Attendees gather at the IMSI Capstone Symposium at UCI on Sept. 6, 2024, to hear trainees present their research findings from the inaugural IMSI Summer Institute.

The Integrative Movement Sciences Institute (IMSI) hosted its inaugural IMSI Summer Institute (IMSI-SI) from June 1 through Aug. 31, 2024, bringing together an interdisciplinary group of researchers, faculty and trainees from across the country. The institute featured collaborative research projects focused on dynamic muscular control of movement, multi-scale modeling from tissue to organism level function and studies of movement in natural, ecologically relevant conditions, providing a platform for the exchange of ideas and innovation in the field of movement sciences.

The IMSI 2024 Retreat, held at the close of IMSI-SI 2024, featured a Capstone Symposium on Sept. 6 and the IMSI Faculty Strategy Meeting on Sept. 7. This two-day event brought together IMSI-SI participants to celebrate the scientific achievements of the Summer Institute and to plan future collaborations among faculty in the IMSI network.

The IMSI Capstone Symposium marked the culmination of IMSI summer projects and provided the opportunity for summer trainees to showcase their collaborative research insights and progress. For many trainees, this was their first experience formally presenting their research. The event also fostered networking and discussions with opportunities for in-person attendees to connect through meals and social activities. 

The following day, IMSI faculty and postdoctoral scholars gathered for the first annual IMSI Strategy Meeting to discuss collaborative research priorities for the upcoming year. The group continued informal discussions during a whale-watching activity followed by dinner.

“I have been inspired by the progress our collaborators and trainees have made this Summer, pioneering new experimental approaches and innovative models that will transform our ability to predict and understand muscular control of movement in humans and animals,” said Monica Daley, director of IMSI and the Center for Integrative Movement Sciences (CIMS) at UCI. “Our trainees have had the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in cutting-edge techniques and develop strong connections to an outstanding network of scientists across the country.”

IMSI faculty members attend the IMSI Faculty Strategy Meeting at UCI on Sept. 7, 2024.

IMSI-SI 2024 welcomed 99 participants across career stages, including 42 trainees, 20 near-peer mentors and 37 faculty members, with affiliations encompassing 11 academic institutions. The IMSI program was praised for its impact on trainees and mentors alike through its professional development activities, which fostered excellence in interdisciplinary collaboration through team science training, research skills workshops and mentoring workshops.

“I think the most fun part about working with IMSI is just being able to collaborate with a wide diversity of people, whether I was working with people that had a big understanding of what I was researching, and people that had no idea what I was researching,” said Hanna Chow, a former IMSI-SI 2024 trainee and a UCI sophomore. “[IMSI-SI 2024] allowed me to work on my communication skills and to share my findings with others.”

Looking ahead, IMSI will announce a Call for Projects for faculty in late February, inviting proposals for the next summer institute, which will be held in Summer 2025. A Call for Trainees will be issued in March, offering opportunities for students and early-career researchers to join the 2025 program.

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