Eligibility Requirements

• Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants who are currently members in good standing of the association.
• Have been engaged in independent research activities for not more than 10 years after completion of their physical therapist degree, postprofessional doctoral degree (other than a transition DPT degree), or postprofessional doctoral fellowship, whichever was completed last (i.e., from the year the degree is granted until the year the nomination for this award is submitted).
• Be employed in any aspect of physical therapy including, but not limited to, research, education, clinical practice, and consultation.

Criteria for Selection

Nominees for this award must demonstrate:

• Independent or collaborative research activities that have present or future impact upon the profession, to include, if possible, ways in which the accomplishment has impacted and will impact specific members, components, or the practice or teaching of content related to the field.
• Research activities that have taken place after completion of all formal education, or post-professional doctoral fellowship (whichever was completed last) will receive the most weight.
• Receipt of grant funding and extramural funding will be considered.
• Accomplishments through authorships in peer-reviewed journals, or in poster, platform, workshop presentations in appropriate scientific forums.

A strong application should demonstrate the following:

• Evidence to indicate why research contributions will have a present or future impact on the growth of the profession.
• Accomplishment(s) that has impacted or will impact specific members or components (chapters, sections, academies, etc.).
• Accomplishment(s) that has impacted or will impact clinical physical therapist practice.
• Accomplishment(s) that has impacted or will impact teaching or content related to physical therapy.
• Accomplishments through authorships in peer-reviewed journals, or in poster, platform, workshop presentations in appropriate scientific forums.
• Letters of support should:
  • Explicitly state how the nominee is qualified under the criteria for selection by providing details on what the nominee has accomplished during their professional career, from the time the nominee earned their physical therapist professional degree or postprofessional doctoral degree, whichever was last, to the time of nomination (not to exceed 10 years), that augments the information contained in the nominee's vitae, and how it has demonstrated a commitment to research activities.
  • Reflect genuine knowledge and consideration of the nominee's qualifications for this award.
  • Indicate in what capacity the author works or worked with, or otherwise knows personally, the nominee.

What Recipients Receive

An award will be presented to the recipient by APTA's Board of Directors at an APTA national event, and an official announcement will appear in an association publication.

Submission Requirements

During the online process, the following documents will be required for upload:

• Current curriculum vitae or resume of the nominee.
• A letter of nomination highlighting the productivity and focus of the nominee's investigations and that specifically focuses on the strengths of the nominee in relation to the award criteria, not to exceed three pages. Letters of nomination cannot serve as one of the required letters of support.
• Two letters of support, not to exceed two pages each, obtained from individuals who can specifically address the criteria for selection in relation to the nominee. (Note: If more than two letters of support are received, only the first two will be considered. The nominator will be asked to remove additional letters.)
• Electronic reprints of one or two scholarly works published or accepted for publication by refereed journals. Copied portions of reprints, drafts of books, or other large publications, may be submitted.
• List of oral presentations delivered at professional meetings (if not included in curriculum vitae or resume). 

Submit a Nomination

The nominations call for the Honors and Awards program is open Sept. 1- Dec. 1. Nominations must be submitted through our online portal by Dec. 1; late submissions will not be considered. Selected recipients and their nominators will be notified in May.

Additional Resources

For questions regarding the nomination process or the award, please contact APTA Honors and Awards.