Latest Chan Division News
Randomized study finds Lifestyle Redesign® occupational therapy generated $250,000 in health care savings for primary care patients with diabetes ⟩
July 21, 2026
Health and Wellness Lifestyle Redesign Research
Cost–benefit study finds preventative occupational therapy significantly decreased emergency department visits and hospital stays.
(Adobe Stock) By Sammy Bovitz According to a new randomized study of primary care patients with diabetes, patients who received Lifestyle Redesign® occupational therapy generated more than $250,000 in health care cost savings compared to patients who received usual care alone. Researchers compared…
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The results are in: Lifestyle Redesign® heals patients, wallets alike ⟩
July 7, 2026
Health and Wellness Lifestyle Redesign
Healthier daily routines can mean fewer hospital visits.
Not only is Lifestyle Redesign® beneficial for patients, it also helps reduce the cost of care. The program has been estimated to save over $250,000 in healthcare costs, as a previously spotlighted study found. Patients who received Lifestyle Redesign care for diabetes in the study were found to…
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Occupational scientist Karla Ausderau joins USC Chan faculty ⟩
July 1, 2026
Community and Partners Faculty Research
Ausderau’s research focuses on improving health and well-being of individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families.
Karla Ausderau (courtesy of Karla Ausderau) Karla Ausderau MA ’00, PhD ’09, whose scholarship focuses on developmental science, neuroscience, occupational science and community engagement and knowledge mobilization approaches, has joined the faculty of the USC Chan Division at the rank of…
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New training program aims to develop future leaders in rehabilitation research ⟩
May 27, 2026
Community and Partners Research
The K12 Career Advancement and Development in Rehabilitation Research, or CADRRE, program, funded by the NIH, is designed to build a national training network for early career faculty in occupational therapy and physical therapy with institutional support from the University of Florida and USC.
By Jill Pease/University of Florida Dorian Rose, Ph.D., P.T., a research professor in the UF Department of Physical Therapy, conducts research on backward walking to improve balance and agility in patients post-stroke. She is one of 50 mentors for the new CADRRE program. (Photo by Betsy Brzezinski /…
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USC Chan, Peking University Health Science Center, celebrate 10-year anniversary of China Initiative partnership ⟩
May 7, 2026
Alumni Associations and Bodies China Initiative Global Initiatives
Collaboration has advanced the professional status, educational standards and workforce capacity of occupational therapy in mainland China.
By Elena Meng and Mike McNulty USC and PKUHSC leadership at the Apr. 26 celebration at Town & Gown of USC (Photo by Glenn Marzano) Faculty and colleagues gathered at an April luncheon symposium to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the USC Chan China Initiative, a collaboration which has…
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Awards ceremony recognizes longtime leaders, partners and alumni ⟩
April 28, 2026
Alumni Awards China Initiative Community and Partners Conferences Events
More than 500 alumni and friends packed the Hilton Anaheim hotel ballroom for the festivities.
By Mike McNulty Grace Baranek, Ronnie C. Chan, and Beong-Soo Kim with Chan's Global Visionary Impact Award at the division's April 25 awards ceremony (Photo by Glenn Marzano) Leaders, advocates and alums were lauded during an awards ceremony at the Hilton Anaheim hotel, capping off the annual…
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Educational program No. 1 in annual U.S. News rankings ⟩
April 7, 2026
Since U.S. News & World Report began ranking OT programs in 1998, USC Chan has been atop the list for more years than any other program in the country.
(USC/photo by Chris Shinn) The USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy is ranked the nation’s No. 1 occupational therapy educational program, according to 2026 Best Graduate Schools compiled by U.S. News & World Report. The recognition affirms the division's innovation…
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Why AI needs a “body” to truly understand the world ⟩
April 1, 2026
Artificial Intelligence Research
In Neuron, a USC-led team of neuroscientists explains why, for better reasoning and greater safety, the next generation of AI needs a sense of “embodiment.”
By Mike McNulty (Image generated by Google Gemini) AI systems have made remarkable progress in recent years. Multimodal large language models like ChatGPT and Gemini can analyze images, videos and text to describe scenes, answer complex questions and generate realistic content. Yet despite these…
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Arameh Anvarizadeh announced as 2026 Commencement speaker ⟩
March 27, 2026
AOTA President, USC faculty member, and three-time alumna will keynote the division’s 84th Commencement ceremony.
2026 Commencement keynote speaker Dr. Arameh Anvarizadeh Arameh Anvarizadeh ’05, MA ’06, OTD ’07, will be the keynote speaker at the USC Chan Division’s 2026 Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 15, 2026, at the University Park Campus. Anvarizadeh became president of the American…
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Eight Trojans win races in 2026 AOTA elections ⟩
February 26, 2026
Alumni Associations and Bodies Students
Election results are latest example of longstanding Trojan service to the national professional association.
Results of the 2026 American Occupation Therapy Association elections are in, and eight USC-affiliated candidates have won their respective races for volunteer leadership positions, the latest in a long line of Trojans serving the national professional association that advances the interests of…
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