Rooted in the same humanitarian and philosophical ground that gave rise to the profession of Occupational Therapy, Occupational Science addresses the form, function, and meaning of occupation. Thirty years ago scientists began investigating the health benefits of a balanced diet. Today, occupational scientists are exploring what constitutes a healthy balance of work, rest, and leisure.

History of Occupational Science
Just as Occupational Therapy emerged at the turn of the 20th century, Occupational Science arose at the turn of the 21st. An academic discipline, Occupational Science was founded at USC in 1989, largely through the efforts of Dr. Elizabeth J. Yerxa, OTR. Its purpose was to provide the Occupational Therapy profession with its own scientific base for practice. Soon professionals in education, counseling, and administrators of social services as well as occupational therapists sought the Doctor of Philosophy in Occupational Science.

What Do Occupational Scientists Do?
Many Occupational Science graduates are now tenure track faculty at distinguished universities across the globe, and others integrate their knowledge into research and practice in the clinical arena.

Occupational scientists conduct research to answer such questions as:

• What gives human activities meaning?
• How is meaning experienced?
• What are the health promoting benefits of occupation?
• What happens to people when their occupations must change?
• What are the cultural influences on the nature and meaning of occupation?
• How do gender, class, or other social factors influence occupational pursuits?
• What are the biological bases for our daily orchestration of occupations?
• How do neurobiological structures and processes effect human engagement in the world?
• How do different types of engagement in the world alter neurobiological structures and processes?

From Which Fields Does Occupational Science Draw?
While Occupational Science is a discipline with a unique focus—the complexity and centrality of occupation in human life—the field draws from a remarkable breadth of interdisciplinary resources, including:

• Anthropology
• Sociology
• Psychology
• Education
• Biology
• Performing and fine arts
• Literature
• Pediatrics
• Gerontology

Each of these disciplines provides different perspectives on the underlying components of occupation. These components are then researched further to understand how adaptation and engagement in occupations shape our lives.