Springfield College Hosts New England American College of Sports Medicine Virtual Fall Conference

Springfield College hosted the New England American College of Sports Medicine (NEACSM) 2020 Fall Conference in a virtual format on Thursday, Oct. 15 and Friday, Oct. 16.

As part of the conference, Springfield College Professor of Exercise Science and Sport Studies and the Program Director of the undergraduate Applied Exercise Science program Elizabeth O’Neill officially received the gavel and started her term as NEACSM president.

As president of the NEACSM, O’Neill will continue to work diligently with the executive committee of NEACSM to continue to strengthen the New England chapter, and uphold the chapter’s strong reputation of providing high quality conferences that engage its membership at all levels.

A member at large of NEACSM, O’Neill has served the chapter in many capacities, including serving as the Massachusetts State Representative, working on the scholarship committee, and serving as the marketing co-chair.

O’Neill received her doctorate in Exercise Physiology and master’s in Sport Psychology at Springfield College. She has presented regionally, nationally, and internationally on issues associated with the physiology of aging and bone health, which are her concentrated areas of research.

Also as part of the conference’s awards ceremony, Springfield College Professor of Exercise Science and Director of Clinical Exercise Physiology Samuel Headley earned the NEACSM Honor Award, the highest honor awarded for dedication and commitment to the NEACSM and the field of exercise science.

Springfield College student Zachary Racow was also recognized with the Robert S. Axtell Undergraduate Scholarship Award, and Springfield College was recognized as the team that will represent at the 2021 ACSM National Conference in Washington, DC.

Springfield College faculty and students took part in the NEACSM conference, which included a broad scope of presentations reflecting the various sub-disciplines in Exercise Science and Sports Medicine across diverse populations. This year's conference showcased the disciplinary and demographic diversity of the field. Expert practitioners and researchers highlighted exciting developments across a broad array of sub-disciplines, and presentations focused on a wide range of populations and identities.

Through asynchronous, pre-recorded presentations and synchronous, live sessions, registrants engaged with their professional community in a variety of meaningful ways.