There is just one week to go until nominations close for the highly prestigious 2015 Paralympic Scientific Award which will be presented at October’s VISTA conference in Girona, Spain.

First presented in 2005 on a biennial basis, the award recognises the work of one academic researcher for their contribution to research in the field of sports for persons with an impairment.

The award will not only acknowledge and reward the work of researchers but will also serve to promote and encourage further study and enhance the quality of work in this area.

In 2013 the award was presented to Dr. Rory Cooper, the founding director of the Human Engineering Research Laboratories at the University of Pittsburgh in the United States, who has contributed to the Paralympic Movement as an athlete, coach, event organiser and sports scientist.

Cooper, a US Army veteran who won a bronze medal at the Seoul 1988 Paralympic Games, has worked significantly to create and evaluate new sports technologies, advancing equipment used in wheelchair racing, handcycling, wheelchair tennis and seated throwing events.

His research has appeared in more than 270 scientific publications, 1,000 abstracts, 100 magazines and five books. He also holds five US patents for wheelchair adaptations to optimise propulsion in daily living.

IPC members, IPC Governing Board members, Sport Technical Committees, IPC Standing Committees and Councils can all submit nominations ahead of the deadline which is on Saturday 28 February 2015 at 12:00 GMT.

The award will be presented at VISTA 2015 which will take place between 7-10 October 2015. This year’s theme is "Securing the future for young para-athletes".

More information and details on how to submit nominations can be found at www.vista2015.com.