Meet Bita – Rehabilitation researcher, traveler, and a big fan of Wii.
Q: What is your research area of interest and why?
A: My research interest is focused on the use of technology and gaming software to develop rehabilitation programs for older adults living with lower limb amputation. It is in part motivated by my past five years of exposure to lower limb amputee rehabilitation where I have seen clients succeed and fail. Those who fail ultimately abandon their prosthesis which significantly limits their activity and participation levels.
Q: Why do you think some people are less successful at rehabilitation?
A: I hypothesize this failure is due to a lack of evidence to support amputee rehabilitation particularly related to interventions that promote best practice. My decision to pursue this area of interest was facilitated by my introduction to my PhD supervisor, Dr. Miller, and fuelled by a desire to develop novel solutions to address relevant clinical problems such as this.
Q: What has been the proudest moment of your career thus far?
A: The proudest moment of my career thus far has been receiving four prestigious doctoral awards all at once: the Vanier Graduate Scholarship; the CIHR Doctoral Research Award; the Anne Martin Mathews CIHR-IA Doctoral Recognition Prize in Research on Aging; and the UBC Killam Doctoral Scholarship. It is such a privilege to know that my work has been acknowledged in such an honorable manner and gives me enthusiasm and confidence to pursue my career goal of becoming a distinguished leader in my field.
Q: What do you think of when you hear the word holiday?
A: Traveling! I love traveling to exotic places, meeting new people, and learning about different cultures.
Q: What do you value in your colleagues?
A: I am very fortunate to work with the most amazing professionals who are sharp, team players, and passionate about their work with a positive attitude, a desire to help, and the ability to think outside of the box.
Q: What would you like to be remembered for?
A: As someone who dreamed big and worked really hard to make the world a better place.
Q: If you weren’t a researcher, what else might you be doing professionally?
A: I’d be a physician.
