David R. Strauser Ph.D.
David R. Strauser Ph.D. serves as director of the Illinois Institute of Rehabilitation and Employment Research and is a researcher and faculty member at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. His work focuses on vocational development and employment outcomes among individuals with disabilities and chronic health conditions. He earned his Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1995.
Dr. Strauser’s research centers on two key areas: the interaction between physical and psychological functioning in the career development of young adults, and the impact of contextual factors such as poverty, family dynamics, employer perspectives, and labor market conditions on employment outcomes for individuals with chronic health conditions. He has authored more than 175 journal articles and book chapters and serves as editor-in-chief of Rehabilitation Research, Policy and Education and Career Development, Employment, and Disability in Rehabilitation: From Theory to Practice. He is also co-editor of Assessment in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling.
Education
- Ph.D., Rehabilitation Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1995
Honors and Awards
- National Council on Rehabilitation Education New Career Award, 1997
- James Garrett Distinguished Career Research Award, American Rehabilitation Counseling Association, 2011
- Researcher of the Year, National Council on Rehabilitation Education, 2011
- George N. Wright Varsity Award, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2014
- King McCristal Distinguished Research Award, College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois, 2019