SHRS Blog

Christie-Lee Coad, cohead athletic trainer for USA Track and Field, is headed to Paris in July for the Olympic Games. She attended Pitt for graduate school from 2008-10, getting her master's degree in sports medicine. She also was a graduate assistant for athletic training, working with swimming and diving.

Distinguished Professor and Founder and Director of the Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL), Rory Cooper, won a bronze medal in the 4x400 meter wheelchair relay in 1988 and continues to contribute to Team USA. He has been named to the United States Olympians and Paralympians Association’s (USOPA) Executive Committee and will be in Paris to assist the athletes at the Paralympic Games this summer.

A career in rehabilitation technology combines personal experience, academic pursuit and a passion for making a difference in the lives of individuals with disabilities. Kayden Gill, a 2023 graduate of the Master of Rehabilitation Technology (MRT) program, shared his journey, experiences and aspirations within this dynamic industry. 

Facets Magazine Feature: Recent Master of Sports Science alumna, Tatianna Rivas, completed her year-long internship with the Pitt women's volleyball team on their way to the NCAA Final Four! Rivas talks about working with the powerhouse women's team and how she was able to merge her love of volleyball with the Pitt Sports Science program.

Michelle Schein, associate professor, clinical coordinator and program director for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, recently attended the 11th annual Disability and Mental Health Summit in Western Pennsylvania, serving on one of the summit’s panels.  

The inaugural SHRS Dean’s Annual Staff Excellence Awards were announced by Dean Anthony Delitto at the State of the School on April 4. The awards are an important gesture honoring SHRS staff who go above and beyond their daily responsibilities and whose actions support the mission and values of the SHRS and Pitt community. The four deserving winners were: the Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Award to Anastasia White, the Debora L. Miller Award for Leadership and Operations Award to Jessica Thomas, the Research and Scholarly Activity Mission Administration Award to Laura Waterstram, and the Student Impact Award to Joyce Broadwick. 

Mutrik Alajmi (MSOT ’22), who lives in Colorado, shares his experience as a student who graduated from the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program, a two-term, 30-credit post-professional program designed for occupational therapists educated in the United States or internationally, who want to advance their knowledge and skills in a career they already love.  

Our series on the Master of Science in Occupation Therapy alumni talks with Zahraa Khanafer who grew up in Kuwait and worked there as an OT before coming to Pitt. Learn about her decision to study abroad at Pitt OT, her experience in our post-professional program and the faculty support she received! 

“I am thrilled to embark on this new journey at UPMC. I am significantly appreciative and deeply proud of my DPAS degree and all that it has led me to,” says Acosta. Read more about her role and DPAS journey.

Department of Physical Therapy faculty have been leading groundbreaking physical therapy and interdisciplinary research at Pitt and beyond. Here is a roundup of recent Pitt Physical Therapy research news.

In February, many of the Pitt Department of Physical Therapy faculty and students attended the 2024 American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Combined Sections Meeting (CSM) in Boston, MA. Pitt PT’s impact at CSM was highlighted with presentations by full-time and adjunct faculty in eleven two- hour sessions, five poster presentations and six platform sessions. CSM was a powerful demonstration of what makes students, faculty, and alumni so proud to be part of Pitt PT!