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Rebecca M. Aldrich , Ph.D., OTR/L

Associate Professor
Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy

Education

  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • Master of Arts, University of Southern California
  • Bachelor of Science, University of Southern California

Research Interests

  • Dr. Aldrich's work focuses broadly on the occupations (or, daily activities) and occupational possibilities of marginalized populations. In addition to understanding what occupations occur in situations of disadvantage, Dr. Aldrich also studies larger structures for occupational possibilities such as social and political systems. She uses her research to generate knowledge as well as establish and expand the theoretical foundations of occupational science. Dr. Aldrich's previous research involved an ethnographic study of discouraged workers' daily occupations in a rural North Carolina manufacturing town. Currently, Dr. Aldrich is completing a cross-cultural comparative study that examines the link between social service acquisition and unemployed people's daily occupations in the United States and Canada. She is also engaged in projects surrounding the occupational possibilities in risk-immersed communities such as North City St. Louis.

Professional Organizations and Associations

  • International Society for Occupational Science
  • Society for the Study of Occupation: USA
  • World Federation of Occupational Therapists
  • American Occupational Therapy Association
  • Alpha Eta (Allied Health Honor Society)
  • Pi Theta Epsilon (Occupational Therapy Honor Society)
  • Phi Kappa Phi (Honor Society)
  • Golden Key (Honor Society)