Community Spotlight #7: Amanda Gahlot
February 3rd, 2025
I recently earned my PhD in Occupational Therapy from NYU, where my research focused on occupational engagement in individuals with neurologic impairments. My work emphasizes promoting resilience to improve both short- and long-term outcomes, with a particular focus on the unique role self-regulation plays in an individual’s ability to re-engage in meaningful tasks. Currently, I’m teaching at a couple of universities while exploring the next steps in my professional journey — essentially, I’m an academic nomad on an scholarly walkabout.
Tell us about your background.
I decided to pursue a career in occupational therapy because I was drawn to the profound impact of helping people regain their independence. The ability to empower individuals to reclaim control of their daily lives and participate in meaningful activities is incredibly fulfilling. While I had initially planned to pursue my PhD right after my master's degree, I found myself loving clinical practice. My work focused on acute rehabilitation for trauma patients, with a particular interest in traumatic brain injury. At National Rehabilitation Hospital, I had the privilege of creating and running the country's first OT Neurologic Fellowship program and working as a clinical informaticist for development, implementation, and optimization of our new EMR system. These experiences, especially working with data and seeing its potential to improve patient care, reignited my passion for research and led me to pursue my PhD at NYU. There, I focused on better understanding the psychology and neuroscience behind cognitive and affective processes, examining how self-regulation influences a person's ability to re-engage in meaningful occupations. This research will hopefully ultimately work towards enhancing outcomes for patients with neurologic injuries.
What sparked your interest in learning data science?
Honestly? Necessity. My stats and methodology classes relied heavily on R, and I had no clue what I was doing there. My initial goal was pretty straightforward — survive the coursework without crying or throwing things. But once I became a learner with ReproRehab, I discovered data science is so much more than just coding and navigating syntax. It’s about effectively and transparently communicating your work, which completely shifted my perspective.
What are you most excited about ReproRehab?
I’m excited to have transitioned from a ReproRehab Learner to a TA, where I can help others develop their data science skills and give back to a program that’s been such a game-changer for me. ReproRehab has been an incredible experience - both with building knowledge and skills and networking - and I’ve learned so much from seeing how others use data science practices to enhance their work. I’m especially passionate about encouraging those of us out there who don’t work with big data sets or complex modeling to still feel confident using data science principles. Even for small projects, the best practices I’ve learned at ReproRehab have improved my efficiency and transformed how I communicate with research collaborators. Plus, being able to share these skills and empower others is so rewarding.
What advice would you give to those who wish to follow a similar path?
My biggest advice? Patience and persistence. Learning data science isn’t something that happens overnight — it’s a process that takes time and practice. You’re going to hit roadblocks, but sticking with it is absolutely worth it. ReproRehab offers an amazing wealth of resources to support you along the way. Dive into the database, YouTube channel, and recorded lectures — I still revisit them regularly for help and inspiration. Collaborating with other TAs has also been invaluable for me. Watching how they troubleshoot coding issues or come up with creative solutions helped me not only build my technical skills but also gain confidence in my abilities.
Anything you are passionate about outside of ReproRehab?
Outside of data science and ReproRehab, I have plenty of passions that keep me busy. I love to travel — immersing myself in new cultures, trying different foods, and broadening my perspective. I also have a probably-not-so-healthy obsession with true crime podcasts. Spending time outdoors and exploring new trails is one of my favorite ways to recharge. But my biggest passion has always been reading. I’m a true bookworm and can easily lose an entire weekend to a great story. There’s something magical about the power of storytelling — providing a window into the human experience... and an escape from your current one. One standout read for me this past year was All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.
Anything else you would like to share? (website/github/podcast)
I’m always looking for new connections and you can find me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandagahlot/
