Dr. Ruth Zemke - 2002 Inaugural Lecture

Ruth Zemke was the recipient of the first Ruth Zemke Honorary Lectureship awarded by the Society for the Study of Occupation: USA at the First Research Conference held in Galveston, Texas, November 14-16, 2002. She spoke about the history of occupational science from a nascent field of study to a recognized discipline around the world. Speaking in her relaxed, humorous style, Dr. Zemke shared stories about experiences with communities of scholars of occupation, from the beginnings at the University of Southern California to more recent ones in Japan. She told those in the audience that occupational science has developed in ways she would never had anticipated, but that process has been necessary to gain a better understanding of the complexity of occupation. She suggested that occupational science needs continue to develop in unanticipated ways and that those working in the field must adapt to this process.