We are excited to invite expressions of interest from researchers and practitioners in organizing pre-conference workshops at the International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA) 2027, which will be held in Halifax, Canada, on June 16, 2027.

Pre-conference workshops provide a valuable opportunity for participants to delve deeper into specific topics relevant to behavioral nutrition and physical activity. These workshops typically last up to four hours and aim to enhance knowledge, skills, and collaboration within the field. We encourage innovative workshop proposals that explore emerging research areas or address current challenges in behavioral nutrition and physical activity.

As an organizer of a pre-conference workshop, you will have the chance to share your expertise with attendees from around the world. We are pleased to offer up to two complimentary registrations for the main ISBNPA 2027 conference as a token of appreciation for your contribution. Additionally, we will provide a dedicated room equipped with audiovisual facilities necessary for running the workshop.

Please note that while we are unable to provide travel or accommodation reimbursements for workshop organizers, we believe this unique platform offers an excellent opportunity for networking and professional development.

To ensure high-quality workshops that align with ISBNPA’s mission, there will be a limited number of workshops accepted. All submissions will undergo a rigorous peer-review process by experts in the field. The criteria for selection include relevance to behavioral nutrition and physical activity research, innovation, potential impact on practice or policy, clarity of objectives and methodology, and suitability for a four-hour format.

The deadline for submitting expressions of interest is November 25, 2026. To express your interest in organizing a pre-conference workshop at ISBNPA 2027, fill this [FORM]. You can find a printout of the questions included in the form below to prepare your submission in advance (this pdf is only informative about the questions we ask, do not try to edit it; instead use the link above to do that). If you have any queries regarding the process or requirements, please contact our [annual meeting secretariat].

We look forward to receiving your innovative workshop proposals and working together to make ISBNPA 2027 a stimulating and productive conference.

• 2 Members-at-Large 2027-2030

• Treasurer-elect 2027-2028, then becomes Treasurer 2028-2031 (US citizens only)

All terms start at the Annual General Meeting of the Members in June 2027.

Each voting member of the Society can nominate candidates to be considered by the Nominations Committee in the preparation of the slate of candidates to be submitted for the ballot, which will open in November 2026 (please note that self-nominations are accepted). The nominee must be a member of ISBNPA when the elections start.

Individuals receiving the nominations will be asked to confirm their acceptance and complete a letter of motivation. The Nominations Committee may also place the name of additional qualified candidates of its choice on the ballot.

Given (1) the international scope of the ISBNPA and (2) the focus on behavioral nutrition and physical activity, please consider these two important aspects in making your nominations.

As you think about your proposed nomination(s), please consider that service on the ISBNPA Executive Committee requires a commitment of time, talent, energy, and creativity to advance our goals and mission. The rewards are enormous. EC leadership positions bring opportunities to make a lasting difference for our members and for the fields we serve.

We would be particularly keen to receive nominations from South America, Asia, and Africa as these regions are under-represented in our EC.

Please use the form below and complete your nominations by October 5, 2026.

NOMINATIONS FORM

Please note that your name must appear on the nomination form to validate your nomination.

The current EC composition is available here: https://isbnpa.org/about-us/who_we_are/officers/
The by-laws are accessible here: https://isbnpa.org/about-us/by-laws/
If you have any questions please email António Palmeira, ISBNPA Executive Director, at executivedirector@isbnpa.org

Thank you for your support of the society.

Sincerely,
The Nominations Committee
Philippe Gradidge
Benedicte Deforche, Deanna Hoelscher, Anna Timperio, Russ Jago

Page updated: 2026-09-09

Submit by October 12th, 2026. Access a pdf of the application [HERE] to prepare your submission.

The submission form is here: https://forms.gle/TLUFBM57LUCcBvnQ9

The current Program Coordinator is Dr. Ana Contardo Ayala, see contacts at the end of this page.

What is the Pioneers Program?

The ISBNPA Pioneers Program is an annual funding scheme supporting early and mid-career researchers from low- and middle-income countries to conduct a small study — or complete an existing one — and present the findings at the ISBNPA Conference.

Who can apply?

Primary target: early or mid-career researchers who reside and work in a country classified by the World Bank as low income, lower-middle income or upper-middle income.

Researchers from high-income countries may apply only with documented justification of difficulty accessing research funding, assessed case by case by the selection committee.

Previously funded? You may apply again — receiving Pioneers funding before does not disqualify you, though preference is given to first-time applicants (see How your application is assessed, below).

All applicants must:

• Identify a mid-career or senior researcher willing to mentor the project — ideally an ISBNPA member, and they may be in a different country
• Be able to complete data collection and analysis within the programme timeline
• Be available to submit an abstract and present at the ISBNPA Conference

What the programme offers

Travel scholarship: paid as a reimbursement after the conference, on valid receipts submitted within 60 days, not in advance. Keep your receipts.

