KINGSTON, R.I. – July 10, 2025 – The University of Rhode Island hosted the biennial Progress in Motor Control conference for the first time from June 30-July 2. The event attracted 143 leading scientists, early career researchers, and clinicians from eight countries and all parts of the United States.

The conference, held in URI’s Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences, consisted of poster sessions in the foyer and presentations in the auditorium on topics such as “Theoretical Advances in Motor Control,” “Motor Learning and Neural Plasticity,” “Motor Disorders Mechanisms and Rehabilitation,” and “Recovery of Motor Function.”

Mariusz Furmanek, an assistant professor in the URI College of Health Sciences’ Department of Physical Therapy, chaired the conference’s organizing committee.

“Our goal was to create a space where people could explore the crossroads between neurophysiology and application,” said Furmanek. “We aimed to foster meaningful discussions across disciplines, highlight advances in motor control, and build a sense of community that extends beyond the conference. Judging by the energy, engagement, and collaboration we witnessed throughout the sessions, I believe we accomplished that.”

The conference was supported by the International Society of Motor Control and a grant from the National Institutes of Health. Sponsors included URI’s Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, the George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience at URI, Delsys, Elsevier, and The Motion Monitor. Countries represented included Canada, Netherlands, Poland, India, Israel, Brazil, and Italy.

After Patrick Vivier, dean of the URI College of Health Sciences, and URI President Marc Parlange thanked participants for attending the conference, Mark Latash, a distinguished professor of kinesiology at Penn State University, delivered the first presentation on the “Origins of processes within the uncontrolled manifold.”

Latash is the founder and first president of the International Society of Motor Control. The organization was formed in 2001, after the Progress in Motor Control conference was already convened three times.

“After the third conference, I contacted friends and colleagues and the consensus was that we needed a structure to support the conferences and other initiatives of the field, including the journal Motor Control, which I started a few years earlier,” said Latash. “Many of my colleagues, including Michael Turvey, John Scholz, and Mindy Levin, helped me with all of those endeavors.”

Latash was impressed with the job Furmanek and the organizing committee did of planning and executing this year’s conference at URI.

“It was organized perfectly,” said Latash. “Everything worked like a Swiss watch. The food was excellent, the coffee breaks were well timed, and the sessions went very well.”

The conference also allowed time for attendees to interact informally during a welcome reception, a sunset cruise and group events in Newport, and a closing banquet.

Furmanek thanked those who played instrumental roles in organizing the conference.

“The success of this event was due to the dedication and hard work of the organizing committee and student volunteers, along with the tremendous support from the Departments of Physical Therapy and Kinesiology,” said Furmanek. “I would especially like to thank Dean Vivier, John McLinden, Chris Clarkin, Susan D’Andrea, Devina Kumar, as well as Samantha Fallon, David Ornstein, Tyler Foster, and Brittany Cassese and Carrie Brown of URI’s Conferences Services for their invaluable help throughout the planning and execution of the conference.”