Michèle Verdonck

Associate Professor Michèle Verdonck is affiliated with the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC), where she serves in the School of Health's Department of Occupational Therapy. Her roles include Adjunct Professor at the University of Manitoba (2023–2026) and former Occupational Therapy Discipline Lead (2020–2022). She holds a PhD from the University of Ireland and has practiced as an occupational therapist in Ireland, South Africa, and private settings.

Her research focuses on assistive technology, spinal cord injury rehabilitation, and innovative pedagogy in occupational therapy education. Notable collaborations include projects with the University of Manitoba, University of Witwatersrand, and University of Tehran. She has secured over $219,000 in grants, including a 2024 project on technology-enabled homes for neurotrauma patients and a 2016 study on Paralympic athlete programs.

• Education: BSc (Wits), BSc Occupational Therapy (Hons), PhD (University College Cork)
• Awards: 2017 National Teaching Citation, 2024 UniSC Excellence Award
• Professional Roles: Board Member of Australian Rehabilitation & Assistive Technology Association (ARATA)

Her teaching emphasizes blended learning and technology integration, with courses like OCC311 and OCC432. She has advised six PhD students and one Master’s student, focusing on assistive technology and parasport research.

R&D highlights include environmental control systems (ECS) for SCI patients and reverse integration in sports. Her work bridges clinical practice, education, and technology to enhance disability inclusion.