Stacey L. Schepens Niemiec, PhD, OTR/L is Associate Professor of Research at the University of Southern California Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy. She earned a BS in Occupational Therapy, a MS in Occupational Therapy with a focus on assistive technology, and PhD in Instructional Technology with a focus on interactive technology from Wayne State University. While pursuing her PhD, Dr. Schepens Niemiec completed a pre-doctoral fellowship in Aging and Urban Health. Additionally, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a postdoctoral fellowship in Clinical Trials Methodology from the University of Southern California. Dr. Schepens Niemiec's research focuses broadly on the promotion of health and wellness in older individuals. Her work centers on the underlying mechanisms that facilitate or inhibit healthy aging, as well as methodologies — especially ones that incorporate cutting-edge technology — that emphasize activity participation. She relies on a multidisciplinary combination of occupational therapy, instructional technology, and gerontology principles to guide her investigations, with an eye towards development of lifestyle-based interventions designed to counterbalance the chronic health problems that beset the older population.