ADVANCED TRAINING IN REHABILITATION RESEARCH AND DISABILITY POLICY TRAINING
This project provides advanced training in rehabilitation research outcomes and disability policy research. The project offers an individualized training program to accommodate the needs of various postdoctoral researchers and others with advanced degrees who hold leadership positions in rehabilitation research and related policy areas. Over the course of the five years, the project will train three one-year fellows and two two-year fellows. The project offers a set of core training experiences, including:
- advanced coursework
- project seminars
- participation in ongoing research and policy projects
- independent writing and research
Trainees are involved with training in one of two strands: rehabilitation outcomes research and disability policy research. Each strand includes 9-15 credits of coursework in advanced rehabilitation research or disability policy research (with a Certificate of Advanced Study in Disability Studies) and an internship at a rehabilitation or disability policy research project. Trainee capstone experiences include the preparation and submission of peer-reviewed articles, conference papers, or grant proposals as well as the preparation of research training packages for dissemination through the project.
The first year, now ended, supported three trainees for one year. The next phase will support two trainees for two years.
TRAINEES AY 2008-2010
Chris Bell is a disability studies scholar who will join the Center as an ARRT Fellow in August 2008. He is currently a doctoral candidate in English at Nottingham Trent University (Great Britain) specializing in cultural studies and use of rhetoric in disability discourse. He has taught, traveled, and made numerous professional presentations in North America and Europe on issues related to cultural minority status, HIV/AIDS, LGBT, and disability studies. - Dr. Youngoh Jung completed her doctoral studies in rehabilitation counselor education at the University of Texas – Austin in July 2008 and will join the Center as an ARRT Fellow in August 2008. Her dissertation research was a national study of rehabilitation services and outcomes for persons with HIV/AIDS, and concurrent interests include vocational services and human rights protections for persons with disabilities in South Korea.
THE FIRST YEAR TRAINEES (AY 2007-2008)
- Todd Reynolds completed his dissertation at the University of Oklahoma on individuals with disabilities and their experiences with extreme weather in 2007. Todd, who had multiple disabilities, served as an officer of the Disability Specialty Group (DSG) of the Association of American Geographers. After completing his postdoc, Todd was teaching a summer course on Geography of Disability coordinated by the Geography Department at Syracuse University, when sadly he passed away.
- Raven James from Lisle, NY (south of Cortland). Raven completed her dissertation on Sexual Self-Esteem and Women in Substance Abuse Treatment at Widener University and was involved in a qualitative research project examining the impact of participation in a LGBT-specific group in alcohol/drug treatment there as well. Raven worked on several projects including a project at Vera House concerning women with disabilities (http://www.verahouse.org/verahousearchives/07vawogrant.htm). Raven has accepted a position as Assistant Professor in the Addiction Studies department at Governor’s State University in Illinois.
- Omolara Funmilola Akinpelu ("Funmi") received her Ph.D. in Guidance and Counseling with an emphasis on multicultural perspectives of hearing impairment at the University of Illorin, Nigeria. Funmi was recently a visiting scholar at York University and has a strong background in special education in Nigeria.