Lauren Mochnal is a first-year student in the Occupational Therapy Doctorate program at Johnson & Wales University. She received her BFA in Psychology and Dance from Temple University in 2022. Throughout her undergraduate studies, Lauren researched infant motor skills and assisted with the creation of a smartphone app to obtain and code kinematic data on reach-to-grasp behavior. She is currently a graduate research assistant on the Mobile Device Assessment Tool (MoDAT) development project. She is excited to combine her passion for occupational therapy and her experiences with technology to help create a tool that will increase device accessibility for persons with disabilities.
Current Project(s):
Student Researcher, Mobile Access Assessment
Fun Tech Fact Questions & Answers:
Q: Mainstream tech device you can’t live without? Why?
A: Apple CarPlay! I mainly use it for the GPS because I have a very poor sense of direction, but it is also beneficial to have my music, phone calls, messages, and more, all controlled on one screen in my car. That way, I can leave my phone in my pocket to keep myself safe while driving.
Q: What was your first cell phone?
A: I can’t remember the exact phone, but I’m pretty sure it was one of the LG phones that slid open to access the keyboard. And I think it was hot pink!
Q: What mainstream tech device is at the top of your wish list? Or, what new tech can you not get enough of?
A: I have been wanting the AirPods Max ever since my brother got a pair a few years ago. I like the comfortable feel, and the noise-cancelling features would be very helpful for focusing on schoolwork or sleeping in noisy environments.
Q: If you were a mainstream tech device, what would you be, and why?
A: I think I would be Siri or a similar digital assistant. I love to help people as much as possible, but I sometimes have trouble with connection and hearing what others are saying. I can usually tell a corny joke on command, though!