The number of awards available is confirmed in the call each year.

What the research grant can be used for

Permitted: transport for data collection · fieldworker salaries · data collection equipment and materials · your own salary for specific research tasks (Master’s/PhD students, or postdocs within 5 years of completing their PhD).

Not permitted: compensation for your mentor or other mid-career or senior researchers · institutional overhead or levies · article publication fees (you may separately request an open-access waiver from IJBNPA).

How your application is assessed

Every eligible application is scored independently by each member of the selection committee, out of 100:

The committee then agrees a ranked list, and awards are made down that list until the year’s funding is used.

If you have received Pioneers funding before: you are welcome to apply again — prior funding does not disqualify you. Preference is given to first-time applicants: where applications are closely ranked, preference goes first to an applicant who has not previously received Pioneers funding, then to the applicant from the lower World Bank income tier, and then to an applicant whose institution has not previously received a Pioneers award.

Committee members declare any connection to an applicant — same institution, supervision, recent co-authorship, or a personal relationship — and take no part in assessing that application.

How the funding is paid

Timeline

The cycle runs annually, timed to the ISBNPA Conference. Exact dates are confirmed in the official call each September.

Watch the ISBNPA website and newsletter each September for the official call with confirmed dates.

How to apply

When the call opens, the form and full guidelines are published at isbnpa.org/activities/pioneer-program/ and circulated in the ISBNPA newsletter. Applications are submitted via an online forms — the link is in the call.

Your application will need:

• A description of the study you plan to conduct or complete
• How it relates to behavioural nutrition and/or physical activity
• Your CV and institutional affiliation
• Your country of residence and work
• Name, affiliation and contact details of your proposed mentor
• A budget outline showing how you would use the grant

Submit before the deadline — late applications cannot be considered.

Your data: applications are seen only by the Program Coordinator, the selection committee and the ISBNPA team. Unsuccessful applications are deleted 12 months after the cycle closes; successful applications are retained for seven years as part of ISBNPA’s financial records.

If you are selected

1. You are notified by the Program Coordinator by the decision date.
2. You sign a Memorandum of Agreement confirming your obligations, the disbursement schedule and milestone deadlines.
3. You receive your first payment ($800) shortly after signing.
4. You complete data collection and analysis by the end of January.
5. You submit an abstract by the conference late-breaking deadline.
6. You receive your second payment ($700) on confirmation.
7. You present at the ISBNPA Annual Conference, with complimentary registration. ECR recipients attending in person also receive a free place at the NESI pre-conference workshop.
8. You submit travel receipts within 60 days to receive the travel reimbursement (in-person recipients only).

If you are going to miss a deadline

Contact the Program Coordinator as early as you can and submit a short written justification. One extension of up to six weeks may be granted, and only where the new date still allows you to submit your abstract in time to present.

Missing two milestones results in withdrawal of remaining funding and cancellation of conference participation.

Questions and contact

Contact the ISBNPA team at executivedirector@isbnpa.org or assistant@isbnpa.org.

The current Program Coordinator is Ana Contardo Ayala a.contardoayala@deakin.edu.au

Programme information: isbnpa.org/activities/pioneer-program/

– President-elect (2026-2027, then President from 2027-2029)

– Early Career Researcher representative, 2026-2028 

– Student representative, 2026-2028

– Member-at-large, Africa representative, 2026-2029 

– Member-at-large, Latin America and Caribbean representative, 2026-2029 

– Member-at-large, Oceania representative, 2026-2029

Each voting member of the Society can nominate candidates to be considered by the Nominations Committee in the preparation of the slate of candidates to be submitted for the ballot in November 2025. The nominee must be a member of ISBNPA when the elections start.

Individuals receiving the highest number of nominations will be asked to confirm they accept the nomination and will be asked to complete a letter of motivation. The Nominating Committee may place the name of additional qualified candidates of its choice on the ballot as well.

In keeping with the international basis of the ISBNPA and its focus on behavioral nutrition and physical activity, we expect that you will consider these two important aspects in making your nominations.

As you think about your proposed nomination(s), please consider that service on the ISBNPA Executive Committee requires a commitment of time, talent, energy, and creativity to advance our goals and mission. The rewards are enormous. EC leadership positions bring opportunities to make a lasting difference for our members and for the fields we serve. Self-nominations are accepted.

Please use the form in the link below and complete your nominations by October 5, 2025.

NOMINATIONS FORM

Please note that your name must appear on the nomination form to validate your nomination.

The current EC composition is available HERE 

The by-laws are accessible HERE

If you have any questions, please email António Palmeira, ISBNPA Executive Director at executivedirector@isbnpa.org.

