Mehta earns national recognition for second straight year

May 31, 2024 — DENTON —For the second straight year, Jyutika Mehta, PhD CCC-SLP, has been recognized nationally for her contributions to the neurorehabilitation field. The Texas Woman’s professor and director of the Mike A. Myers Stroke Center was named a Fellow of the American Society of Neurorehabilitation (FASNR) at the ASNR Annual Meeting. 

Mehta was one of two professionals to receive the recognition in April. The honor is reserved for individuals who have contributed significantly to the field of neurorehabilitation and also to the ASNR. Mehta received the Kenneth Viste, Jr., MD Memorial Lectureship Award at the 2023 annual meeting for her commitment to excellence in clinical education, research and her support of the neurorehabilitation field. 

“Individuals are nominated by their peers in the field, and I am indeed very honored that my peers deemed my contributions worthy to be recognized as a fellow of ASNR,” Mehta said. “It ranks amongst my most significant accomplishments.”

The mission of ASNR is to advance the science of neurorehabilitation and neural repair from understanding to application. The rehabilitation and management of patients with chronic neurological disabilities has become sufficiently specialized that there is a need for basic and clinical research as well as innovative clinical care.

Mehta’s research focus is on speech, language and cognitive representation in typical and disordered brains across the lifespan. She has more than 100 presentations and publications at state, national and international forums. She serves on the editorial boards of Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair and the Brain Stimulation journal.

Mehta has contributed and developed a holistic approach to neurorehabilitation at the Stroke Center.

“We address not only each patient’s unique needs but also those of their caregivers and families,” Mehta said. “Through education, support and training, caregivers become integral partners in the rehabilitation journey, fostering a sense of empowerment, resilience and hope. All this while training students in various cutting-edge, evidence-based approaches to neurorehab.”

Mehta has mentored several doctoral students, post-doctoral trainees and junior faculty in the United States and internationally.

“When I look back over my training and early career years, the individuals who stand out most have been my mentors,” Mehta said. “They have influenced me and my work in significant ways that have shaped my research and career trajectory. My mentors have provided incredible support imparting their knowledge, skills and experience that enabled my personal and professional growth. Now I am a mentor, and my hope is that I am able to provide a similar model to my mentees.”