Every year, the SSO:USA Annual Research Conference brings together leading researchers, scholars, therapists, and students to exchange ideas and share their work related to the study of participation in daily activities or those activities that occupy our lives. We are excited to announce that the 2025 Annual Research Conference will take place November 6 - 8, 2025, at the Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas. 

Moody Gardens

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Conference Theme:  Occupations and Nature: Connections and Transactions

The theme concerns connections and interactions of nature and occupation. Just as nature-based contexts impact occupations that occur in various ecologies, human occupation has profound impacts on these and other ecosystems/ the natural world. Sessions may relate to the theme in various ways, such as discussion questions, interpretations or reflections.

Ruth Zemke Lectureship in Occupational Science: In recognition of Dr. Ruth Zemke's mentorship, questing intellect, and ongoing efforts to foster an occupational science community of researchers, this Lectureship was named in her honor. The lectureship is designed as a forum to present visionary, theoretical, and critical analyses of occupational science.

2025 Ruth Zemke Lectureship in Occupational Science: Dr. Mary Lawlor, ScD, OTR/L, FAOTA

"Let’s Take a Moment: Temporality and Significant Experiences"

Mary C. Lawlor, Sc.D., M.Ed., OTR/L, FAOTA, is Professor and Associate Chair for Research in the USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at the University of Southern California.  Dr. Lawlor directs the Boundary Crossings Research Lab and has over 25 years of experience conducting interdisciplinary and community-partnered research focused on children with developmental and special healthcare needs, their families, and the clinicians who support them.

 Her scholarship is distinguished by its commitment to examining the meanings of illness and disability in family and community life, the social and narrative nature of therapeutic encounters, and the sociocultural factors shaping health care, particularly among chronically underserved populations. She has led and collaborated on numerous federally funded studies, including two NIH R01 grants, a Maternal and Child Health Bureau-funded ethnographic study, and a Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) capacity-building engagement award.

 Dr. Lawlor has been instrumental in the development of narrative and phenomenological methodologies in occupational science, including the creation of collective narrative interviewing. Her work in autism research has highlighted the importance of emic perspectives and explored how sensory processing challenges impact lived experience and social participation. Her ongoing research includes studies on uncertainty in the lives of autistic children and their caregivers.

 An award-winning mentor, Dr. Lawlor received the 2024 USC Mentoring Award for Faculty Mentoring Graduate Students and has chaired or served on dozens of doctoral committees across PhD, OTD, and MA programs. As a leader in research development, she mentors junior faculty.

 She is a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association and a member of the American Occupational Therapy Foundation’s Academy of Research, where she also served as Chair of the Board of Trustees. In recognition of her scholarship, she was selected to deliver the 2022–2023 Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lecture, one of the highest honors in the field of occupational therapy.

Dr. Lawlor earned her Sc.D. in Therapeutic Studies from Boston University, her M.Ed. from Harvard University, and her B.S. in Occupational Therapy from Boston University.

Pre-Conference Education Workshop: More Information Coming Soon!

Pre-Conference Research Institute: More Information Coming Soon!

One of the unique features of SSO:USA conferences is the attention devoted to balance and the quality of participants’ experiences.  Researchers should leave an SSO:USA conference refreshed, stimulated, and energized to return to their work.  Shared meals, conference break blocks, and a range of balance activities encourage attendees to rejuvenate, network, and explore unique aspects of local culture.  

This year the SSO conference Traditions of Talent Share and Sing-along will be our "Art Share". All attendees are invited to contribute and enjoy this informal community gathering with many art forms-- singing, poetry, stand-up, and more.  

SSO:USA is committed to supporting and welcoming participants of all gender identities, races and ethnicities, abilities, socioeconomic backgrounds, and diverse cultures to our conference space. The Conference Committee is working to ensure that resources and supports are provided to facilitate inclusion and safety for all attendees. 

Attendees of the SSO:USA Annual Research Conference are expected to treat each other with kindness and respect, follow the event's guidelines, and promptly inform SSO:USA or event staff if they witness any exclusionary or discriminatory behavior. If you have questions or concerns about inclusivity or safety prior to the conference, please contact [email protected].

Conference Registration is NOW OPEN!

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The Society holds an annual silent auction at conference to facilitate student scholarship in occupational science. Donated items collected prior to the annual conference support this activity. Consistent with the mission of the Society, proceeds from the Silent Auction foster the development of researchers by funding student research projects and presentations on the study of occupation. The auction began with the efforts by Dr. Phyllis Meltzer to obtain donations of hand-crafted and artful objects for fund-raising in support of the work of SSO:USA. The auction has expanded to include a wide range of items and opportunities, whose auction proceeds support student research in the study of occupation. The society welcomes donations of artful handmade objects as well as other items such as gift certificates, books, jewelry, vouchers for trips or vacation stays, souvenirs of the conference location, etc.  

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For website/technical questions, please contact [email protected]. For event questions and sponsorship opportunities, please contact [email protected].