WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association (AOPA) has announced the contenders for the 2016 Thranhardt Award. The award, launched by a gift from J.E. Hanger in memory of Howard R. Thranhardt, CP in 1996 has become one of the most distinguished honors in the orthotics and prosthetics profession.
The contenders of the Thranhardt Award will present their research at the 2016 AOPA National Assembly in Boston, Massachusetts on Friday, September 9. “The Thranhardt Lectures are always one of the highlights of the National Assembly – it brings together some of the brightest O&P researchers and clinicians. This year’s applicants were especially impressive and we look forward to announcing the winner,” remarked Chris Nolan, Chairman of the 2016 Assembly Planning Committee. The contenders are Beatrice Janka, MPO, CPO; Gordon Stevens, CPO, LPO; Kenton Kaufman, PhD, PE; and Lauren White, PT, DPT, PCS.
Beatrice Janka, MPO, CPO, is a clinical prosthetist-orthotist within Becker Orthopedic’s Patient Care Division as well as a product development engineer on Becker’s Research and Product Development team, and will present “The Effects of AFO Stiffness and Alignment on Lower Extremity Kinematics in Stroke and Multiple Sclerosis”.
Gordon Stevens, CPO, LPO is the President of Baker O&P in Texas, and a previous Thranhardt award winner, who will present “Increasing Functional Independence through Prosthetic Rehabilitation”.
Kenton Kaufman, PhD, PE is the W. Hall Wendel Jr. Musculoskeletal Research Professor, Biomedical Engineering Professor, and Director of the Biomechanics-Motion Analysis Laboratory at the Mayo Clinic and will present “Functional Assessment and Satisfaction in K2 Transfemoral Amputees Receiving MPK Knees–Initial Findings”.
Lauren White, PT, DPT, PCS is a physical therapist with the International Center for Spinal Cord Injury(ICSCI) and manages the Interdisciplinary Orthotic Clinic at Kennedy Krieger Institute. She will present “Development and Implementation of a Clinical Decision Making Algorithm for Aiding Orthotic Prescription for Patients with Neurological Impairments”.
More information about the 2016 National Assembly is available at www.AOPAnet.org or bit.ly/2016assembly.
Questions? Please contact Lauren Anderson, AOPA’s Manager of Communications, Policy, and Strategic Initiatives at 571/431-0843 or landerson@aopanet.org.