Education
BS Occupational Science, Ithaca College
MS Occupational Therapy, Ithaca College
PhD in Occupational Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Background
Dr. Susie Agostine joined the faculty at Western New England University in Spring 2024 as a faculty member of the program. Prior to this, Dr. Agostine worked in outpatient pediatrics with early intervention, preschool, and school aged populations. Dr. Agostine is an active member of AOTA, MAOT, TASH, and the Society for the Study of Occupation: USA.
Dr. Agostine's primary areas of clinical interest include building relationships with clients who are non-speaking, collaborating with families in early intervention, and increasing participation of children who live in complex bodies. Currently, Dr. Agostine is teaching the Research/Evidence Based Practice I & II Series and co-teaching Occupational Performance: Infants & Young Children I with Dr. Wells. Dr. Agostine’s research interests include exploring how children who communicate through non-symbolic means make meaning and build relationships with familiar communication partners, the impact of attunement on relationships and communication, embodiment in parenting, and the use of assistive and augmentative communication (AAC) technology in occupational therapy sessions. In her free time, Dr. Agostine enjoys bike riding, hiking, and camping with her husband and young daughter, doing yoga, and baking sweet treats!
Publications
Agostine, S., Erickson, K., & D'Ardenne, C. (2022). Sensory experiences and children with severe disabilities: Impacts on learning. In A. Bailliard, B. Engel-Yeger, W. Dunn, C. Brown, (Eds.). Meaningful Participation and Sensory Processing (ch. 2). Frontiers. https://doi.org/10.3389/978-2-83250-588-5
Agostine, S., Erickson, K., & D’Ardenne, C. (2022). Sensory experiences and children with severe disabilities: Impacts on learning. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 875085. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.875085
Bailliard, A., Agostine, S., Bristol, S., & Syu, Y. (2022). From embodiment to emplacement: Toward understanding occupation as body-mind-environment. Journal of Occupational Science. 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/14427591.2022.2031261
Fulmer, E. F., & Makepeace, N.N. with Abbe, M., Apgar, S., Strongin, R., Giarratano, S., & Shields, S. (2015). “It's OK to laugh, right?”: Toward a pedagogy of critical race humor in multicultural education. Perspectives on Urban Education, 12(1), 38-53. https://www.urbanedjournal.org
Presentations
Agostine, S. (October, 2023). Persistence in Doing Together: A Mother and Daughter Establishing Shared Meaning. Society for the Study of Occupation: USA. St. Louis, MO.
Gullian, L., Agostine, S., Mitchell, S., Vaughn, R., Parkin, R., Li, Z., Kawabata, S., Oliver-Derry, K., (October, 2023). How do you know? Society for the Study of Occupation: USA. St. Louis, MO.
Bailliard, A., & Agostine, S. (August, 2022). The body, occupation and oppression: A justice perspective on sensory processing and embodiment. World Federation of Occupational Therapists International Congress. Paris, France.
Agostine, S. (February, 2022). Higher ed & OT: One therapist's experience in the pursuit of a PhD. Ithaca College Alumni Speaker Series. Online.
Bailliard, A., Agostine, S., Bristol, S., Syu, Y. (September 2021). Perspectives on embodiment: Implications for occupational science. Society for the Study of Occupation: USA Virtual Conference. Online.
Agostine, S. (June 2021) Relationship building, identity development and communication deficits: A single family case study. OT Summit of Scholars 2021, Online.
Fanning, L., Nader, D., Agostine, S. (January 2021). Including children with asd in faith-based community spaces. Division for Early Childhood’s 36th Annual Conference on Young Children with Special Needs & Their Families. Online.
Agostine, S., (November 2020). Research and Occupational Therapy. Invited guest lecture for OTA 2071: Community Practice. Online.
Bristol, S., Agostine, S., Dallman, A., Harrop, C., Crais, E., Baranek, G., & Watson, L. (March, 2020). Visual biases and attentional inflexibilities: An eye tracking study. American Occupational Therapy Association National Conference & Expo. Boston, MA. Canceled due to COVID.
Campi, E., Sideris, J., Holland, C., Sopkin, E., Chen,Y., Choi, E., Agostine, S., Bristol, S., Dallman, A., Wiles, A., Watson, L., Crais, E., Baranek, G. (March, 2020). Parenting stress and the association between clinically observed and parent reported sensory processing patterns. American Occupational Therapy Association National Conference & Expo. Boston, MA. Canceled due to COVID.
Giarratano, S. (March, 2016). Occupational therapists’ racial and ethnic attitudes: A replication study. OT Graduate Research Colloquium. Ithaca, NY
Fulmer, E.F., Makepeace, N.N., Giarratano, S., Guevara, K., & Tucker, A.J. (October, 2015). Breaking the tension: Towards a racial comedy pedagogy for multicultural education. National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME). New Orleans, LA.
Giarratano, S., Guevara, K., & Tucker, A.J. (April, 2015). The Race Comedy Project: The fine line between comedy and racism. James J. Whalen Academic Symposium. Ithaca, NY.
Fulmer, E.F., Makepeace, N.N., & Giarratano, S. (November, 2014). "Going too far?" Exploring race and humor in teacher education. National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME). Tucson, AZ.
