Amelia Di Tommaso
Senior Lecturer
School of Allied Health and Human Performance
College of Health
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.
Amelia Di Tommaso is an occupational therapist, educator, and researcher who helps bring big ideas about health and wellbeing into everyday practice. Her work focuses on making sure that occupational therapy stays true to its core purpose: supporting people to do the things that matter most in their daily lives.
Amelia works closely with students, new graduates, and practicing therapists to bridge the gap between theory and real-world practice. She uses collaborative approaches, like co-design and coaching to help therapists feel confident applying occupation-centred thinking in all settings and workplaces, including hospitals, schools, and community services.
Amelia and an experienced research team have developed practical tools and frameworks that support therapists to stay focused on occupation, even when faced with busy environments or systems with a different focus than on everyday life. Her work is especially helpful for new graduates learning to navigate these challenges.
She is also an experienced supervisor and mentor, having supported many Honours, as well as HDR students to explore how occupational therapy can stay person- and occupation-centred in a changing world.
| Date | Position | Institution name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 - ongoing | Senior Lecturer | University of Adelaide |
| 2016 - 2023 | Lecturer | Griffith University |
| 2013 - 2016 | Teaching Fellow and PhD Candidate | University of Canberra |
| Date | Type | Title | Institution Name | Country | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Teaching Award | Health Group Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning (individual) | Griffith University | Australia | - |
| 2022 | Teaching Award | Griffith Health Group Learning & Teaching Citation (individual) | Griffith University | Australia | - |
| 2020 | Fellowship | Fellow, Higher Education Academy | Higher Education Academy | United Kingdom | - |
| 2019 | Research Award | Occupational Therapy Australia Early Career Researcher Award | Occupational Therapy | Australia | - |
| 2017 | Teaching Award | Award for Excellence in Teaching (Group Learning & Teaching Citation) | Griffith University | Australia | - |
| Date | Institution name | Country | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Higher Education Academy | United Kingdom | Fellow |
| 2018 | University of Canberra | Australia | Doctor of Philosophy |
| 2018 | Griffith University | Australia | Graduate Certificate of Higher Education |
| Charles Sturt University | Australia | Bachelor of Health Science (Occupational Therapy) (Hons) |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Hodson, T., Gustafsson, L., Bissett, M., Hogan, C., Shirota, C., & Di Tommaso, A. (2025). Understanding the experiences and needs of assistive technology users in Queensland. Disability and Rehabilitation Assistive Technology, 20(4), 823-832. Scopus4 WoS3 Europe PMC2 |
| 2025 | Gustafsson, L., Shirota, C., Di Tommaso, A., Hodson, T., Hogan, C., & Bissett, M. (2025). Perspectives and needs of assistive technology advisors and suppliers in Queensland, Australia.. Disability and rehabilitation. Assistive technology, 20(5), 1-10. Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC1 |
| 2025 | George, E., Moorthy, S., Tommaso, A. D., Rankin, E., Oxlad, M., Murthy, G. V., . . . D’Souza, B. (2025). Developing a modified and contextualised Occupational Justice Health Questionnaire (OJHQ) for use with marginalised populations: A Delphi study. Journal of Occupational Science, 32(3), 1-22. Scopus1 WoS1 |
| 2025 | Watt, J., Hodson, T., & Di Tommaso, A. (2025). Experiences and perspectives of Australian occupational therapists on environmental sustainability: A qualitative study.. Australian occupational therapy journal, 72(5), e70052. |
| 2025 | Mc Kittrick, A., Gustafsson, L., Hodson, T., & Di Tommaso, A. (2025). Co-design of an outcome measure for hand burn injuries. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 88(2), 116-128. |
