President's Message

I am excited and honored to serve as the President of the Academy of Physical Therapy Research. As this year is shaping up to be a year like no other, I look forward to working with you to continue the mission of the Academy, and to embark on new efforts to advance the Academy.

The Academy of Physical Therapy Research aims to optimize the integration of research into clinical practice through Awareness, Collaboration, and Engagement, or ACE. Increasing the visibility of physical therapy research and services, creating connections and promoting partnerships, and inspiring discovery and advancing physical therapy across all areas of clinical practice and research study are the cornerstones of ACE. Our four Special Interest Groups – Evidence-based Practice, Biomechanics, Qualitative Research, and Early Career Researchers – facilitate awareness of physical therapy research to improve practice, offer partnerships to advance areas of research, and engage physical therapist researchers to promote continued and innovative discovery.  We celebrate Awareness through our John P. Maley Award for outstanding contributions to sustained leadership in research. We foster Collaboration through support of our Research Traveling Fellows Award program, facilitating direct connections between junior and senior investigators. We promote engagement through our Student Travel Awards for DPT and PTA students with a strong interest in physical therapy research and evidence-based practice.   ACE guides our stimulating programming and interactive events at CSM every year, as well as informs our biennial Research Retreat, an interactive forum of frontier physical therapy research.

As we continue into this year and beyond, ACE remain as guiding principles as the Academy grows in new directions. We seek to develop “virtual” venues for networking and partnership, convene a Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to promote awareness and engagement, and hear from members and other stakeholders to refine and advance our purpose. 

So…come join us!  Whether you are a student, practicing clinician, or researcher, the Academy of Physical Therapy Research offers so many ways to learn, join forces, and be involved.  Please visit our website to become a member, join a Special Interest Group, or get involved on a Committee.  We look forward to hearing from you! 

Laura C. Schmitt PT, MPT, PhD

President, Academy of Physical Therapy Research