Current PhD Students

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.

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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.

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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

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Svitlana Stremousova MS, MBA ⟩

I am a PhD candidate at the USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy under the mentorship of Dr. Mary Lawlor. In my present role, I support research projects examining current understandings of the sensory processing difficulties of autistic individuals across the lifespan and manage uncertainty in the lives of autistic children, families, and clinicians during the COVID-19 pandemic.

My research interests relate to dog companionship and community participation of autistic adults. I am specifically interested in applying qualitative research methodologies, both textual and visual, to inform researchers, clinicians, families, and community members about first-person experiences of autistic people. If you have any questions about my research interests, please feel free to contact me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

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Yu (Tony) Tang ⟩

My research interests focus on children’s development and the support needed for neurodivergent individuals throughout their life cycles. Some of the specific aspects of my inquiries include: What are protective (predictive) factors that can enhance the developmental outcomes of autistic children? What are the factors that can mediate the risk factors of disadvantaged autistic children? What are protective factors that can promote appropriate sexuality and self-identity development for autistic children and youth? What are factors that can foster autonomy and meaningful occupational engagement among autistic children and youth? How to create culturally attuned sensory and occupation-based assessment tools for different age groups?

I am thrilled to be a part of the insp!re lab under the supervision of Dr. Baranek and wish to discover meaningful findings through the lens of occupational science and other interdisciplinary collaborations.

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Valerie Angel Tapia ⟩(she/her/hers)

I am an occupational science researcher whose work focuses on burnout, organizational culture, and well-being among healthcare workers, with particular attention to primary care and safety-net healthcare systems. Grounded in occupational science and committed to health equity and social justice, my research examines how social relationships, institutional structures, and policy contexts shape occupational engagement, sustainability, and health outcomes for providers and patients.

I use mixed and participatory methodologies to understand burnout as a socially embedded, system-level phenomenon. My dissertation, Networks of Care: Understanding Burnout through Healthcare Culture, integrates quantitative and qualitative evidence to identify protective factors, relational dynamics, and leverage points for organizational change within primary care settings. I am especially committed to participatory action research that centers healthcare workers’ lived experiences and translates findings into actionable, community-informed strategies.

In parallel, my scholarship contributes to the design, adaptation, and evaluation of occupational therapy interventions for chronic conditions in primary care. My published work includes studies on the implementation of Lifestyle Redesign® across diverse practice contexts, the clinical and economic outcomes of a Primary Care Lifestyle Redesign clinical trial for adults with diabetes, and occupational engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic. In my role in the Lifestyle Redesign for Chronic Conditions Lab, I conduct practice-based research to continuously evaluate and strengthen intervention fidelity and ensure contextual fit in real-world healthcare settings.

Across my work, I aim to advance equitable and sustainable healthcare systems by strengthening social connection, collective efficacy, and team-based care models that support both healthcare workers and the communities they serve.

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Elinor “Ellie” Taylor MA, OTR ⟩

I am passionate about increasing neurodiverse representation and recognition of lived expertise in autism research. In addition to my work in the DREAmS lab, I am privileged to be a member of the Autistic Researchers Committee in the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR). I am interested in exploring the phenomenon of autistic masking and how the ableist marginalization intersects with sexism, transphobia, racism, and heterosexism for autistic populations. I hope to also eventually inform evidence-based clinical practice for autistic adults through the feedback and recommendations of diverse autistic communities and allies.

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USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy

1540 Alcazar Street, CHP 133, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9003

ACOTE accreditation | NBCOT certification

The USC entry-level doctorate in occupational therapy (OTD) degree program (cost of attendance) is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® (ACOTE®) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The USC entry-level master’s degree program (cost of attendance) is in Accreditation–Inactive status by ACOTE®. View our program’s ACOTE® standards public data. ACOTE® c/o the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.®, 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814, (301) 652-AOTA, www.acoteonline.org.

Professional program graduates are eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT®), nbcot.org. Program results from the NBCOT can be found online at www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.