By Nick Butler

Nominations have opened for the IPC Scientific Awards ©IPCNominations have opened for the 2015 Paralympic Scientific Award ahead of October's VISTA conference in Girona, where winners will be honoured.


The award, first presented in 2005 on a biennial basis, recognises the work of one academic researcher for their contribution to research in the field of sports for persons with an impairment.

This will reward their work while also help to promote and encourage further study and enhance the quality of work in this area, it is hoped.

It will be presented at the VISTA 2015 Summit which will take place later this year from October 7 to 10, with the theme being: "Securing the future for young Para-athletes".

"The Paralympic Scientific Award allows the Paralympic community to honour someone for their exceptional performance and contributions to the Paralympic Movement," said the International Paralympic Committee's (IPC) Medical and Scientific Director,  Dr. Peter Van de Vliet.

"Each edition, the quantity and quality of nominations increases greatly and I am sure this year will be no different."

The podium attending the 2013 VISTA Conference in Bonn, Germany, where the last Paralympic Scientific Award was handed out ©IPCThe podium attending the 2013 VISTA Conference in Bonn, Germany, where the last Paralympic Scientific Award was handed out ©IPC



In 2013 the award was presented to Dr. Rory Cooper, founding director of the Human Engineering Research Laboratories at the University of Pittsburgh in the United States.

A US Army veteran who won an athletics bronze medal at the Seoul 1988 Paralympic Games, he has since developed equipment used in wheelchair racing, hand-cycling, wheelchair tennis and seated throwing events.

His research has appeared in more than 270 scientific publications, 1,000 abstracts, 100 magazines and five books

Nominations for this year's award can be submitted by IPC members, IPC Governing Board members, Sport Technical Committees, IPC Standing Committees and Councils ahead of the deadline of February 28.

More information and details on how to submit nominations can be found here