The Section on Pediatrics Annual Conference will be held November 6-8, 2015, in Pittsburgh, PA (preconference courses will be November 4-5).

Visit www.sopac.us to register and to find out more about:

• Top 10 Reasons to Attend SoPAC 
• Practice Fair Applications (due July 15): Practicing clinicians are able to share ideas and information about clinical practice, including creative interventions, strategies, and activities; innovative programs; and adaptations, modifications, and specialized use of equipment, toys, and materials at their own table in the Exhibit Hall.
•  The Tri My Best Triathlon (still seeking athletes and "buddies" - apply by August 1): Twenty athletes will compete in swim, bike, and run events with adaptations and modifications. Participants will be selected on a first-come first-served basis. If you are volunteering to be a buddy, you will not be getting in the pool (there will be special pool assistants for that); you will just be walking with an athlete during the run and bike portions of the event.
• Exhibitor Registration: Exhibiting at SoPAC is a chance to get out the word about your company to hundreds of pediatric therapy providers with more than 7 hours of unopposed exhibit time. 
• Special Suggested Tracks for Participants: For PCS prep, for OTs, etc.
• Fun Events: Attend the Evening Event at the Andy Warhol Museum, hang out at a Pitt-Notre Dame Football Game, participate in the SOP Silent Auction, and network, network, network!

Register for housing as soon as you can - it's going to be a busy weekend in Pittsburgh and rooms are going fast!  

A team of researchers has been awarded a 4-year, $3.4 million grant to test the efficacy of an intervention known as START-Play. Funded by the Institute of Education Sciences, a division of the US Department of Education, the project is led by SOP members Regina Harbourne at Duquesne University; Cole Galloway and Michele Lobo at the University of Delaware; Stacey Dusing at Virginia Commonwealth University; and Sally Westcott McCoy at University of Washington. The research examines the effect of early motor intervention in infants with neuromotor disorders on cognitive development. Further details about the grant may be found in the Department of Education announcement. The investigators said, "This grant would not have happened without the support of the Section on Pediatrics through the 2007 Research Summit on Early Intervention for Children with or at Risk for Physical Disabilities that got us all together, and the $30,000 SOP planning grant in 2009/2010 that allowed us to write (and re-write) the grant."  

• The Section on Pediatrics offers Research Grants, Mentored Research Grants, and Planning Grants to Section members (submissions due September 1 and April 1): The SOP research grants provide funding to assist physical therapist investigators and to encourage research that will add to the body of knowledge related to improvement of pediatric physical therapy. Research Grants (RG1 up to $30,000 or RG2 up to $10,000) are available to assist with a 1-year research study that investigates questions of importance to pediatric physical therapy. Mentored Research Grants up to $10,000 can be used to support post-professional thesis, dissertation, or other student research, and are also appropriate for new and emerging clinical researchers. Periodically, Planning Grants up to $30,000 are available to support the development of multi-site clinical research related to the topic of a Section Research Summit. A list of Section grants available this year, as well as due dates, application forms, and details of each grant can be found on the Section website at www.pediatricapta.org under Research & Awards. Any questions concerning your proposal may be sent to the current SOP Research Committee Chair, listed on the website under Contact Us.
• Stephen M Haley Research Award (applications due October 1): The SOP Research Committee is pleased to announce a call for nominees for the Section's Stephen M Haley Research Award, given in honor of Dr Haley and his contributions to pediatric physical therapy research. The award recognizes a Section on Pediatrics member who has performed sustained and outstanding basic, clinical, and/or education research pertaining to pediatric physical therapy. Evidence must be given that the published body of research makes a meaningful contribution to the scientific basis of pediatric physical therapy. In addition, evidence of one or more of the following contributions should be provided: 1) oral presentations and written articles of the research have been reported to the appropriate audiences, 2) an active attempt to foster research of others, and 3) work has been recognized by receipt of grants. Further details can be found at www.pediatricapta.org under Research & Awards. Submit a letter of nomination that specifically addresses each of the criteria, along with the name, address, email address and curriculum vitae of the nominee. The Haley Research Award is announced at the SOP Business Meeting during the Combined Sections Meeting (CSM).
• Dissertation Award (applications due October 1): The SOP Research Committee is pleased to request applications for the Section's Dissertation Award. The Dissertation Award is given as recognition to an active or student member of the Section on Pediatrics who has completed an outstanding research project as partial fulfillment for a research doctoral degree (eg, PhD, DSc, EdD). Submission details can be found at www.pediatricapta.org under Research & Awards. The Dissertation Award is announced at the SOP Business Meeting during CSM.

• Outstanding Research Abstract Awards (no separate application needed): The SOP Research Committee is pleased to recognize excellence in research with two new annual awards. The Outstanding CSM Research Abstract Award and the Outstanding SoPAC Research Abstract Award will recognize active or student SOP members who are first authors of outstanding research abstracts submitted to the Section for presentation at CSM and SoPAC, respectively. The Research Committee will select recipients from among the 5 abstracts that are ranked highest during the peer review process for each meeting. No additional nomination process is needed. An award ribbon will be presented to each recipient at the time and location of her/his research presentation.

PCS Applications are being accepted by the American Board of Physical Therapist Specialties through July 31, 2015. For information on Section support materials, click here. 

The Innovations in School-Based Physical Therapy Practice Course 2015