Pensacola's man at the NFL's brain injury research table

  • November 13, 2014
  • /   Shannon Nickinson
  • /   civiccon
An NFL panel that doled out research grants to study brain injuries included some high-level Pensacola brainpower. Dr. Ken Ford, CEO and director of the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, serves on the six-person panel that selected winners of $500,000 research grants. The National Football League is partnered with Under Armour and General Electric in the effort. “We had to pick the winners from a long list of smart, innovative proposals that represent some of the best new ideas on how to prevent, diagnose and treat traumatic brain injuries,” Ford said. “It’s very rewarding to be able to be part of the Head Health Challenge II program. The implications go well beyond football.” The seven winners, which include researchers from the public and private sectors, were selected among nearly 500 proposals that were submitted between Sept. 2013 and Feb. 2014 from 19 countries. They are eligible to receive up to $8.5 million to accelerate brain injury research, diagnosis and protection. Concern about traumatic brain injuries has been sparked by the increased awareness of problems stemming from a variety of causes, including the use of powerful improvised explosive devices and the increased awareness of concussions in football and other sports. Dr. Ford was named to the panel due to his significant expertise and experience in the development of technologies intended to enable cognitive orthotics and his broad background in science and technology research and development. Ford holds a Ph.D. in computer science; served as chairman of the NASA Advisory Council (Oct. 2008-Oct. 2011); received a presidential appointment in 2002 to the National Science Board, and recently completed a term on the Defense Science Board. According to an NFL release, progress of the initiatives will be monitored over the next year. Each winner will receive $500,000 and have the opportunity to receive an additional $1 million to advance their research on brain injury. See the winning entries here.
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