Jessica Qiu

Jessica Qiu

Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MScOT)

University of Toronto

šŸ‘‹ Hi there! I’m Jessica Qiu.

I’m a freshly minted MScOT graduate on a mission to help brains, bodies, and the world around them work a little better together. I’m currently seeking work opportunities in neurorehabilitation, acute care, or pediatrics.

I am passionate about developing my research skills and bridging evidence and practice—I am especially drawn to research that has implications for improving people’s lives and the earth we share. Currently, I am a Research Assistant at VisAge Lab, where I contribute to projects investigating EEG biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease. In my free time, you can find me tinkering away on R, Photoshop CC, or Blender.

Have a look at my complete rƩsumƩ/CV .

Currently I Am…
  • Studying for the NOTCE.
  • Updating this personal site using R.
  • Designing custom boardgames.
  • Catching up on reading.
  • Enjoying fall weather!
Education
  • Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MScOT), 2025

    University of Toronto, Temerty Faculty of Medicine

  • Honours Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour (BSc.), 2023

    McMaster University, Faculty of Science

Projects šŸ› ļø

Use the filter buttons below to sort projects by type!

.js-id-Occupational-Therapy
Finance Management Tool for Brain Injury Recovery

Finance Management Tool for Brain Injury Recovery

Money Money Money! This finance management activity package was created as my fieldwork 4 project to support brain injury recovery. It builds skills for basic money handling, using grocery flyers and online banking!

MScOT Graduate Research Project

MScOT Graduate Research Project

Self-initiated graduate research project investigating compensatory movements made by children with CP (cerebral palsy) while playing the Bootle Blast motor-training video game.

Community IADL Resources for the GTA

Community IADL Resources for the GTA

For my fieldwork 2 project, I created this resource list of free or affordable IADL services available for individuals living in the GTA to support patient discharge.

IDDSI Feeding Plan for Parents

IDDSI Feeding Plan for Parents

This Feeding Plan resource for OTs was created as my fieldwork 1 project to communicate individualized feeding recommendations and support caregiver education.

Canadian OT Practice Process for Swedish Therapists

Canadian OT Practice Process for Swedish Therapists

My presentation for fieldwork 3 explores the Canadian OT Practice Process (COTIPP) through an international lens, fostering cross-cultural learning and exchange between Canadian and Swedish OT practices.

Publications šŸ“

(Under Renovation 🚧) This section is being updated, thanks for your patience!

(2025). Effects of simulated turbidity on fish behavior; Low light is not equivalent to suspended sediment. Hydrobiologia. HYDR-D-25-00081 (Under Review).

PDF Slides

(2023). Racial microaggressions—identifying factors affecting perceived severity and exploring strategies to reduce harm. Journal of Applied Social Psychology 53(11).

PDF Code Dataset Poster Slides Video Source Document DOI Custom Link

(2023). Metformin and guanylurea reduce survival, but have limited sublethal effects in larval zebrafish (Danio rerio). (In Preprint).

PDF Slides DOI

(2023). Should I stay or should I go? Consensus and leadership in group thermal decision-making. Behavioural Ecology & Sociobiology. BEAS-D-21-00423 (Under Review).

PDF Slides

Featured Work Experience šŸ’¼

Curious about the full picture? Explore my rƩsumƩ here.

 
 
 
 
 
VisAge Lab - Baycrest Rotman Research Institute
Research Assistant
May 2023 – Present Toronto, ON
  • Worked on several research projects investigating biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease and fall-prevention interventions in older adults, supervised by Dr. Eugenie Roudaia.
  • Assisted with study visit procedures by using EEG (electroencephalogram) to collect patient data, administering & scoring neuropsychological tests, & consolidating data in REDcap survey software.
  • Prepared research ethics board (REB) documents and used MATLAB to analyze EEG data.
 
 
 
 
 
St. Michael's Hospital - Trauma & Neurosurgery Unit
Occupational Therapy Clinical Extern
Jul 2024 – Aug 2025 Toronto, ON
  • Managed responsive behaviours, supported delirium prevention, and incorporated management strategies for patients with cognitive impairment.
  • Improved patient care through recreational activities, ADL, and mobilization support.
  • Implemented universal falls precautions and intentional rounding to ensure patient comfort and safety.
 
 
 
 
 
PSYCH 1X03/1XX3 - McMaster University
Teaching Assistant
Sep 2021 – Apr 2023 Hamilton, ON
  • Professionally trained in effective teaching and science communication, taught 3 tutorials a week for introductory psychology classes and provided mentorship support to over 220+ students.
  • Assessed students’ individual needs and adapted teaching approach to meet different needs.
  • Received honourable mention for the ā€œTA of the Year Awardā€ based on student nominations.
 
 
 
 
 
Aquatic Behavioural Ecology Lab  - McMaster University
Research Assistant & Lab Manager
Jan 2021 – Apr 2023 Hamilton, ON
  • Responsible for the laboratory’s animal care program & proactively cared for 8+ fish species by completing tasks like feeding, water quality checks, water changes, and health checks.
  • Communicated effectively with team of 25+ students working on 10+ ongoing experiments to ensure smooth operation, & planned social events to foster community.
  • Assisted field crew with projects monitoring local aquatic ecosystem health and supporting endangered species. water in muscle tissue.

Let’s Connect. āœ‰ļø

Working on a project or want to chat about my experiences? Please reach out!