Dr. Ben Mortenson of the Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy Department received the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) New Investigator Award this year. This is one of the most competitive and prestigious awards offered by CIHR and will support him in further developing his research projects through provision of a contribution to his salary.
Dr. Mortenson is a principal investigator at the GF Strong Rehabilitation Research Program and International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries. His work focuses on four overlapping areas: assistive technology, social participation, caregiving and outcome measurement. Examples of his current research includes studies to a) evaluate the outcomes of scooter skills training, b) identify barriers and facilitators to mobility and participation among people who use different types of mobility devices, c) develop novel technologies to help informal (family) caregivers, and d) explore the experiences of those ageing with spinal cord injury versus those who acquire one later in life.
