UK Health Sciences Faculty Member Receives New Investigator Award

LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 16, 2013) − Timothy Butterfield, associate professor at the University of Kentucky College of Health Sciences, recently received the prestigious National Athletic Trainers’ Association Research and Education Foundation’s (NATA Foundation) 2013 New Investigator Award.

The New Investigator Award recognizes an outstanding young researcher who has made significant contributions to the body of knowledge in athletic training and health care. To be considered for this award, the nominee must have earned a doctoral degree and hold an academic rank no higher than assistant professor and is required to be the principal author of a published research manuscript beyond his/her dissertation and must be a current NATA member and certified athletic trainer in good standing.

“The goal of this award is to encourage continued research among athletic trainers,” said NATA Foundation Research Committee Chair Darin Padua. “This honor is awarded to the candidate who shows the most promise for a future in research that impacts the profession of athletic training and the quality of health care provided to our physically active population.”

Butterfield was honored during the NATA Foundation’s Distinguished Lecture Presentation on June 25 in Las Vegas at the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Annual Meeting and Cynical Symposia. Following the award presentation, Butterfield gave a 20 minute lecture on his research project entitled, A Clash of Mechanisms: How Living In Syn has Reshaped Our Thoughts On Measuring Strain In Vain.

“Dr. Butterfield continues to do important work in the area of skeletal muscle function, specifically understanding and measuring the synergists action during exercise,” said NATA Foundation President Mark Hoffman. “I am confident his work will assist in making advances in the field of athletic training that positively impact physically active individuals at all levels.”

National Athletic Trainers’ Association Research & Education Foundation (NATA Foundation) – Athletic trainers are health care professionals who specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries and illnesses. The NATA Foundation is the only 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the profession of athletic training through research and education. Established in 1991, the NATA Foundation has awarded more than $2 million in undergraduate and graduate scholarships and $3.3 million in research grants. For more information, visit www.natafoundation.org.

Media Contact: Ann Blackford at 859-323-6442 or ann.blackford@uky.edu