Occupational science is the study of humans as occupational beings. People have an innate desire to occupy themselves and occupations that are sustained over a period of time, hold meaning to individuals which are personal and idiosyncratic. Occupation is not viewed in the lay sense of the term as a job of work, but as the things we chose to do in our daily lives that have meaning to us. We know that what people do has an influence on their health and wellbeing, so the occupational science research group aims to explore this link. Occupational science is informed by many disciplines interested in what people do, for example, occupational therapists, health professionals, human geographers, anthropologists, sociologists, psychologists, and educators. A better understanding of why and how people chose and sustain their engagement in their daily occupations will inform and influence health promotion of individuals, communities and populations. Occupational science is the cognate discipline that guides occupational therapists in their therapeutic use of occupation.
