Bertrand Romain

Bertrand Romain is an Associate Professor at the School of Social Work and Health at HES-SO (University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland) in Lausanne, Switzerland. His academic work focuses on occupational therapy and human occupation, with particular expertise in understanding how sensory impairments affect romantic relationships and daily occupational engagement.

His primary research interests include:

• Occupational participation in romantic partnerships
• Impact of vision loss on couples' dynamics
• Occupational balance and injustice
• Transitions in later life (such as driving cessation)
• Classification systems for human occupations

Professor Romain currently collaborates on the SELODY (Sensory Loss in the Dyadic Context) project, investigating how couples experience daily life when one partner has visual impairment or deafblindness. Conducted with the University of Zurich and the Swiss Central Union for the Welfare of the Blind, this research aims to identify factors influencing long-term relationship satisfaction for couples facing sensory challenges.

His scholarly work demonstrates consistent focus on how occupational engagement contributes to relationship quality, particularly during health challenges. His research often employs qualitative methods to explore lived experiences of individuals and couples navigating health-related transitions, with particular attention to how partners maintain a sense of "we-ness" despite changing circumstances.

Professor Romain actively contributes to professional organizations and conferences in occupational science, including the inaugural World Occupational Science Conference in Vancouver. His work bridges theoretical occupational science with practical applications in therapy and rehabilitation, addressing societal challenges, decolonial perspectives, and research valorization as an iterative process.