Arva, who is Hungarian, was only the second rehabilitation engineer in Hungary.
Today there are about twelve.
She received her professional training in Sweden and is currently employed at the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center at the University of Pittsburgh. Lefkowicz, who works at the University of Washington, has also developed a special seating project in Peru. Each SIG provides a network for the exchange of information within its own area of speciality. It is a blend of several professional groups including rehabilitation engineers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, orthotists and prosthetists, and rehab technology suppliers. They also have established an annual international cushion design competition to encourage the creation of inexpensive seat cushions for the prevention of pressure ulcers in people with disabilities living in developing nations or impoverished areas of the world.