Jennifer Piatt, Ph.D., CTRS, is the chair and an associate professor in the Department of Graduate Health Professions. She is also the lead investigator of a community–based rehabilitation research team that focuses on women's health and women living with disabilities and the impact of socially assistive robots as a recreational therapy (RT) intervention. Piatt was most recently elected as the president of the Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals.
Piatt's research focuses on better understanding how different interventions can address secondary health conditions, improve health outcomes, and decrease health care costs. Utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods, she examines how human behavior impacts participation, most specifically sexual health. Her overarching goal is to better understand women's health and women living with disabilities within the realm of RT and what interventions have a positive impact on health outcomes.
Positions:
Editorial Board (2025–current) Therapeutic Recreation Journal
President (2022–2025) Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals, Governance Board
Faculty Member (2020–current) Center for Sexual Health Promotion, Indiana University Bloomington
Editorial Board (2022–current) Sexuality and Disability Journal
President (2019–2021) Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals, Therapy Leadership Council
Awards:
American Therapeutic Recreation Association Scholarly Award (2025)
Outstanding Alumni Award (2021) College of Health, Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism, University of Utah
Elected Fellow (2020) National Academy of Recreational Therapists
Access on Campus Award (2019) Indiana University Bloomington, Services for Students with Disabilities
Commitment to Inclusion Award (2018) Zappos Adaptive Advisory Council, Runway of Dreams Foundation
Clinical Researcher Laon Repayment Award (2016) National Institute of Health
Trustee Teaching Award (2015) School of Public Health
Selected Publications:
Piatt, J., Simic-Stanojevic, I., Herbenick, D., Stanojevic, C., Shields, T., Harnoy, T., Loftin, H., & Bisch, E. (2025) Addressing the lack of perimenopause conversations between women and healthcare professionals. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, Volume 22, Issue Supplement_2, May 2025, qdaf077.037, https://doi.org/10.1093/jsxmed/qdaf077.037
Stanojevic, C., Piatt, J., & Sabanovic, S. (2024). Attitudes of Special Educators Towards Use of Socially Assistive Robots for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder in Serbia and the United States. Journal of Special Education Technology, 40(3), 283-297. https://doi.org/10.1177/01626434241270592 (Original work published 2025)
Piatt, J. A., Simic-Stanojevic, I., Stanojevic, C., Zahl, M., Richmond, M.A., & Herbenick, D. (2022). Sexual health and women living with spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: the unheard voice. Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences – Disability, Rehabilitation, and Inclusion. Doi: 10.3389/fresc.2022.853647.
Piatt, J., Stanojevic, C., Simic-Stanojevic, I., Fisher, A., & Kim, J. (2022). Attitudes Toward Sexual Wellness for Individuals with Disabilities: Recreational Therapists Practitioners and Students Perspectives, 56(2), Therapeutic Recreation Journal. Doi: 10.18666/TRJ-2022-V56-I2-11182.
Stanojevic, C., Neimeyer T., & Piatt, J. (2021). Sexual health and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Sexuality and Disability, 39, 345-356. Doi: 10.1007/s11195-020-09651-2
Piatt, J. A., Knee, E., Eldridge, L, Valentine, C., & Herbenick, D. (2020). The impact of spinal cord injury on sexual health among males. American Journal of Recreational Therapy, 19(3), 21-34. Doi: 10.5055/ajrt.2020.0217.
Eldridge, L.,Piatt, J., Agley, J., Gerke, S. (2019).Relationship Between Substance use and the Onset of Spinal Cord Injuries:A Medical Chart Review.Topics in Spinal Cord, 25(4), 316-321. Doi: 10.1310/sci2504-316
Piatt, J. A., Van Puymbroeck, M., Zahl, M., Rosenbluth, J., & Wells, M. (2016). Examining how the perception of health can impact participation and autonomy among adults with spinal cord injury. Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation, 22(3), 165-172. Doi:10.1310/sci2203-165.
