Canadian Paralympic Committee – The winner of the award will give a keynote address at September’s VISTA conference in Toronto, Canada.

There are just two weeks to go until nominations for the highly prestigious International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Scientific Award close on 24 February 2017 and full details can be found at www.vista2017.com.

First presented in 2005, the biennial award recognises the work of one academic researcher for their contribution to research in the field of sports for persons with an impairment. The award acknowledges and rewards the work of researchers and serves to promote and encourage further study and enhance the quality of work in this area.

This year’s award will be presented at VISTA 2017, which will take place between 20-23 September 2017 in Toronto, Canada.

Organized through a partnership between the IPC, the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) and the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario (CSIO), the theme of VISTA 2017 is “Opportunities, Challenges in Paralympic Sport Science & Sport Medicine Support.” The event is likely to attract around 300 of the world’s leading sports scientists, sport medicine practitioners, classifiers, coaches, athletes and sport administrators. The 2017 IPC Scientific Award winner will be amongst the keynote speakers.

The 2015 IPC Scientific Award was presented to Professor Jennifer Mactavish in recognition of her role in the re-inclusion of athletes with an intellectual impairment into the Paralympic programme.

The Canadian, who is the Dean of the Yeates School of Graduate Studies at Ryerson University, served as the leading member joint IPC – International Sports Federation for Persons with an Intellectual Disability (INAS) Taskforce that provided the framework for the “Eligibility Classification Research” project.

This successful project eventually led to 120 intellectually impaired athletes competing at London 2012 after a 12 year absence in athletics, swimming and table tennis.

In addition to her research on intellectual impairment and classification, Mactavish has contributed to the scientific work in family life and stress coping mechanisms of individuals with an impairment.

IPC members, IPC Governing Board members, Sport Technical Committees, IPC Standing Committees and Councils can all submit nominations ahead of the deadline which is on Friday 24 February 2017 at 12:00 GMT.

Registration for VISTA 2017 is now open at www.vista2017.com.

Everyone booking before 15 June 2017 can take advantage of an early bird registration fee of CAD 400, which represents a 12.5 per cent discount on the listed price. Students can book their places for CAD 200 and all registering delegates can take advantage of a special discounted accommodation rate at the Chelsea Hotel.

The registration fee includes participation in all conference sessions, an invitation to the Opening Ceremony and an Evening of Interactive Learning and Scientific Celebration on 22 September. Also included are lunch and refreshments during breaks, and airport transfers to and from Pearson International Airport and the Chelsea Hotel.