For Immediate Release Contact: John M. Martino Phone Number:  (215) 895-1186 Date: 07/24/00 University of the Sciences in Philadelphia Names New Chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy Paula Kramer, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA, has recently been named new chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia (USP). Before coming to USP, Dr. Kramer was chair of the Occupational Therapy program at Kean University in New Jersey since 1984. Kramer has served as an executive member of the Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) since 1995 and was one of the key authors of the new accreditation essentials for OT education. She was recently elected Chair-Elect of ACOTE. Her area of clinical practice has been predominantly in pediatric occupational therapy, but recently she has been involved in a study to identify the changing occupational behavioral patterns of an elderly population in affordable housing environments. She has written three books and more than 20 publications in national and international venues. She received a B.S., M.A. and Ph.D. in occupational therapy from New York University. University of the Sciences in Philadelphia is a private, coeducational institution founded in 1821 as Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, the first college of pharmacy in North America. USP specializes in educating students for rewarding health and science careers through its ten bachelor's, ten master's and four doctoral degree programs in the health and related sciences. ###