UF Occupational Therapy

04/01/2026

Happy OT Month from Gator OT! Be on the lookout for our Gator spOTlights highlighting our UF OT alumni. 🐊🕵️‍♀️😎

03/25/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Seung Woo (Benedict) Hwangbo and Yuan Li on successfully defending their dissertations! Both delivered outstanding, high‑quality scientific work that advances Rehabilitation Science. Dr. Hwangbo’s research expands our understanding of autonomous shuttles, community mobility, and mobility needs of older adults, while Yuan Li’s work develops interpretable sleep phenotypes from longitudinal wearable data to support better assessment and modeling of health over time. 📖🏫🐊

03/19/2026

Building pediatric skills through simulation helps students practice communication and emotional‑support strategies before working with real children. These early experiences strengthen readiness for pediatric Level I and Level II fieldwork. 🐊👫😃
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/183zXMrUdA/

03/11/2026

Registration closes in one week on March 18, 2026. Don't miss this event! 🐊⏰😀

Please join us for the 10th anniversary of the Sandra Edwards Colloquium, a day celebrating leadership, innovation, and collaboration in occupational therapy. This year’s theme, “Envisioning the Future of Occupational Therapy: Integrating Science, Practice, and Transformational Leadership,” highlights our commitment to advancing the profession. CEUs available for Florida OT practitioners. Register here: https://phhp.ufl.edu/events/13100/10th-anniversary-sandra-edwards-colloquium/1774701000/ 🐊📖🙂

02/27/2026

Congratulations to Anna Pryyma, Department Administrator in the Department of Occupational Therapy, on receiving the Superior Accomplishment Award for Division 5 – Employee Performance! We are grateful for her exceptional dedication, leadership, and service to our students, faculty, and community. 🏅🐊🍎

02/26/2026

We’re proud to highlight the work of Hongwu Wang, Ph.D., assistant professor in the UF Department of Occupational Therapy, whose course on Robotics and AI for Health inspired Ph.D. candidate Shahzadhi Nyakhar to study AI-based mental health tools for college students.🐊🙂

Nyakhar and Wang's review of existing studies on the technology found eight generative AI chatbots that had a positive effect on students' mental health and well-being.

02/19/2026

💙 Gator Nation Giving Day: Support UF Occupational Therapy 💙
Join us in celebrating Gator Nation Giving Day! Your gift helps provide scholarships and learning opportunities for our OT students as they prepare to make a meaningful impact in the lives of children, adults, families, and communities.
Give to UF Occupational Therapy: https://www.uff.ufl.edu/giving-opportunities/001443-occupational-therapy/
Thank you for supporting our students and the future of OT. 🐊

02/19/2026

02/19/2026

💙🐊 Join us this Giving Day and help us continue transforming lives, one occupation at a time.
Thank you for all you do to support our OT community.
Link to give: https://www.uff.ufl.edu/giving-opportunities/001443-occupational-therapy/

02/19/2026

Today is Giving Day. 💙🐊 Help us honor the legacy of Dr. Kay F. Walker.
Frank Gainer, MHS ’84, has donated $5,000 and will match all additional gifts dollar for dollar, up to a total of $10,000.
Your gift doubles its impact and continues Dr. Walker’s commitment to future occupational therapy professionals.
Link to give: bit.ly/GiveToPHHP

Giving Day is the moment we honor the power of our community, and the moment you help it thrive.

With a gift to our college, you propel students forward, spark breakthrough research and elevate patient care. Every contribution is one step closer to a brighter future in health care.

Stand Up & Holler for PHHP: bit.ly/GiveToPHHP

02/18/2026

Please join us for the 10th anniversary of the Sandra Edwards Colloquium, a day celebrating leadership, innovation, and collaboration in occupational therapy. This year’s theme, “Envisioning the Future of Occupational Therapy: Integrating Science, Practice, and Transformational Leadership,” highlights our commitment to advancing the profession. CEUs available for Florida OT practitioners. Register here: https://phhp.ufl.edu/events/13100/10th-anniversary-sandra-edwards-colloquium/1774701000/ 🐊📖🙂

02/17/2026

Jessica Kramer, Ph.D., OTR/L, associate professor, and Elijah Thomas, a member of Kramer’s Youth & Young Adult Empowerment, Leadership & Learning Lab, served on a PCORI work group to recommend a research agenda that addresses gaps in health outcomes for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 😄🐊

Jessica Kramer, Ph.D., OTR/L, and Elijah Thomas were members of a PCORI work group tasked with recommending a research agenda for IDD studies.