CLICK HERE for the 2017-18 American Athletic Conference Research Grant Proposals
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference Academic Consortium has announced its research grant proposals for 2017-18. The research itself will be presented at the American Research Symposium, which will be hosted by UCF next spring, April 6-7, 2018.
The goal of the American Athletic Conference Research Grant Program is to assist conference institutions in the development of enhanced studies related to student-athlete well-being. Research findings will be submitted for publication in scholarly journals, presented as white papers, and posted on the American Athletic Conference website by August, 2018.
“By virtue of the American Research Grant Program, our conference has a unique opportunity each year to be a national leader in research related to student-athlete well-being,” American Athletic Conference Commissioner Mike Aresco said. “This research will support multiple initiatives and affirms our commitment to conducting and advancing scholarly studies in this vital area. The grant program also fosters a sense of partnership among our member institutions.”
The American Athletic Conference Academic Consortium was founded in 2016 as a presidential initiative by the league’s member institutions to promote academic excellence and to develop opportunities for collaboration and professional development for faculty, administrators and students. The core focus of the Consortium is the conduct of research regarding student-athlete health and well-being. The Consortium aims at fostering partnerships among member institutions and developing initiatives that advance the academic mission of each institution.
“On behalf of the Faculty Athletics Representatives of The American, I am very pleased with the establishment this year of the Research Grants program as a part of the new American Academic Consortium,” said Dr. Manoj Chopra, Faculty Athletics Representative, UCF, and chair of The American’s FAR group. “It will bring together researchers and practitioners within our member institutions to collaborate with each other and with others from outside the conference on research topics related to student-athlete well-being and development. We wanted the Consortium to form a unique identity in promoting impactful practices. The topics of research funded this year span a number of wide-ranging areas, such as challenges to student-athlete well-being, traumatic brain injuries, high risk training and physical exertion effects, cultural influences, and activities provided by academic support service departments.”
The inaugural American Athletic Conference Academic Symposium, which is another key initiative of The Academic Consortium, was hosted by Temple University on March 23-24, 2017, drew more than 60 faculty members, administrators, students and staff from American member institutions.
THE AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
The American Athletic Conference (The American), a member of the NCAA, was reconstituted in 2013. With the conference office in Providence, Rhode Island, The American is comprised of the following institutions: UCF, Cincinnati, UConn, East Carolina, Houston, Memphis, Navy (in football only), USF, SMU, Temple, Tulane and Tulsa. Wichita State (basketball and Olympic sports) joins the Conference on July 1, 2017. Under the leadership of Commissioner Mike Aresco, The American sponsors 21 championships – 10 for men and 11 for women; is a member of the College Football Playoff; began new television partnerships with ESPN and CBS Sports in 2014; and has a marketing partnership with IMG College. For more information, please visit
www.TheAmerican.org.