Karen Jacobs, OT, EdD, OTR, CPE, FAOTA, FHFES, FIEA

Scholarly, Research, and/or Practice Interests

Dr. Karen Jacobs is an occupational therapist with a career spanning over four decades. She is the Program Director of the post-professional doctorate in occupational therapy program and a Clinical Professor of occupational therapy at Boston University’s (BU) Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.

She holds a Doctor of Education (EdD) degree from the University of Massachusetts, a master’s degree in occupational therapy from Boston University and a bachelor’s degree from Washington University. She has expertise in various areas, including ergonomics, artificial intelligence, marketing, entrepreneurship, and advocacy. Her passion for enhancing occupational performance has led to extensive research, publications, and presentations worldwide.

As a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association (FAOTA), the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) and the International Ergonomics Association (IEA), Dr. Jacobs has been recognized for her outstanding contributions as a scholar, professor, advocate, and mentor, who has inspired countless students and practitioners.

Throughout her career, Dr. Jacobs has held leadership positions such as the president and vice president of the AOTA contributing to the growth and development of occupational therapy at both national and international levels and received awards including being a 2005 recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship in Iceland, the 2011 Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lectureship Award, the AOTA 2020 Outstanding Mentor Award and 2024 AOTA/AOTF Presidents’ Commendation in Honor of Wilma L. West.

Dr. Jacobs has authored numerous publications, including books, chapters and articles and is the founding editor-in-chief in 1990 of the journal WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation.