Professor Dr. Pier Luc Turcotte

Biography

Pier-Luc Turcotte is an occupational therapist specializing in community health. His doctoral research focused on community occupational therapy practices for people living in low-income neighborhoods with disabilities, emphasizing the role of community services in supporting social participation. His thesis findings highlighted institutional mechanisms that dehumanize and exclude users considered 'difficult' due to factors such as poverty and disability, underscoring the importance of recognition in countering such exclusion. Pier-Luc is interested in the sociopolitical aspects of social health services for marginalized populations. With a decade of clinical experience in community, institutional psychiatric settings, and Indigenous communities, he teaches courses related to psychosocial factors influencing individual and community well-being. His research program investigates the physical, psychological, social, and economic vulnerabilities arising from ecological crises, which constitute a major threat to human health in the 21st century. Pier-Luc's projects study the experiences of individuals with respiratory difficulties in polluted environments and aim to improve cancer care for Indigenous communities in Yukon, as well as support people experiencing homelessness in heat islands.

Research Interests

Experience