Faculty and Staff

The Small Group Projects initiative supports a small group of 2-3 SJSU faculty conducting exciting research in their collective area of strength or carrying out an impactful research
project to broaden participation in engineering and/or aviation fields. Dr. Chiao-Ju Fang received this award on January 2026. Congratulations, Dr. Fang!

Title: AI-based Motion Planning and Fall Prevention for a Robotic Assistive Device for Older Adults 
Project Summary:
This newly awarded project addresses the growing challenge of falls and mobility limitations among older adults by advancing an AI-enabled robotic assistive device designed to enhance safe mobility and independence. Through an interdisciplinary collaboration across engineering and health and human sciences, the project develops an intelligent robotic walker that integrates advanced sensors, actuators, and AI-driven control systems. Using reinforcement learning–based motion planning, the device adapts in real time to users’ physical interactions and surrounding environments, enabling smooth, intuitive navigation with reduced physical and cognitive effort. In parallel, supervised and unsupervised machine learning models are applied to postural stability analysis and fault detection to enable early fall detection and proactive fall prevention. These innovations aim to create a shared human–robot autonomy framework that improves safety, comfort, and functional mobility for older adults, while reducing caregiver burden and long-term healthcare costs.

Award Amount: $50,000 for the first year, renewable for a second-year conditional on demonstrated satisfactory progress

In the Fall 2025 issue of the Journal of Humanities and Rehabilitation, Dr. Luis Arabit not only had an article published, but he is the first author that discussed the need for OT to engage in political advocacy. "This study conducted interviews with occupational therapists to report on their perceptions of political advocacy. The interviews identified three key ways that advocacy fundamentally benefits OT: It helps practitioners fight for clients’ access to quality care; it advances the profession itself; and it can continually influence policy changes." Access the article here. Congratulations, Dr. Arabit!

The California Foundation of Occupational Therapy (CFOT) grants awards to support the research of practicing occupational therapists, academicians, and post-entry level students engaged in independent advanced practice,
doctoral level, or post-doctoral level research. The recipients of this year’s CFOT Research Grant  awards will be announced at the 2025 OTAC Conference in Pasadena, CA at the CFOT Awards Luncheon. The Honored Lecturer this year at the Symposium Luncheon is our very own, Jean Koketsu, OTD, MS, OTR/L!

Here is the roster of SJSU OT Faculty awardees: 

• Cesar Arada, OTD, MHS, OTR/L, PAM, SWC
  Project Title: Use of Remote Artificial Intelligence in the Rehabilitation of Hand Orthopedic Conditions in Clinical Settings
  Faculty Co-PI: Luis Arabit, OTD, MS, OTR/L, BCN, BCPR, PAM, FAOTA
  - Funded by the CFOT General Research Fund
• Graham Teaford, OTD, OTR/L, SCLV
  Project Title: Development of a Vietnamese Version of the Revised Self-Report Assessment of Functional Visual Performance (R-SRAFVP)
  The purpose of this study is to translate, culturally adapt, and psychometrically validate an established occupational therapy (OT) standardized history-related questionnaire, the Revised Self-Report Assessment of Functional Visual Performance (R-SRAFVP),  for Vietnamese-speaking individuals with low vision. The ultimate aim is to create a linguistically and culturally appropriate tool that enables OT practitioners to gather meaningful occupational histories and provide equitable, client-centered care to an underserved population through linguistically and culturally appropriate evaluation.
  - Funded by the Margaret (Meg) Mitani & Gaylord E. Moss Research Grant and the Julie Shaperman Research Grant Fund in Memory of Dr. Martin Shaperman, and the CFOT General Research Fund
• Melisa Kaye, EdD, OTR/L
  Project Title: Project RISE-UP: Advancing Graduate Student Success
  in Healthcare Pathways
  Project RISE-UP is a year-long support and development program
  designed to help first generation and underrepresented incoming masters of OT and SLP build confidence, master
  essential skills, and navigate the hidden curriculum of graduate healthcare education.
  - Funded by the CFOT General Research Fund

A HUGE congratulations to Dr. Chiao-Ju Fang's recent selection for funding for the full amount requested from a competitive pool of applicants for the College Unrestricted Research Fund (CURF) grant! The grant period will be from 11/3/2025 to 07/31/2026 and the research will focus on an AI project. This is quite an accomplishment. Congratulations and thank you for being such an outstanding representative for our program and profession, Dr. Fang!

On September 10, 2025, Dr. Luis Arabit was appointed by California Governor Gavin Newsom to the California Board of Occupational Therapy (CBOT). CBOT Board members are the leaders of the State's licensing and regulatory agencies, who make important decisions on Board policies and on disciplinary actions against professionals who violate state consumer protection laws. Board members, among other things, approve regulations and help guide licensing, enforcement, public education and consumer protection activities. Congratulations on your appointment to the CBOT, Dr. Arabit!
Read the Governor's announcement here.

