Lawlor wins Slagle, 8 more Trojans earn AOTA and AOTF awards
April 4, 2022

By Mike McNulty

Associate Chair of Research and Professor Mary Lawlor was named the recipient of the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lectureship Award, the profession’s most prestigious academic honor that recognizes one’s substantial and lasting scholarly contributions to the profession, during AOTA’s 2022 conference in San Antonio.

Lawlor becomes the 16th USC-affiliated recipient of the award, and will deliver her Slagle Lecture during the 2023 AOTA conference in Kansas City.

“I am deeply appreciative, incredibly honored and humbled to be receiving the Eleanor Clarke Slagle award,” Lawlor said. “I’m looking forward to the year ahead, and the opportunities it affords to reflect on the trajectories and themes of my work and all I have learned from mentors, colleagues, mentees, students and families who have engaged with us in our research and stakeholder projects.”

Lawlor was one of nine USC faculty, staff and alumni who received annual awards presented by the AOTA and American Occupational Therapy Foundation during the conference, which ran from Mar. 31 – April 3.

More USC-affiliated awardees

Associate Professor Elizabeth Pyatak was inducted into AOTF’s Academy of Research in Occupational Therapy. This distinction recognizes exemplary, distinguished and sustained contributions toward the science of occupational therapy.

¡Vivir Mi Vida! research team members Assoc. Research Prof. Stacey Schepens Niemiec, staff member Jeanine Blanchard, Research Prof. Mike Carlson and former faculty members Cheryl Vigen and Jenny Martínez received the Cordelia Myers American Journal of Occupational Therapy Best Article Award. The award recognizes their original research article titled “Long-Term Follow-Up of a Lifestyle Intervention for Late-Midlife, Rural-Dwelling Latinos in Primary Care.”

Assoc. Clinical Prof. Stacey Morikawa received AOTA’s Distinguished Fieldwork Educator Award.

USC Chan alumni Bryant Edwards MA ’05, OTD ’06 and Jenny Martínez ’09, MA ’10, OTD ’11 were both named Fellows of the AOTA, an honor given to fewer than one percent of all licensed occupational therapists.

An additional 14 faculty members and alumni also received 2022 AOTA Service Commendations for their volunteer service to various association committees, professional organizations and advisory groups.

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