Gait and Clinical Movement Analysis Society 2016 Annual Meeting



 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Gait and Clinical Movement Analysis Society (GCMAS) is an interdisciplinary organization of physicians, physical therapists, engineers, and scientists who develop and use quantitative measurement, modeling, and analysis techniques to study human movement and to design improved treatment strategies for persons with neuromuscular and musculoskeletal disorders. A traditional strength of the society is research aimed at improving ambulation and quality of life for children and adults with neuromuscular disorders such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida, amputation, arthritis, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and spinal cord injury. The 2016 Annual Meeting of the GCMAS, hosted by the University of Tennessee, will be held in Memphis, TN on May 16th - 20th, 2016. This meeting will feature an outstanding scientific program and social events designed to promote cross-disciplinary exchange, including tutorials, keynote lectures, podium presentations, lively poster sessions, and invited case studies. One of the society's important aims is to cultivate the professional development of students at its annual meeting. Indeed, the long-term success of the society depends on the recruitment and nurturing of talented young investigators, particularly those from under-represented minorities, in our professions who will contribute to advances in movement analysis and biomechanical modeling, and who will engage in collaborative, transformative research with members of the clinical community. Funding of this proposal will reduce registration costs and eliminate tutorial fees for students, reduce tutorial costs for individuals of underrepresented minorities, support a STEM meeting day that will involve high school students from under-represented minorities, and finally support our mentor/mentee programming during the meeting - all helping ensure that the meeting is broadly accessible to attendees from diverse backgrounds.