Mansha Mirza
Professor
Occupational Therapy
Disability and Human Development
Pronouns: she/her
Contact
Building & Room:
346 AHSB
Address:
1919 W. Taylor St.
Office Phone:
Email:
CV Download:
About
Dr. Mirza’s scholarly interests address health and social service disparities among low-income, low-resource communities, with a special focus on immigrant and refugee newcomers. She is currently leading/co-leading research projects that seek to enhance services for these communities through community-engaged and culturally-informed outreach and interventions. Dr. Mirza teaches a graduate elective course on Disability and Global Health and is also involved in teaching courses in the Research Foundations for Evidence-Based Practice series in the Entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate curriculum. Dr. Mirza is a member of the Health Equity and Social Justice Scholarship of Practice Community within the Department of Occupational Therapy.
Selected Grants
Administration for Community Living, ASIAAN - Aging Services Inclusive of Asian American Networks, Principal Investigator
Administration for Community Living, National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research, Promoting Obesity Prevention among Latino Children with Developmental Disabilities and their Families through Engaged Research, Site Co Principal Investigator
National Institute on Aging, UIC Midwest Roybal Center for Health Promotion and Translation, Piloting the IPROACTIF intervention to preserve independence and functioning, Principal Investigator
Illinois Department of Public Health, PEACE OF MIND - Planning Early for Aging and Caregiving with Ease: Meeting the Information Needs of Dementia caregivers, Principal Investigator
Community Health Advocacy (CHA) program, Telerehabilitation Disparities For Patients With Limited Proficiency, Principal Investigator
Selected Publications
Service to Community
Dr. Mirza's scholarship builds on her collaborations with community organizations in the Chicago area, such as the Grupo SALTO, the Arc of Illinois, the Illinois Department on Aging, and numerous mutual aid associations. Dr. Mirza serves on the Disability and Immigration Task Force of Illinois and on the Executive Committee of the International Interdisciplinary Special Interest Group of the American Congress of Rehabilitation.
Professional Leadership
Member, American Occupational Therapy Association
Chair Elect, American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine - International Special Interest Group Executive Committee
Chair, American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine - International Special Interest Group Refugee Empowerment Task Force
Co-Chair (outgoing), Chancellor's Committee on the Status of Asian Americans
Notable Honors
2024, Researcher of the Year, College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago
2025, Mentor Excellence Award, Center for Health Equity in Cognitive Aging, University of Illinois Chicago
Education
BS, Occupational Therapy, University of Mumbai, Mumbai, India, 2002
M., Occupational Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago, 2004
PhD, Disability Studies, University of Illinois at Chicago, 2010
Postdoctoral MS, Health Services and Outcomes Research, Northwestern University, Chicago, 2012