Embodied and sensorial interactions have deep potential for developing relationships with those who are minimally communicative. In this talk, Dr. Blain-Moraes will present different ways that dance, music and therapeutic clowning have been used in her research along with physiologically based assistive technology to support interaction with children in palliative care and adults with advanced dementia.
Details
When: Wednesday, March 4th from 12 PM to 1 PM
Where: On Zoom
About the Speaker: Dr. Stefanie Blain-Moraes
Dr. Stefanie Blain-Moraes is an Associate Professor in the School of Biomedical Engineering, Occupational Sciences and Occupational Therapy at the University of British Columbia. She leads the Biosignal Interaction and Personhood Technology (BIAPT) Lab, which aims to develop technologies to assess consciousness and sustain relationships with minimally communicative persons. Broadly, her research focuses on: 1) developing tools to detect levels of and capacity for consciousness across altered states of consciousness (e.g., anesthesia, disorders of consciousness); and 2) creating technologies to support arts-based interactions (e.g., music, dance, therapeutic clowning) that build relationship and connection with minimally communitive persons. Her research program has involved persons in disorders of consciousness and palliative care; adults with dementia, Parkinson’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; and children with autism and severe and multiple disabilities. Her work has been recognized by numerous awards, including the Principal's Prize for Outstanding Emerging Researcher and membership in the College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists in the Royal Society of Canada, and has been featured in National Geographic, STAT news, the New Scientist and CTV National News.
Dr. Blain-Moraes is also a dedicated teacher and mentor. Her students have received national and international recognition for their research and contributions to academia. The excellence of Dr. Blain-Moraes’ teaching and training was recognized with the 2020 Faculty of Medicine Teaching Innovation Award from McGill University and by the 2023 Carrie M. Derrick Award for Graduate Teaching and Supervision.