Lisette Farias Vera

About me

I am an Assistant Professor at the Division of Occupational Therapy at KI, Board Member of the European Network of Occupational Therapy in Higher Education (ENOTHE), Faculty member of the European Master of Science in Occupational Therapy, Academic Adjunct Professor at Dalhousie University Master of Science in Occupational Science, and Associate Editor of the Journal of Occupational Science. I am also a registered Occupational Therapist in Chile and Sweden with work experience in both countries. 

Research description

My research interests lie within critical health research and health promotion/equity, including transformative education and training. I apply transformative critical theory, critical reflexivity and dialogical methods to enact possibilities for action based on different types of knowledge and stakeholder perspectives. My doctoral thesis forwards a critical dialogical approach to promote values such as transparency, partnership, and democratization in the research process. 

Current research collaborations

a) SAFe - Social services work with people with disabilities at risk of violence 

• DIALOG: Dialogue support for social services' risk assessment of violence in close relationship (Åsa Källström (PI), Marie Holmefur, and Johanna Gustafsson)
• VISA: Violence in intimate relationships and Social Services' (Adapted) Work (Åsa Källström (PI), Marie Holmefur, and Johanna Gustafsson)

b) Health promotion work among children and young people living in vulnerable areas

• En Frisk Generation- A healthy generation for all children: A qualitative evaluation of drop-in activities with families with low socioeconomic status (Susanne Andermo (PI), Gisela Nyberg, and Björg Helgadottir)
• A qualitative evaluation of a health prevention program in high schools with extra physical activity and homework support in schools located in diverse areas  (Gisela Nyberg (PI), Susanne Andermo, and Björg Helgadottir)

List of Publications

List of Book Chapters

Teaching portfolio

The core of my research in teaching is health professional education, particularly transformative learning, professional reasoning, and critical reflexivity. I supervise undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students. I am a faculty member of the European Master of Science in Occupational therapy at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences and the Master of Science in Occupational Science at Dalhouise University in Canada. 

I teach within (critical) occupational science, epistemological foundations of qualitative research, and critical social theory. As part of the international group at my Division and board member of ENOTHE, I collaborate in the development of international courses, webinars/workshops, and educational projects across Europe. My focus on internationalization of the curriculum follows equity, decolonization, and anti-racism perspectives.

Course Leader:

Undergraduate level: Work, activity and participation (15 credits) (In Swedish)

Master Level: Occupational Science 1 (15 credits) (In Swedish)

Doctoral Level: Occupational Science conceptual development and application on research (3.0 credits) (In English)

Education

• Karolinska Institutet, Sweden (2022-present) - Postdoctoral Researcher. Health Promotion, Division of Nursing
• Western University, Canada (2018) - PhD. Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (field of Occupational Science)
• Western University, Canada (2016) – Post Graduate Certificate in University Teaching and Learning
• Western University, Canada (2014) – Post Graduate Certificate in Academic and Professional Communication
• Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (2012) - European M.Sc. Occupational Therapy 
• University of Chile (2008) – B.Sc. Human Occupation and Occupational Therapy Degree

Academic honours, awards and prizes

• Recipient of The Engelsberg Scholars-in-Residence programme 2022, 2023 Axel and Margaret Ax:son Johnson Foundation 
• Recipient of Swedish Occupational Therapists Scholarship 2019
• Recipient of Global Bridges Program for Junior Researchers (Strategic Grants SFO-V, Karolinska Institutet) 2019
• Recipient of Ingela Petersson Lies Memorial Fund (NVS, Karolinska Institutet) 2019
• Elected a Board member of the European Network of Occupational Therapy in Higher Education (ENOTHE) 2018-present
• Recipient of Ontario Trillium Scholarship (Doctoral Fellowship, Canada) 2013-2017
• Recipient of Western Graduate Research Scholarship (Western University, Canada) 2013-2017
• Recipient of Student Research Grant in Occupational Science from the Society for the Study of Occupation: USA 2016 
• Recipient of Great Ideas for Teaching (GIFT) Award (Teaching Award, Western University) 2016
• Recipient of Global Opportunities (GO) Award for Health Sciences (Western University) 2015
• Recipient of the Canadian Society of Occupational Scientists Student Scholarship 2014
• Recipient of the Linnaeus–Palme Scholarship for study abroad (Linnaeus-Palme Foundation, Sweden) 2007