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Exercise physiologists from across Australia were recognised on Saturday night at the Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA) Awards Gala Dinner.

Attended by over 200 guests at Jupiters Casino on the Gold Coast, ESSA's major social night of the year saw Mia Rose from MEA Exercise Australia in Maroubra, New South Wales take home the 2011 Exercise Physiologist of the Year and Bodyfit NT, located in Parap in the Northern Territory, awarded the 2011 Exercise Physiology Practice of the Year.

ESSA Executive Officer Anita Hobson-Powell stated that the gala dinner provided a great opportunity to bring the conference guests together to celebrate excellence and the continued growth of the profession, stating "these awards recognise exceptional contributions to the Exercise Physiology profession and our ever-growing membership at ESSA demonstrates the increased value exercise physiologists offer to the community, both in the professional sporting arena and by enhancing the health of all Australians.

"Increasingly people appreciate the value of a trained professional to develop their exercise regime rather than turning to fitness trainers who are limited in their physiological knowledge. Our members are university trained experts who specialise in the delivery of exercise, lifestyle and behavioural modification programs for the prevention and management of chronic diseases and injuries.

"These awards enable us to applaud those excelling in our profession as well as those at the start of their career."

To this end, the jointly awarded 2011 ESSA Exercise Physiology Graduate of the Year was presented to Kassia Weston from The School of Medicine, Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane and Peggy Huang from Sydney South West GP Link in New South Wales.

The 2011 ESSA Practicum Supervisor of the Year was awarded to Heidi Clarke from Gwynneville, New South Wales at Body Dynamics Illawarra for her contribution to providing support and development for students in the profession.

ESSA also recognised the most outstanding PhD thesis by awarding the 2011 ESSA Medal to Dr Julien Periard, who currently lives in Qatar, for his thesis titled ï¾Physiological mechanisms limiting prolonged exercise performance in the heat'.

The awards gala dinner marked the closing of the 5th biennial conference hosted by Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA) which saw an impressive line-up of international and Australian speakers over the three-day conference.

Award Winners
2011 ESSA Exercise Physiologist of the Year: Mia Rose, MEA Exercise Australia, Maroubra, NSW
Awarded for:
• Thorough understanding, commitment and advocacy of the Exercise Physiology profession
• Exceptional service provision to patients, the practice and the community
• Dedication to continued education and professional development individually and for the industry
• Other: e.g. innovation in program development and delivery etc.
 
2011 ESSA Exercise Physiology Practice of the Year: Bodyfit NT, Parap, Northern Territory (Owner Kia Naylor)
This award is offered by ESSA to recognise exercise physiology practices that provide exceptional services and programs to their clients, or have developed innovative services or service delivery models, across the spectrum of the health sector. 
 
2011 ESSA Exercise Physiology Graduate of the Year 
Joint winners: Kassia Weston, The School of Medicine, Princess Alexandra Hospital & Wellington Point, Queensland and Peggy Huang, Sydney South West GP Link 
Awarded for:
• Exceptional transition and contribution into the Exercise Physiology profession;
• Thorough understanding, commitment and application of Exercise Physiology to attain improved health and/or function of patients
• Outstanding service provision to patients, the practice and the community;
• Dedication to continued education and professional development within the industry;
• Other: e.g. innovation in program development and delivery etc.
 
2011 ESSA Medal: Dr Julien Periard, Aspetar Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital
Awarded annually to the most outstanding PhD thesis, approved for graduation in the field of Exercise and Sports Science, Dr Periard's thesis title was: Physiological mechanisms limiting prolonged exercise performance in the heat.
 
2011 ESSA Practicum Supervisor of the Year: Heidi Clarke 
Awarded in recognition of their contribution and success in the following areas:
• Nurturing and support of the student
• Developing confidence in the formative practitioner
• Being a positive role model 
• Identifying the student's learning needs 
• Providing a setting that provides a bridge between theory and practice 
• Assisting to develop the student's knowledge and technical skills in an authentic and safe environment
• Providing critical observation of the student's practice occurs and relevant feedback 
• Providing opportunities for inter-professional learning 
• Assisting with the development of management and organizational skills 
• Providing encouragement for the student to engage in on-going professional development
 
For more information on Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA), the peak professional body for exercise and sports science in Australia go to www.essa.org.au

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