Professor Roshan Galvaan is a Professor in the Division of Occupational Therapy at the University of Cape Town and a member of the Inclusive Practices Africa Research Group. She previously served as Head of the Division and is an NRF-rated scholar whose work contributes critically to occupational science, with a strong focus on translating research into practice across disciplines.

Her scholarship has led to the development of the Occupation-based Community Development framework, guiding praxis in diverse contexts. She is a co-recipient of the UCT Social Responsiveness Award (2015, 2018), recognising her sustained engagement with community partners through collaborative research.

Professor Galvaan has led curriculum transformation at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, promoting social justice in higher education both nationally and internationally. She is an alumnus fellow of the W.E.B. Du Bois Research Institute at Harvard University.

Her research explores human occupation within contexts of marginalisation and exclusion. She has published widely and recently co-edited two books: Concepts in Occupational Therapy: Understanding Southern Perspectives and Partnerships in Action: Transforming Learning Practices through Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Community Engagement. She holds a PhD, Master’s, and Honours degrees in Occupational Therapy from UCT.