Sumaya Gabriels

Ms Sumaya Gabriels is a lecturer in the Faculty of Health Sciences - Division of Disability Studies (DSD), in the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Cape Town. She trained as a Physiotherapist and worked clinically for several years before starting an academic career. In the DSD the academic and research programs focus on generating assets, abilities and knowledge on disability. Ms. Gabriels has a keen interest in education and supporting students from different educational backgrounds to succeed at university. She teaches on both the undergraduate and postgraduate programs and her work in the last few years has included training mid-level community workers who provide services and care to persons with disabilities.. Her research will explore how mid-level workers are best prepared to address the mental health related care aspects of their work at community level. She is a keen proponent of interprofessional collaboration and practice and will consider how curricula can be designed collaboratively to improve mental health practices and care for people with disabilities.