Woodcock Institute awards Distinguished Fellowship to Vas, Gardner

The Woodcock Institute has awarded Distinguished Fellowships to Dr. Asha Vas and Dr. David Gardner for their innovative research that combines expertise in occupational therapy, psychology, cognitive neuroscience and computer science to strengthen rehabilitation outcomes and graduate education.

By integrating immersive environments with advanced digital technologies, the initiative aims to expand functional cognition research and improve participation, independence and quality of life for diverse populations.

This innovative research will establish the Woodcock NeuroTech Collaborative lab on the TWU Dallas Campus to highlight the interdisciplinary nature of this work. Vas (Occupational Therapy) and Gardner (Computer Science) will utilize Gradable Cognitive Training Framework (GCTF) for neuro rehabilitation, which introduces a structured approach for progressing from foundational attention skills to higher-order executive functioning through meaningful everyday activities such as meal preparation, shopping, and social interaction.

Delivered through scalable VR platforms, the framework enables precise grading of cognitive complexity while maintaining real-world relevance and accessibility across clinical, educational, and telehealth settings.

Background on Vas, Garnder:

Asha K. Vas, PhD, is professor and associate director in the School of Occupational Therapy at Texas Woman's University. A licensed occupational therapist and cognitive neuroscientist, her research focuses on applying principles of cognitive neuroscience to develop functional cognitive training and rehabilitation programs for individuals with acquired brain injuries and related conditions. Vas also explores the use of emerging technologies, including virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI), to advance cognitive rehabilitation and enhance graduate education in the health professions.

David Gardner, PhD, is professor of computer science and interim associate director of the School of the Sciences at Texas Woman's University, where he also serves as division head of Computer Science. A 2025 TWU AI Fellow, Gardner specializes in the strategic integration of emerging technologies, including robotics, VR and AI across academic disciplines to empower learners and advance innovative research. His interdisciplinary work bridges technical architecture with human-centered impact, spanning assistive robotic systems, VR-based cognitive training, SHTEAM education initiatives and the development of accessible and secure computational infrastructure for the modern workforce.

Page last updated 12:49 PM, June 4, 2026