Prof. Catherine BACKMAN (Canada)

Catherine Backman is Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, University of British Columbia (UBC) and Research Scientist , Arthritis Research Centre of Canada, in Vancouver, Canada. After earning her bachelor’s degree in rehabilitation (physical & occupational therapy) at UBC she worked as an occupational therapist in the arthritis program in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Catherine returned to the west coast to obtain her Master of Science at the University of Washington in Seattle, USA. She established a teaching career at UBC and subsequently obtained her PhD in health care & epidemiology, also at UBC.

A recipient of the Killam University Teaching Prize, Catherine teaches occupational therapy theory and supervises MSc and PhD students in rehabilitation sciences and inter-disciplinary studies. Catherine’s research interests are in two main areas: (1) measuring and enabling participation in everyday activities, including paid and unpaid work, and (2) evaluating the effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions. In both areas, the focus is on people living with arthritis. Her research is funded by national and provincial granting agencies. Catherine has published over 100 works, including journal articles and book chapters.

Catherine received the Muriel Driver Memorial Lectureship from the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists in 2004, the Association’s highest honor. She is Associate Editor, Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, and a past president of the Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals, a Division of the American College of Rheumatology.