Congratulations to Armineh Babikian, Yani Hamdani and Janet Parsons on being the global recipients of the Thelma Cardwell Foundation Award for Research 2024 from the World Federation of Occupational Therapists. 

Armineh Babikian is an occupational therapist and PhD candidate in the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute at the University of Toronto, specializing in global health. Under the supervision of Yani Hamdani, an assistant professor in the department of occupational science and occupational therapy, Armineh will conduct research for her project titled, “Leave No One Behind: Centering People with Disabilities in Armenian Occupational Therapy Development.” 

By centering lived experience and the perspectives of people with disabilities, Armineh aims to better understand how disability is understood and addressed in Armenian rehabilitation, and how occupational therapists can prioritize the human rights of people with disabilities. 

Armineh will be leading focus group discussions with adults and caregivers of people with disabilities who use Armenian rehabilitation services and working alongside a community advisory committee of Armenian disability advocates, making this the first disability-inclusive research project in Armenian rehabilitation.    

Janet Parsons, an associate professor in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, and Garry Aslanyan, adjunct professor in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, are on Armineh’s supervisory committee.