While it is still only fall, plans for the Annual Meeting are in full swing. The meeting will be held March 4 and 5, 2010 at the University of Houston. This meeting is somewhat different from previous meetings in that activities will begin with the Inaugural TACSM Student Bowl late on the afternoon of Thursday, March 4 and extend into the evening with the student poster presentation and judging. Talks on a variety of topics will be presented on Friday morning with the business meeting and elections being held at noon. Student presentations will follow and award presentations will bring the meeting to a conclusion by approximately 3:30 pm. Meeting registration is being handled differently this year in an effort to improve the efficiency of this process for both the Chapter and the registrants. So, please refer to the Annual Meeting page for registration information and deadlines. Submission deadlines and instructions can also be found on that page. Housing, venue and parking information will be posted in the very near future.
The National Center of the ACSM has announced several scholarship opportunities for students that I would like to bring to your attention. These include the Lawrence A. Golding Health/Fitness Scholarship which offers $1,000 and free registration to the 2010 Health and Fitness Summit in Austin, TX. The scholarship is available to undergraduate students who have made significant outstanding contributions to their communities in health, fitness and/or education. The ACSM Foundation will be awarding $200 scholarships in the name of Michael L. Pollock, ACSM's 26th President, to two graduate students who are presenting research projects at the 2010 ACSM Annual Meeting in Baltimore. The awards will be based on the two best research projects, focused in the areas of health & fitness and/or clinical exercise physiology. The Foundation is also awarding two $500 scholarships to aid two underrepresented minority graduate students to present their scholarly work at the ACSM Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland. These scholarships are being presented in the memory of Steven M. Horvath, FACSM. Information can be found at the www.acsm.org or feel free to contact me.
Health care reform is now in the hands of the U.S. Senate after the House narrowly passed its version Nov. 7. As our Senators now debate the complex and controversial issues involved in this legislation, I would ask that you consider urging by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn to please ask them to keep in mind the incontrovertible benefits of physical activity and exercise. Here is a preventive measure with very low cost and high yield: improved health, increased productivity and reduced health care costs.
While I am very excited about the Chapter’s Annual Meeting in March of 2010 (and looking forward to seeing everyone in Houston) I would also like to remind you that ACSM will again sponsor the biannual Integrative Physiology of Exercise meeting in Sept., 2010. Our own Dr. Sue Bloomfield is on the program committee.
I will close by wishing you well and expressing my appreciation to the Board and to Drs. Chris Hearon and Brian McFarlin for their assistance in preparing for the Annual Meeting.
G. Stephen Morris, P.T., Ph.D.
TACSM President
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