Current PhD Students

Yujia (Mona) Mo ⟩

I’m one of members in the China Initiative, admitted to USC Chan as the second Peking University Health Science Center (PKUHSC) student, pursuing the PhD degree in Occupational Science. I’ve achieved the Bachelor’s degree in Rehabilitation Therapy, as well as the Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. During the journey of medicine-related learning, I gradually realized the magic of minute parts of occupation that may have a wonderful impact on people’s health and well-being. With curiosity and determination to figure out the mystery of life, I choose LRCC.

Seeking for challenges and trying new things is my own lifestyle. I’m into all kinds of activities in daily life: morning running, road cycling, writing calligraphy, photography is my favorite.

⋯

Ngozi “NG” Deborah Nnoli MS ⟩(she/her/hers)

My research focuses on health promotion, particularly within the fields of health behavior and management for people living with chronic conditions and illnesses. I am especially interested in physical activity, not just as a behavior to modify, but as an experience that can be supported and encouraged through more intentional and responsive approaches. My work aims to explore the factors that facilitate or hinder regular physical activity, with the goal of generating insights that inform more person-centered care.

I approach this work through the lens of occupational science, particularly the concepts of doing, being, and becoming. I am especially drawn to “being” as a dynamic and lived experience that unfolds from moment to moment and is shaped by both psychological and physiological states. I am interested in how we can better understand and measure these momentary states to inform future physical activity interventions and provide evidence-based insights that healthcare providers can incorporate into treatment planning for adults with Type 1 diabetes.

⋯

Camille Parchment ⟩(she/her/hers)

I am a PhD student within the Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, under the mentorship of Dr. Amber Angell. My research interests are healthcare implementation, occupational justice in healthcare and more specifically, improving access to mental health services for all, including underserved members of the mental health community. As a research assistant within the Disparity Reduction and Equity in Autism Services (DREAmS) lab, I support research projects that aim to reduce disparities in autism diagnosis and services, particularly among autistic women and girls.

⋯

Madeline Parga ⟩(she/hers)

As a researcher, I am interested in transdisciplinary investigations at the intersection of disability studies and technology applications. This was largely inspired by increasing collaboration in the field between occupational scientists and engineers, as well as between occupational scientists/therapists and disability studies scholars through the OT+DS network. Due to the strengthening of these connections, I believe it is not only largely possible but responsible to draw upon this network of researchers to consider how smart technology applications will influence both social and physical factors of accessibility.

As an occupational scientist, I hope to apply the biopsychosocial model to investigate how advanced applications of technology will impact all people, while emphasizing disability as an identity that must be considered. I am also interested in the process of designing technologies with applications to contexts such as the workplace and how these technologies can promote enjoyment and reduce ongoing barriers.

⋯

Helde Pereira MRes ⟩

My research interests are mental health, homelessness, spatial analysis, and community-based participatory research. Before becoming a PhD student, I worked as an occupational therapist at a Psychosocial Care Center in Brazil, with a focus on individuals utilizing substances (CAPS AD Nordeste). During this time, I conducted research on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the occupations of users within the Brazilian Network for Psychosocial Care.

⋯

Shannon Roux MAT ⟩(she/her/hers)

After 6 years of experience as an elementary special education teacher in the inclusion setting, I have observed how neurodiverse classrooms can lead to more equitable academic outcomes for students with disabilities and support the socio-emotional development of all students. However, I have also witnessed the significant challenges and barriers that teachers, Occupational Therapists, and administrators face in fostering an environment that allows students to reach their full potential.

I transitioned to the PhD program to explore my interests in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), sensory regulation, and environmental modifications. My long-term research interests include exploring sensory and environmental interventions to identify the highest leverage supports for students with and without ASD in the inclusion classroom. I hope that this work will not only create better outcomes for students but could also improve longevity and work satisfaction for teachers.

I am currently working in the TEM Research Lab (Tailored Environmental Modifications) under the guidance of Dr. Stein Duker. Current projects aim to investigate the efficacy of environmental modifications to support children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Disabilities, and Dental Fear and Anxiety in the dental environment. My goal is to apply the insights gained in this work to the educational setting, furthering my commitment to supportive and effective learning environments for all children.

⋯

Jordan Segal ⟩

⋯

Lily Shkhyan ⟩

I am interested in how culture, identity, and structural context intersect to shape health experiences across the lifespan. Rather than treating culture as a static set of beliefs, I approach it as dynamic and embedded within institutions, power structures, and social relationships.

My work examines how these layered influences shape clinical encounters, health communication, and patterns of healthcare seeking among disabled and neurodivergent populations. I am particularly interested in processes of acceptance of disability and identity development, and how these unfold within broader contexts of stigma, marginalization, and community belonging. This includes attention to how individuals interpret symptoms and diagnoses, how they negotiate labels and disclosure, and how prior experiences with healthcare systems influence future engagement.

Simultaneously, I strive to examine how healthcare environments reproduce or disrupt inequities through provider assumptions, institutional norms, and implicit expectations of normalcy. By situating disability and neurodivergence within intersecting cultural, relational, and structural frameworks, my research seeks to better understand how health behaviors and healthcare encounters are shaped long before a patient enters the exam room.

⋯

Min Ji Song ⟩

Prior to beginning the PhD program in Occupational Science, I completed a Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy and a Post-Professional Doctorate in Occupational Therapy at the USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy. As an occupational therapy practitioner, my practice area was in hand therapy, working with individuals with upper extremity injuries and conditions. My academic and professional experiences have shaped my research interests in occupational science.

My research interests primarily focus on the integration of emerging or smart technologies for the assessment, prevention, rehabilitation, and management of musculoskeletal disorders affecting the upper extremity in the working adult population. My interests center around understanding how the use of emerging technologies can enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of practices related to work-related musculoskeletal disorders, thereby optimizing individuals’ potential to live meaningful, productive, and fulfilling lives as occupational beings.

⋯

Brianna Stevens PT, DPT ⟩(she/her)

Hello! I’m passionate about understanding how the brain supports learning, attention, and sensory processing in early childhood. My work focuses on neural mechanisms underlying sensory and attention differences in children with neurodevelopmental disorders, with the goal of improving early identification and intervention. I have clinical experience working with diverse pediatric populations in Southern California, which has strengthened my commitment to supporting meaningful engagement and participation for every child. I particularly enjoy using neuroimaging techniques, such as EEG, to explore brain-based biomarkers that may help us better understand and support neurodiverse development. I’ve always known I wanted to work with children, and my combined clinical and research experiences continue to inspire me to create bridges between neuroscience and everyday life for kids and their families.

Research Interests. Sensory processing, learning and attention, neurodevelopmental disorders, neuroimaging techniques

⋯