Research Fellow awarded highest honour from her profession
Professor Chris Mayers, a Research
Fellow at York St John University, has been made a Fellow of the
College of Occupational Therapists (COT), the highest honour that
the COT can bestow on one of its professional members.
The award recognises the outstanding
contribution Chris has made to the profession over many years. She
has been in occupational therapy practice, education and research
for more than 40 years. Chris joined York St John in 1984 and has
helped educate over 2,000 occupational therapy students in Dublin
and York since qualification.
In response to her award, Professor Mayers
said:
"I am thrilled and honoured to receive this
award, a very special highlight in my professional career. It has
been a great privilege to help enable people to improve their
quality of life and also to enthuse students and practitioners in
the UK and Europe. I have spent 26 very enjoyable, positive years
at York St John, having many different roles...but always as an
occupational therapist."
Chris’ research activity is practice
orientated, with the theme of person-centred practice being central
to this. The Mayers’ Lifestyle Questionnaires (1), (2) and (3) are
used throughout Europe and have been translated into a number of
different languages. These tools enable clients to identify their
quality of life priorities at the beginning of intervention. Chris
has also helped to develop a working definition of spirituality,
which is used by practitioners to meet the spiritual needs of
clients in relation to meaningful occupation.
In addition to her work in the UK, Chris has
mentored occupational therapists in Europe as they undertake
postgraduate programmes. She is a founder member of the European
Cooperation in OT research and Occupational Science (ECOTROS),
which now has more than 300 members. Two intensive programmes have
been initiated by ECOTROS and were hosted at York St John
University in 2008 and 2009. Chris has been involved in ERASMUS
activity at University College, Oslo, for 10 years and served as an
external examiner for undergraduate, MSc and PhD students for many
years.
For further information please contact Amy Hall, PR
& Communications Officer on T: 01904 876466 or E: a.hall@yorksj.ac.uk