Thank you for your support of the society.  

The Nominations Committee

Benedicte Deforche

Deanna Hoelscher

Anna Timperio

Russ Jago

We are excited to invite expressions of interest from researchers and practitioners in organizing pre-conference workshops at the International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA) 2026, which will be held in Cádiz, Spain, on May 27, 2026.

Pre-conference workshops provide a valuable opportunity for participants to delve deeper into specific topics relevant to behavioral nutrition and physical activity. These workshops typically last up to four hours and aim to enhance knowledge, skills, and collaboration within the field. We encourage innovative workshop proposals that explore emerging research areas or address current challenges in behavioral nutrition and physical activity.

As an organizer of a pre-conference workshop, you will have the chance to share your expertise with attendees from around the world. We are pleased to offer up to two complimentary registrations for the main ISBNPA 2026 conference as a token of appreciation for your contribution. Additionally, we will provide a dedicated room equipped with audiovisual facilities necessary for running the workshop.

Please note that while we are unable to provide travel or accommodation reimbursements for workshop organizers, we believe this unique platform offers an excellent opportunity for networking and professional development.

To ensure high-quality workshops that align with ISBNPA’s mission, there will be a limited number of workshops accepted. All submissions will undergo a rigorous peer-review process by experts in the field. The criteria for selection include relevance to behavioral nutrition and physical activity research, innovation, potential impact on practice or policy, clarity of objectives and methodology, and suitability for a four-hour format.

The deadline for submitting expressions of interest is November 21, 2025. To express your interest in organizing a pre-conference workshop at ISBNPA 2026, fill this [FORM]. You can find a printout of the questions included in the form below to prepare your submission in advance (this pdf is only informative about the questions we ask, do not try to edit it; instead use the link above to do that). If you have any queries regarding the process or requirements, please contact our [annual meeting secretariat].

We look forward to receiving your innovative workshop proposals and working together to make ISBNPA 2026 a stimulating and productive conference.

The purpose of this scholarship is to provide funding to: 

• conduct a small study or complete an existing study* (where funds are currently insufficient); and  
• present study findings at the ISBNPA 2026 conference.  

(*) please note that the timeframe is limited and the abstract needs to be submitted for the late breaking abstract submission deadline (March 4, 2026)

1. Who is eligible? 

• Applicants should be early or mid-career researchers residing and working in an LMIC, as recognised by the World Bank. Applications from early career researchers from high-income countries will be assessed only when an appropriate justification of the difficulties of getting research funding is provided in the application.  
• Each applicant should identify a mid-career or senior researcher willing to act as a mentor for their project. This person could be in the same country or from another country. It would be preferable for the mentor to be a member of ISBNPA.  

2 Available funding 

• If applying to present in the in-person meeting: 
• US$1500 research grant + US$1500 conference travel scholarship + free conference registration + registration to the NESI pre-conference workshop (if the applicant is an early career researcher) 

3 What the funding can be used for: 

• Research-related costs, e.g., transport for data collection, fieldworker costs, equipment, materials and supplies for data collection. 
• Salary costs of an early career researcher (Masters or PhD student, or postdoc ≤5 years post PhD) to complete a specific research task, e.g., collect data, complete data analysis. 

4 What the funding cannot be used for: 

• Salary contribution for a mid-career or senior researcher 
• Institutional costs (e.g., university research levies, overheads) 
• Article publication fees. The applicants may submit a waiver request to IJBNPA that will be considered by the editor-in-Chief. 

5. Timeline and procedure

6. What if deadlines are not met? 

–   A motivation for extending deadline/s should be submitted to the ISBNPA selection committee. 

–   If two deadlines are not met, ISBNPA reserves the right to not pay further instalments, and to withdraw the offer of funding to attend the ISBNPA conference. 

7. Application form: 

The application form is available in the link below. We strongly advise you to visit the form in advance of preparing the submission. 

[SUBMISSION FORM]

8. Any questions? 

Please contact: Dr Ana Maria Contardo-Ayala, a.contardoayala@deakin.edu.au. 

Page updated: 2025-09-01

Tuesday, Sep 16, 2025, 13:00-16:00 CET

Where

Kaunas Hotel, Nemunas Room

Registration

Free registration (before Sep 1st): here

What

Purpose

This workshop aims to share the learnings from the Policy Evaluation Network (PEN; https://www.jpi-pen.eu/), a four million, seven country, 28-research centre project in Europe, and the IMPAQT (www.ul.ie/research/impaqt) ERA4Health EU partnership project.

Its purpose is to provide attendees with knowledge, skills and experience of how to conduct a physical activity policy implementation evaluation nationally, regionally or locally.

