Faculty Teaching Innovation Award

Dr. Stefanie Blain-Moraes: Working alongside people with disabilities to develop assistive technology

by Matthew Brett

Understanding the contexts and realities of living with a disability is key to effective clinical practice when caring for patients with disabilities, so Dr. Blain-Moraes developed Design of Assistive Technology: Principles and Praxis, a course in which health professional and engineering students work with a client with a disability to build an assistive technology. The course lies at the intersection of disability, engineering and design, and gives students hands-on experience working across disciplines and developing a relationship with someone with a disability.

Dr. Blain-Moraes joins six other faculty members as recipients of the inaugural Teaching Innovation Award, created by the office of the Vice-Dean, Education, Dr. Annette Majnemer, to recognize individuals who developed and implemented innovative teaching strategies that are learning- and learner-focused.

“I’m delighted that we have an opportunity to recognize faculty members who are innovating across the health sciences,” says Dr. Majnemer. “Congratulations to recipients of this inaugural award! Your creativity and commitment to educating our learners is so inspiring and it’s absolutely a pleasure to celebrate your work.”

The award recipients were announced as part of the Faculty’s ongoing Proud to Teach campaign during Teacher Appreciation Week, which takes place annually in Quebec during the first week of February.

Dr. Blain-Moraes is an Assistant Professor in the School of Physical and Occupational Therapy at McGill University and holds the Tier II Canada Research Chair in Consciousness and Personhood Technologies (2019-2024).