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Department of Occupational Therapy at IUPUI launches Cel Hamant Lecture Series

• May 3, 2013

The IU School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences’ Department of Occupational Therapy at IUPUI has launched its Cel Hamant Lecture Series. The event, part of the Department’s Research and Faculty Development initiative, features distinguished and prominent individuals on topics related to occupational therapy education, research and practice.

Hamant, an associate professor emeritus, was program director of the occupational therapy undergraduate program from 1984 to 2004.

The inaugural lecture series took place April 19 at the Riley Outpatient Center Lilly Auditorium. It featured an address by Patricia Laurencelle, founding director of Indiana University’s Department of Occupational Therapy from 1957 to 1962. This was one of the first allied health programs initiated by the IU School of Medicine. Her address was titled, “Philosopher’s Stone: Occupational Therapy a Long Perspective.” 

The lecture was followed by a presentation by Hamant and Carol Nathan, titled, “Occupational Therapy History in the State of Indiana.” Current occupational therapy students, faculty and staff, alumni and several retired faculty attended both presentations.

In 2003, Thomas Fisher, professor and current chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy, and his wife, Debbie, seeded a professorship in Hamant’s name. That was converted in 2012 to the Occupational Therapy Faculty Development & Research Fund. The Cel Hamant Lecture Series is named and funded through this gift agreement.  Seventeen other donors contributed to the account originally established by Thomas and Deborah Fisher.