Learning Objectives

1. Enhance their knowledge on recent developments in PA policy globally.

2. Understand a range of PA policy evaluation and monitoring tools, and analyze their usefulness.

3. Gain first-hand experience in using the PA-EPI, a tool designed to assess the extent of implementation of national government policies and actions to promote PA. Undertake a comparison to international best practice, learn how to identify and prioritise implementation gaps and create feasible recommendations.

4. Reflect on workshop learnings to inform and stimulate future research and practice in this field.

More information below

Facilitated by leading experts in implementation science, including TIDIRH teaching alumni, this workshop will provide practical guidance on applying scale-up and sustainment principles to real-world challenges.

Through expert-led discussions, real-world case studies, and hands-on activities, participants will build practical skills to apply scale-up and sustainability principles in their own work.

Workshop Details:

 Dates: June 4–5, 2025
 Location: NuSpace, Newcastle, NSW
 Who Should Attend? This workshop is designed for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers at any career stage, looking to embed and expand health innovations across diverse settings.

Registration types & cost: Please note, all prices are in AUD and exclude GST.

• Students: $500 –
• ISBNPA Member: $660 –
• Non-member: $760 –

 More details and Registration

Spots are limited, so secure your place today!

 If you are keen to make the most of your trip to New Zealand, our colleagues in Australia are extending a warm welcome to conference participants to join them in Australia  from 24- 27 June for 1^st ever IPA World  Asia Pacific conference.

Delegates can take up a special conference rate of $595 ( USD $356) 

To take advantage of the offer, enter the code: ISBNPA in the following site https://nscevents.com.au/ipa-asia-pacific-play-conference-2025

The inaugural IPA Asia Pacific Play Conference is set to be a groundbreaking event, bringing together a diverse mix of stakeholders from across the region to explore the transformative power of play. Join us at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, June 25–26, 2025, where educators, urban planners, health professionals, designers, community leaders, and advocates will come together to imagine bold new futures, through play. Pre-conference tours and masterclasses are being held on Tiesday 24 and Friday 27 June and bookings for these ae on the conference website.

The conference is built around key themes, Urban Planning & Design, Education & The Arts, and Health & Wellbeing, and tackles the big issues affecting children’s lives today, from climate change and public health to the role of technology and the design of our cities.

Explore the full program [HERE].

Each session is designed as a provocation, sparking deeper thinking and collaborative action. With multiple provocations to choose from per session and a dynamic closing workshop to wrap each day, this conference is unlike anything else on the calendar.

At the heart of the program are our Play Provocateurs, visionaries, researchers, designers and advocates who are challenging the status quo and reshaping how we understand and value play including:

• David Engwicht (Australia) – Creative urban strategist reimagining public space through the lens of everyday play.
• Dr Sudeshna Chatterjee (India) – Advocate for child-friendly cities and inclusive urban design.
• Dr Hiroyuki Kasama (Japan) – Researcher exploring the deep cultural and psychological roots of play.
• Dr Brendan Hyndman (Australia) – Innovator in education using play to promote movement and wellbeing.
• Preeti Prada Panigrahi (India) – Social entrepreneur driving grassroots play equity initiatives.
• Dr Damian Puddle (New Zealand) – Specialist in physical literacy and movement-based learning through play.
• Robyn Monro Miller (Australia) – Champion for children’s rights and play as a foundational right.
• Mark Gurr (New Zealand) – Leader in community-driven recreation and play design.
• Hitoshi Shimamura (Japan) – Advocate for unstructured, adventure-based play environments.
• Associate Professor Jill Sewell AM (Australia) – Esteemed paediatrician bringing a health lens to the importance of play in early childhood.
• Christine Lee (Taiwan) – Policy and advocacy leader with a focus on inclusive play for children of all abilities.
• Associate Professor Rachel Jones (Australia) – Researcher bridging education, mental health and play in childhood development.

These provocateurs will spark essential conversations, challenge assumptions, and inspire action across education, public health, design, urban planning, and community building.

We’d love to see you there! whether you’re deep in the play space or just starting your journey. It’s your chance to connect with global leaders, engage in rich cross-sector dialogue, and shape the future of play across the Asia Pacific.

These elections will have the following positions available:

•  Secretary (term runs from June 2025-2028)
• And three members-at-large (term runs from June 2025-2028)

Please use this [FORM] to complete your nominations by October 13, 2024.

Please note that your name must appear on the nomination form to validate your nomination.
Self-nominations are accepted.

Your nominations will be considered by ISBNPA’s Nominations Committee while creating a final short-list of nominees.

You can see the current composition of the Executive Committee in the link below
https://isbnpa.org/about-us/who_we_are/officers/