Timothy Tourville, Ph.D., ATC, research assistant professor of orthopaedics and rehabilitation at the University of Vermont College of Medicine, received the 2014 Doctoral Dissertation Award from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Research and Education Foundation during the NATA 65th Clinical Symposia & AT Expo held June 25 to 28 in Indianapolis, Ind.

This national award acknowledges the most outstanding doctoral dissertation in the field of athletic training and is provided to recognize work that advances the athletic training profession through research and education. The award is presented in honor of David H. Perrin, Ph.D., ATC, FNATA, a NATA member who has made significant contributions to athletic training research and education and has a passion for mentoring and developing future scholars.

Tourville, who received a Ph.D. in clinical and translational science from UVM in 2012, was the first student to earn a Ph.D. through the Center for Clinical and Translational Science. He also earned a M.Ed. degree in exercise science from UVM in 2002. His research interests include the treatment of post-traumatic osteoarthritis and chronic disease; the relationship between therapeutic exercise and changes in biochemical, biomechanical, MRI, clinical- and patient-oriented outcomes; osteoarthritis imaging (radiographic and MRI) and biomarker evaluation; effectiveness of surgical techniques and rehabilitation following orthopaedic injuries; and physical activity and its relationship to the prevention, evaluation, and rehabilitation of orthopaedic injuries.