Rosie Gowran
Associate Professor in Occupational Therapy, School of Allied Health, University of Limerick; Clinical Lead for the National Clinical Programme for People with Disability with the Health Service Executive in Ireland; Honorary Professor with the Global Disability Innovation Hub, University College London.
Dr Rosemary (Rosie) Joan Gowran (PhD, MSc OT, BSc (Hons) OT), Associate Professor in Occupational Therapy, School of Allied Health, University of Limerick; Clinical Lead for the National Clinical Programme for People with Disability with the Health Service Executive in Ireland; Honorary Professor with the Global Disability Innovation Hub, University College London.
Rosie is a creative, innovative, and natural leader with over 30 years’ experience in the health and social care sector as a grassroots service provider within hospital, rehabilitation, residential, and community service settings, focused on improving the lives of people with disability. Rosie has diverse and dynamic skills as an occupational therapist, implementation scientist, program director, capacity builder and human rights activist. Pursuing healthy lives and promoting sustainable health and social care provision and wellbeing for all is the premise from which Rosie leads and is her personal and professional purpose.
Rosie has been a member of ISWP since 2015, actively contributing to its mission as member of the board of directors, affiliate coordinator in less-resourced settings (Romania, Philippines) consultant and volunteer in advocacy, education and training, research, and strategy development.
Rosie leads the BeWheelWell Centre of Education and Research for Wheelchair User Wellbeing and designed the Postgraduate Certificate in Posture Seating and Wheelchair Mobility Across the Life Course.
Rosie facilitates context-specific stakeholder-centred action research, identifying priority areas, drafting roadmaps and sustainability indicators, producing operational plans to ensure best practice and improve health and wellbeing for people accessing wheelchairs and other assistive technology and support services. Rosie is a WHO External Reviewer for the Global Wheelchair Provision Guidelines 2023 and as Honorary Professor with the Global Disability Innovation Hub, Rosie is working on Local Systems Strengthening Project in Nepal, with a focus on Sustainable Wheelchair Provision and Bespoke Assistive Product Design.
