensland, Australia. In his research, which is informed by occupational science, he is exploring the relationship between occupation and health in the lives of men with HIV/AIDS.

Doris Pierce PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Doris Pierce PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA is the Endowed Chair in Occupational Therapy at Eastern Kentucky University, Kentucky, USA. Her primary areas of research and scholarship are: theory descriptive of occupation and occupation-based practice; action research developing occupational therapy programming for at-risk youth in alternative and secure educational settings; infant/toddler development of play and environmental negotiation, and the work of mothers to support this development, in both typically-developing and at-risk children and video methods in occupational therapy research. The conference takes place 8-9 September in the new Brookfield Health Sciences Complex, UCC. Anyone interested in attending should contact Kerry Murphy, Symposium Secretary on 021 4901569. Further information is also available at www.ucc.ie/conf/cultureandhealth    

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