The SJSU Occupational Therapy department is very proud to announce that Pedretti’s Occupational Therapy, 9th edition co-edited by our very own esteemed emerita faculty, Dr. Heidi M. Pendleton and Dr. Winifred A. Schultz-Krohn, was recognized for the Longevity award by TAA (Textbook & Academic Authors Association) ----and this group reviews textbooks from ALL disciplines! The textbook originally created by Lorraine Williams Pedretti, MS, OTR (deceased), a former faculty and Emerita faculty at San Jose State University is one of the first and most highly regarded textbooks devoted to occupational therapy treatment for persons with physical disabilities. It is a staple in many occupational therapy programs and has been continually known for its accessibility and practical application supported by research and evidence-based practice. Read the article here.

Dr. Melisa Kaye was awarded a 2025-2026 SJSU Seed Grant on Project Illuminate: Advancing Graduate Student Success in Healthcare Pathways. Dr. Kaye also co-authored and published in two journals: Kaye, M.P., McCollum, M.C., & Hanzalik, S.B. (2025) Disparities between reported and actual study habits and perceptions among first-year occupational therapy graduate students. Journal of Occupational Therapy Education. AND, Kaye, M.P., Hanzalik, S. (2024). Student engagement and accountability in flipped and traditional classrooms: A comparison of concept map and question-and-answer homework strategies. Journal of Active Learning in Higher Education, 1-17. DOI: 10.177/1469784241270411
Congratulations, Dr. Kaye!

Dr. Megan Chang has served on the San José State University Academic Senate since 2022 and was recently elected as the Chair of the SJSU Curriculum and Research Policy Committee. She was also awarded a University Grants Academy Research Cluster grant for Spring 2025 to collaborate with three Engineering faculty on an interdisciplinary project focused on the use of AI and haptic technology in pediatric rehabilitation. Congratulations to Dr. Chang on her continued leadership and impactful research!  

Dr. Chiao-Ju Fang is part of an interdisciplinary Human-Robots Interaction Health team at San Jose State which was granted the California State University (CSU) SEED Grant Award. The goal of Faculty SEED Grants is to support and encourage the development of a strong program of STEM Education research or scholarship by faculty members in STEM fields. STEM-NET SEED awards help fund activity that supports the submission of large external grants aligned with STEM-NET’s mission and help further the vision. Non-STEM faculty may be involved in the multi-investigator proposals. Read more about the project of the awardees here. 
The same Health team also received the VPRI Teaming Award. This is a funding program for intended to build the capacity of SJSU faculty to design and conduct RSCA collaboratively with faculty both at SJSU and/or external institutions.  Find more information about this grant here.

Project descriptions for these awards may be found in Dr. Fang's list of Research and Publications. Congratulations, Dr. Fang!

Dr. Luis Arabit received a 2025 American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Service Commendation Award for his 2nd term of volunteer leadership service as the American Occupational Therapy Political Action (AOTPAC) Region V Board Director (2022-2024) and Co-Chair of the AOTPAC Ambassadors group (2018-2024).

Dr. Luis Arabit has generously shared his extensive expertise with colleagues, students, and others to move the profession forward. He has "made significant contributions to the advancement of occupational therapy" in political advocacy and leadership. Luis organized events, provided presentations and lectures on the importance of advocacy and legislation impacting occupational therapy. His advocacy and leadership positions include elected and appointed positions at the local, state, and national levels. As OTAC VP, he helped increased membership in the Occupational Therapy Association of California and as the Region 5 AOTPAC Director and AOTPAC Ambassadors Co-Chair he has inspired students and practitioners to actively support the profession. Congratulations, Dr. Arabit!

Katrina Long, assistant professor of Occupational Therapy published her book "Make Your Move: Exercise for Brain Health and Life with Parkinson’s" for The Michael J. Fox Foundation about exercise for brain health and life with Parkinson’s disease. This much-needed resource addresses common questions about exercise and offers practical tools and tips. Whether you know someone living with Parkinson’s or simply interested in understanding the benefits of exercise for overall brain health, this guide is for you. Visit this link to read the guide and share it with your friends, family, and anyone else who may be interested.

Dr. Katrina Long recently hosted the CHHS Celebration of Research event on April 23, 2025 held in front of the CCB building. The event showcased research posters of various disciplines housed within the CHHS. Dr. Long, together with OT students, participated and represented occupational therapy, showcasing the work of the OT faculty and our research students. Dr. Long also presented a poster at the World Congress on Parkinson’s Disease and Related Disorders and was declared the winner of the best poster at the conference. Congratulations, Dr. Long!