An international honor, the Lolas E. Halverson Motor Development Young Investigator Award is given in recognition of an outstanding young scholar for their contributions to research in the motor development field and scholarly effort to improve motor behavior over the lifespan. Honorees must demonstrate sustained scholarship that makes a significant contribution to the field of motor development. Evidence might include the innovative nature of the work, its impact on the field, and/or its impact on the practical application of knowledge. The recipient will make a research presentation at the next I-MDRC conference.

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About Lolas E. Halverson “Hal”:  Originally from South Dakota, Hal completed her BA in Physical Education from Iowa State Teachers college in 1944.  Following this, Hal taught Physical Education in the upper Midwest for 3 years, then went on to complete an MS and PhD at UW-Madison.  She spent her career as an academic at UW-Madison, directing the Motor Development and Child Study Laboratory from 1971 until her retirement in 1988.  During that time, her scholarship – which had an important focus on translation and practical outcomes in improving children’s movement -  was nationally recognized within the field of motor development and physical education   As an educator and scholar, Hal was an inspiration to all – students, colleagues, even the children who participated in her studies.

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Previous Award Winners

Karen Meany - 1995

Clersida Garcia - 1996

Susan Hart - 1997

Jackie Goodway - 1998

Jin Yan - 1999

Rosa Angulo-Barroso - 2000

Nancy Getchell - 2001

Nida Roncesvalles - 2002

Taeyou Jung - 2004

Chris Kovacs - 2005

Dave Stodden - 2006

Tom Korff - 2007

Michele Lobo - 2008

Jin Bo - 2009

Leah Robinson - 2010

Ting Liu - 2011

Matthias Wagner - 2012

Priscila Tamplain - 2013

An De Meester - 2021

Elena Kokkoni & Ryan Hulteen - 2022

Cristina Menescardi & Ryan Sacko - 2023
Emiliano Mazzolini - 2024 

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Graduate Student Research Awards and Grants ​​​​​​​

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I-MDRC is proud to be able to offer Graduate Student Research Grants to help support the amazing work of our student members. These annual grants offer up to $1,000 of support. Awards for the 2025 cycle are due December 15, 2024. For full details of this award, click here. 

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Previous Award Winners

Crystal Elizabeth Alvarez - 2023     

Michael Ertel and Niamh O'Loughlin - 2024