| 2024 | Gilfillan, J., Irvine-Brown, L., Di Tommaso, A., Malfitano, A. P. S., & Farias, L. (2024). “(Not) knowing what you know”: Exploring educators’ perceptions of critical thinking in occupational therapy. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 31(1), 14 pages. |
| 2023 | Hogan, C., Gustafsson, L., Di Tommaso, A., Hodson, T., Bissett, M., & Shirota, C. (2023). Establishing the normative and comparative needs of assistive technology provision in Queensland from the agency and funding scheme perspective. BRAIN IMPAIRMENT, 24(2), 204-218. Scopus8 WoS7 |
| 2023 | Mc Kittrick, A., Gustafsson, L., Hodson, T., & Di Tommaso, A. (2023). Clinical utility and validity testing of a co-designed outcome measure for hand burn injuries. Burns, 50(3), 666-673. Scopus1 Europe PMC1 |
| 2023 | Phillips, K., Di Tommaso, A., Molineux, M., & Nicholson, E. (2023). Occupation-centred practice and supervision: Exploring senior occupational therapists' perspectives. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 70(5), 548-558. Scopus3 WoS3 Europe PMC2 |
| 2023 | Seville, R., Hodson, T., & Di Tommaso, A. (2023). Environmental sustainability: An exploratory study of the perceived knowledge, attitudes, and skills of occupational therapists practicing in Australia. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 70(5), 535-547. Scopus2 WoS3 Europe PMC2 |
| 2023 | Spalding, K., Gustafsson, L., & Di Tommaso, A. (2023). Evaluation of an inpatient occupation-based group program using a process evaluation framework. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 70(1), 32-42. Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC4 |
| 2023 | Spalding, K., Di Tommaso, A., & Gustafsson, L. (2023). Uncovering the experiences of engaging in an inpatient occupation-based group program: The LifeSkills group. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 30(2), 251-260. Scopus6 WoS7 Europe PMC5 |
| 2023 | Mc Kittrick, A., Gustafsson, L., Hodson, T., & Di Tommaso, A. (2023). Exploration of individuals perspectives of recovery following severe hand burn injuries. Burns, 49(2), 467-475. Scopus12 WoS11 Europe PMC7 |
| 2022 | Ford, E., Di Tommaso, A., Molineux, M., & Gustafsson, L. (2022). Identifying the characteristics of occupation-centred practice: A Delphi study. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 69(1), 25-37. Scopus13 WoS9 Europe PMC8 |
| 2022 | Ford, E., Di Tommaso, A., Gustafsson, L., & Molineux, M. (2022). Describing the occupational nature of practice: A scoping review. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 29(5), 353-362. Scopus9 WoS8 Europe PMC5 |
| 2022 | Spalding, K., Gustafsson, L., & Di Tommaso, A. (2022). Exploring Patient Outcomes after Participation in an Inpatient Occupation-Based Group: A Longitudinal Observational Cohort Study. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 76(5), 7605205140. Scopus4 Europe PMC3 |
| 2022 | Hoffmann, M., Gustafsson, L., & Di Tommaso, A. (2022). Exploring stroke survivors’ experiences and understandings of occupational therapy. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 29(2), 165-174. Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC2 |
| 2022 | Spalding, K., Gustafsson, L., & Di Tommaso, A. (2022). Occupation-based group programs in the inpatient hospital rehabilitation setting: a scoping review. Disability and Rehabilitation, 44(10), 2138-2148. Scopus11 WoS11 Europe PMC9 |
| 2021 | Murray, A., Di Tommaso, A., Molineux, M., Young, A., & Power, P. (2021). Contemporary occupational therapy philosophy and practice in hospital settings. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 28(3), 213-224. Scopus24 WoS23 Europe PMC10 |
| 2021 | Irvine-Brown, L., Ware, V. A., Malfitano, A. P. S., & Di Tommaso, A. (2021). Re-engaging in our role with communities: The coupling of occupational therapy and community development. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 68(4), 308-316. Scopus9 WoS8 Europe PMC5 |
| 2020 | Pereira, R. B., Whiteford, G., Hyett, N., Weekes, G., Di Tommaso, A., & Naismith, J. (2020). Capabilities, Opportunities, Resources and Environments (CORE): Using the CORE approach for inclusive, occupation-centred practice. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 67(2), 162-171. Scopus23 WoS16 Europe PMC7 |
