Occupational therapy pioneer researcher visits WMU
Nov. 3, 2000
KALAMAZOO -- A pioneer in the field of occupational therapy will visit the area Nov. 9-10 to share his expertise with the WMU community and area health professionals.
Dr. Kenneth J. Ottenbacher, vice dean of the School of Allied Health Sciences at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, is being brought to Kalamazoo through the Visiting Scholars and Artists Program. A renowned researcher, scholar and teacher, he is credited with being a pioneer in single-system research and so-called small "N" research designs, which rely on a small number of subjects, both in medicine and allied health.
Ottenbacher has published numerous articles in medical and allied health journals and is frequently invited to make presentations at various national and international conferences. He is a strong proponent of clinical research and clinic/university activities.
He has received many awards and other recognition for his scholarly work and serves as an editorial board member for such well-known journals as the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the Journal of Clinical Kinesiology.
While on campus, Ottenbacher will conduct a five-hour workshop on single-system research design and small "N" research. The workshop is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9, in the Bernhard Center and includes a one-hour break for lunch. It is limited to 50 participants and is open to area clinicians, as well as faculty and graduate students. During the workshop, Ottenbacher will discuss various single system research designs and their applicability to health professions, when and how to choose a suitable research design, and data analysis and interpretation techniques for a number of single-system designs.
A second one-hour presentation describing tips for grant writing and grant acquisition for health and human services faculty is at 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 10, in the Department of Occupational Therapy's resource room in the Ernest Whitley Building on Oakland Drive. In that session, Ottenbacher will explore the factors that influence successful external grant acquisition.
Also on Nov. 9, Ottenbacher will lecture on "Developing a Body of Knowledge for Rehabilitation Science: Issues and Challenges." The session, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in room 2452 of Knauss Hall, also is open to all interested faculty, graduate students and area clinicians.
The Visiting Scholars and Artists Program was established in 1960 and has supported some 500 visits by scholars and artists representing more than 65 academic disciplines. The chairperson of the committee that oversees the program is Dr. James M. Hillenbrand, professor of speech pathology and audiology.
For more information, contact Dr. Stanley Paul, assistant professor of occupational therapy, at (616) 387-7242 or <stanley.paul@wmich.edu> or call Shannon Penny in the WMU Department of Occupational Therapy at (616) 387-7265.
Media contact: Mark Schwerin, 616 387-8400, mark.schwerin@wmich.edu