In early 2020, Professor Arun Maiya, MPT, PhD, was selected by the School of Physical & Occupational Therapy (SPOT), McGill University to receive the annual Lavigne-Smee Visiting Scholar invitation. This position is awarded each year to a high-profile scholar and/or knowledge-holder with the purpose of hosting the scholar at SPOT and its partnering research facilities, providing opportunities for students and faculty members to meet and foster the development of new research collaborations and perspectives. With the interruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, Maiya was not able to visit that year however he presented virtually to Masters students in August of 2020 and continued modified research collaborations with SPOT researchers. As the Manipal lead for the Manipal-McGill Rehabilitation Collaboration (MMRC), he also co-led two virtual research symposiums with SPOT: a Joint Symposium on COVID-19 and Rehabilitation and the MMRC Rehabilitation Research Symposium.
In April of 2023, Professor Maiya, Dean of the College of Health Professions at the Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Department of Physiotherapy, Karnataka, India, and Chief of the Centre for Diabetic Foot Care & Research, finally, was able to visit SPOT as the Lavigne-Smee Scholar. Starting with a traditional ‘SPOT of Tea’ hosted by the School Director, Laurie Snider, OT, PhD, his schedule continued with a meeting with the Director’s Council and a week filled with events and the opportunity to connect with many faculty and students, including three international graduate students from Manipal.
Off-campus, Professor Maiya visited the Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital research labs and exchanged with the JRH researchers over an informal lunch. He was the keynote speaker at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal’s Science POP communications event and also met with the leadership of McGill Global Health Programs. On campus, SPOT hosts, Professors Matthew Hunt (Physiotherapy Program) and Raphael Lencucha (Occupational Therapy Program) facilitated an MMRC Research Dialogue Lunch to share and explore future research collaborations with SPOT faculty and graduate students. Professor Maiya ended that day with a hybrid Global Health Rehabilitation Initiative (GHRI) forum in which he shared his research related to rehabilitation and adults with type II diabetes and peripheral neuropathy.
Interspersed amongst these visits were planned individual researcher meetings providing opportunities to discuss and explore Professor Maiya’s areas of interest and expertise, diabetic neuropathy, cardiovascular rehabilitation, chronic conditions, and virtual reality approaches in rehabilitation.
Learn more about Professor Maiya's ongoing research and areas of expertise here.
The Lavigne-Smee Visiting Scholar
The Lavigne-Smee Visiting Scholar was established in 2016 through a bequest from Mrs. Charlotte Lavigne, (DipPT 1959) and a gift made in memory of Mrs. Willie Ruben-Smee (DipPT 1965).
Charlotte Lavigne was born in Montreal, and, after graduating from McGill as a physiotherapist, attended the Sorbonne in Paris to study French. She then began her career working in clinics in Lausanne, Switzerland and in Scotland. After a few years abroad, she returned to Canada to continue her practice. She was highly regarded by her friends and colleagues for her skills, especially in her specialty of Manual Therapy.
Wilhelmina (Willie) Smee grew up in Montreal and attended McGill University. After graduating as a physiotherapist in 1965, she worked at the Kingston General Hospital and then, after her children were grown, she re-certified and worked in Toronto at the North York Hospital and Seniors’ Health Centre.
Both these exemplary clinicians were the role models of their time, and both felt strongly about their profession and their link to McGill, for which SPOT is very grateful.
Previous recipients of the Lavigne-Smee Visiting Scholar:
2017 - Rachel Kizony, PhD, The Use of Virtual Reality and Tele-Rehabilitation
2018 - Sandra Alouche, PhD, Neurological Rehabilitation
2019 - Angie Phenix, MOT, MIED, What is cultural safety and why it matters as you go out into practice - where everyone should start in relation with Indigenous Peoples
