UND occupational therapy alum Emily Kringle receives AOTA Early Career Research Excellence Award

Emily Kringle, Ph.D., OTR/L, assistant professor of kinesiology and director of the disability and wellness (DWELL) laboratory at the University of Minnesota, took home the Early Career Research Excellence Award from the 2026 American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA ) conference recently.

Kringle, who earned her Master of Occupational Therapy degree at UND, integrates her training in occupational therapy, rehabilitation science, and behavioral medicine to develop health promotion interventions that can be effectively delivered in stroke rehabilitation and community-based contexts.

“Dr. Kringle’s research shapes occupational therapy’s role in designing and delivering health promotion interventions for families impacted by stroke,” wrote Dr. Elizabeth Skidmore in her nomination letter for Kringle. “She effectively leverages her advanced training in behavioral medicine, physical activity, and public health to promote physically active and socially engaged habits and routines after stroke using engagement in meaningful occupations. Dr. Kringle’s skill at communicating occupational therapy concepts to interdisciplinary audiences was key to her early success in obtaining over $900,000 of extramural funding as principal investigator in the first 5 years of her research career.”

Congratulations, Dr. Kringle!