7th Annual Disability Health Research Symposium: Understanding Disparities and Improving Performance
Virtual (Zoom)
About This Event
The University of Michigan Center for Disability Health and Wellness (U-M CDHW) is pleased to announce the Seventh Annual Disability Health Research Symposium, to be held Friday, October 16, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET via Zoom.
This virtual symposium brings together researchers, healthcare professionals, faculty, trainees, advocates, patients, and community members to share research findings, lived experiences, practical knowledge, and promising approaches to improving the health of people with disability. Through its distinct morning and afternoon sessions, the symposium will examine both disability inclusion within the healthcare workforce and the broader range of research and technological developments intended to improve the health, well-being, and quality of life of people with disabilities.
View or download the 7th Annual Disability Health Research Symposium Flyer (PDF)
Event Details
Where: Online via Zoom
When: Friday, October 16, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET
Who: U-M students, trainees, staff, and faculty, as well as disability researchers from across Michigan, are invited to submit abstracts. Attendance will be open to all interested individuals.
Schedule
View or download the 7th Annual Disability Health Resources Symposium Schedule (PDF)
| Time | Talk Title | Presenters |
| 9:00am | Welcome and Introductions | Michelle Meade, PhD |
| 9:10am | Benefits & Importance of Including People with Disabilities in Healthcare Workforce | Lisa Meeks, PhD |
| 9:45am | Our Stories, Our Expertise: Disability Inclusion in Healthcare Employment – a Panel Discussion | Carrie Pilarski, PHD, Daniel Ellman, Michael McKee, MD |
| 10:30am | Break | |
| 10:45am | NursAbility: Expanding Pathways to Nursing for Students with Disabilities | Susan Newman, RN, PhD |
| 11:15am | Developing pathways to healthcare employment for high school students with disabilities | Connie Sung, PhD |
| 11:45pm | Building an Anti-Ableist Workplace at Michigan Medicine | Anna Bochenek and Saumya Gupta |
| 12:15 pm | Optimizing Employment Environments to Engage, Support and Advance People with Disabilities in Healthcare Setting (Policies, protocols, regulations and Benefits) | Susanne Bruyere, PhD |
| 1:00pm | Lunch Break | |
| 1:30pm | Recognition and CDHW Nexus Award Presentation for Community Advocate Teddy Dorsette III | Michael McKee, MD |
| 1:45pm | Recap and re-Introductions | Michelle Meade, PhD |
| 1:50pm | Grassroots Access: Quantitative & Qualitative Findings from the CDHW Community Impact Grant Program | Akbar Arsiwala |
| 2:05pm | Health-related Quality of Life and Neighborhood Disadvantage Among People with Chronic Neurological Disorders | Yue Cao, PhD |
| 2:20pm | Accessible and Inclusive Autonomous Vehicle Controls to Improve Access to Healthcare | Jane Huggins, PhD |
| 2:35pm | Break | |
| 2:45pm | Executive Functioning and Social Integration after Spinal Cord Injury: Findings from a Pilot Study of Teleneuropsychological Assessment | Brielle Grant |
| 3:00pm | “It is all too much at once": Community Perspectives on Sensory Overwhelm and Mobility | Haylie Miller, PhD |
| 3:15pm | Facilitated Panel: Talking Back – Reflections and Recommendations from Research Participants | Monica Chupko, Pam McGuinty, Taria Sims, & John Waterman |
| 3:55pm | Closing Remarks | Michelle Meade, PhD |
| 4:00pm | Adjourn | |
Accessibility
Zoom automated captions will be provided.
ASL interpretation is available upon request via the registration form.
For any questions, please contact Beth Rivard, Logistics Coordinator, at [email protected].
The contents of this website were developed under a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant #90RTHF0005, #90SIMS0018, #90RTHF0008). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this webinar do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, or HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
