Title:   “Benefits of Robot Therapy as a Therapeutic Intervention for Older Adults with Cognitive Impairment”

Summary:

This talk will explore the benefits of robot therapy as a therapeutic intervention for older adults with cognitive impairment.

A trained occupational therapist, she earned her PhD in the design and usability of assistive technology for rehabilitation from Universidade Estadual Paulista (Brazil) and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in co-design technology at the University of Manitoba (Canada). She currently coordinates funded projects in the areas of robot therapy and assistive technology for rehabilitation in Spain, Canada, and Chile.

Affiliation: Professor-Researcher at Rey Juan Carlos University and member of the board of directors of the European Network of Occupational Therapy in Higher Education (ENOTHE)

Title:   “Clinical research approaches in Occupational Therapy to examine the effectiveness of self-management in people living with musculoskeletal conditions”

Summary:

Jo Adams qualified as an occupational therapist in 1986. She has worked in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Uganda, and Bangladesh across clinical, community, charitable, and higher education settings. Over the past 30 years, Jo has conducted interdisciplinary research focused on examining the effectiveness of self-management strategies for people living with musculoskeletal conditions.

All of her research has been collaborative. She has had the privilege of working for many years alongside outstanding teams of occupational therapy students, people living with musculoskeletal conditions, other healthcare professionals, engineers, surgeons, rheumatologists, and education professionals.

Affiliation: Professor of Muskuloskeletal Health within Health Sciences, University of Southampton. Occupational therapist.

Title:   “Working on the accessibility of a large-scale event: journey and realities of a role at the heart of the organization of the Paris 2024 Games.“

Summary:

Auriane Lacampagne is a clinical occupational therapist practicing in Belgium and France, primarily in rehabilitation and readaptation centers, working with individuals who have spinal cord injuries and neuro-orthopedic conditions. She has also developed expertise in accessibility, environmental adaptations, and technical aids through various experiences in different institutions.

For one year, she held the position of Accessibility and Paralympic Games Manager for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, contributing to the coordination of accessibility strategies and the integration of Paralympic specificities into the organization of this large-scale event.

Currently, she combines independent clinical practice in rehabilitation centers with missions in the field of international sports events, where she takes on roles in auditing, coordination, team management, and project management.

Affiliation: Independent clinical occupational therapist – consultant in accessibility and event project management.

Title:   “Innovative Experience in Ibero-American Universities: Universidad de A Coruña – SGIB. LABIC-ES 2024.“

Summary:

Adriana Ávila Álvarez is an Occupational Therapist and Associate Professor at the Universidade da Coruña (UDC), Spain. She holds a PhD in Psychopedagogy and has been Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at UDC since 2025. She previously served as Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences from 2017 to 2025. She holds Master’s degrees in Psychomotor Re-education and Early Intervention. She is the Coordinator of the Research Unit in Occupational Therapy for Non-Pharmacological Interventions (E000715) at UDC.

She is a member of the International Network for 3D Prosthetics and Assistive Devices GekkoLab, founded in 2016. Since 2005, she has been part of international and interdisciplinary teams focused on innovative technology for human development. Her doctoral thesis in Occupational Therapy explored home-based interventions for people with brain injury and dementia, including the adaptation of the LOTCA assessment in 2012. In 2013, she received the UDC Research Award. She has been an expert in Animal-Assisted Therapy since 1998 and has led innovative projects in hospitals since 2016. She was awarded the 5th National Prize in Pediatric Hospitals for her project on therapy dogs in the Child Rehabilitation Unit. She served as President of the Spanish Scientific Society of Occupational Therapy (SOCINTO) from 2020 to 2024 and as President of the National Conference of Deans and Directors of Occupational Therapy (CNDEUTO) from 2024 to 2025.

She is a member of the Coordinating Team of the International Citizen Innovation Laboratory at UDC, in collaboration with the Secretaría General Iberoamericana (SGIB) through the LABIC-ES 2024 project. She has participated in several international laboratories of Public and Citizen Innovation organized by SGIB, including LABICCO in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia (2016), LABICxLAPAZ in Pasto, Colombia (2018), LABICMEX in Guanajuato, Mexico (2021), and the Public and Citizen Innovation Week in Quito, Ecuador (2024).

She is also a member of the “Animals and Society” Chair (RJC) and actively collaborates on scientific articles, book chapters, and books.

Affiliation: Universidade da Coruña

Title:   “Coming soon…“

Summary:

Prof. Dr. Dominique Van de Velde is an occupational therapist, full professor, and principal investigator (PI) of the Occupational Therapy Research Group at Ghent University (Belgium). His research focuses on participation-oriented rehabilitation, goal-centered care, and the implementation of personalized interventions in complex health conditions. He has extensive experience in bridging clinical practice and research, with a particular interest in meaningful activities, work ability, chronic illnesses, and interdisciplinary and integrated care.

He actively participates in national and international research collaborations and contributes to the development of innovative frameworks that support meaningful participation in daily life. His work is characterized by a strong emphasis on implementation in real-world contexts, aiming to translate scientific knowledge into sustainable improvements in healthcare practice. He also holds positions at the Catholic University of Leuven and Hasselt University. He is an affiliated researcher at the European Academy of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, a member of the Belgian Superior Health Council, and a member of the Royal Academy of Medicine.

Affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Occupational Therapy Research Group, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.