| 2020 | Irvine-Brown, L., Di Tommaso, A., Malfitano, A. P. S., & Molineux, M. (2020). Experiences of occupational therapy education: Contexts, communities and social occupational therapy. Brazilian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 28(1), 330-342. Scopus8 WoS8 |
| 2019 | Murray, A., Di Tommaso, A., Molineux, M., Young, A., & Power, P. (2019). Occupational therapists’ perceptions of service transformation towards contemporary philosophy and practice in an acute specialist paediatric hospital. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 82(12), 759-769. Scopus4 WoS3 |
| 2019 | Di Tommaso, A., Wicks, A., Scarvell, J., & Isbel, S. (2019). Experiences of occupation-based practice: An Australian phenomenological study of recently graduated occupational therapists. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 82(7), 412-421. Scopus26 WoS24 |
| 2019 | Di Tommaso, A., Wicks, A., Scarvell, J., & Isbel, S. (2019). Uncovering educator perspectives of occupation-centred education in Australia: A qualitative study. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 66(2), 174-182. Scopus11 WoS9 Europe PMC3 |
| 2018 | Burley, S., Di Tommaso, A., Cox, R., & Molineux, M. (2018). An occupational perspective in hand therapy: A scoping review. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 81(6), 299-318. Scopus19 WoS19 |
| 2018 | Burley, S., Cox, R., Di Tommaso, A., & Molineux, M. (2018). Primary Contact Occupational Therapy Hand Clinics: The pull of an occupational perspective. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 65(6), 533-543. Scopus17 WoS17 Europe PMC12 |
| 2016 | Di Tommaso, A., Isbel, S., Scarvell, J., & Wicks, A. (2016). Occupational therapists' perceptions of occupation in practice: An exploratory study. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 63(3), 206-213. Scopus28 WoS23 Europe PMC14 |
| 2015 | Pereira, R. B., Wicks, A., & Tommaso, A. D. (2015). Solutions for strengthening the occupational therapy academic workforce. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 62(1), 72. Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC2 |
| 2014 | Di Tommaso, A., Wicks, A., & Isbel, S. (2014). Occupation-Focused practice. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 77(4), 188. |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2020 | Di Tommaso, A. (2020). Not everything is rosy and not everyone wants to fix their garden: An Australian example of integrating the dark side of occupation into curriculum for final year students. In Illuminating the Dark Side of Occupation: International Perspectives from Occupational Therapy and Occupational Science (pp. 163-172). Routledge. DOI |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Moorthy, S. D., Di Tommaso, A., & George, E. (2024). Contextualising the Occupational Justice Health Questionnaire for use in India among populations of people who are marginalised and experience exploitation. In Unpublished. Sapporo, Japan. |
Judith Marsham Farrell Grant, Occupational Therapy Australia
Assistive technology provision for the promotion of health and wellbeing: A needs analysis and solution building approach. National Injury Insurance Agency Queensland (NIISQ)
University of Canberra, Faculty of Health Seed Grant
| Date | Role | Research Topic | Program | Degree Type | Student Load | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Co-Supervisor | Development of teletherapeutic assessment and management of protocols for children with autism spectrum disorder | Master of Philosophy (Medical Science) | Master | Full Time | Mr Muhammad Azzam Khan |
| 2025 | Co-Supervisor | Understanding the themes and factors contributing to retention of Early Career Australian Allied Health Professionals. | Master of Philosophy (Public Health) | Master | Part Time | Kellie Matthews |
| Date | Role | Committee | Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 - 2023 | Member | Occupational Therapy Australia's 30th National Conference and Exhibition | Occupational Therapy Australia, Scientific Program Committee | Australia |
| 2020 - 2021 | Member | Occupational Therapy Australia's 29th National Conference and Exhibition | Occupational Therapy Australia, Scientific Program Committee | Australia |
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