IPES Conference
The 5th International Physical Employment Standards Conference
The 5th International Physical Employment Standards Conference will be held at Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City Wednesday, February 19 through Friday, February 21, 2025.
Hosted by Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City, the IPES 2025 conference will address specific topics including physical employment standards, implementation and review; physical conditioning, health and rehabilitation and diversity with in the workplace.
The conference content will be a blend of research and applied practice in a range of physically demanding occupations including military, law enforcement, fire and rescue and first responders.
Please send all inquiries about IPES 2025 to joebe@okstate.edu
- Conference Program
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
8:00 - 8:30 a.m. Registration 8:30 - 9:20 a.m. - Welcome to IPES by Dr Jay Dawes
- Welcome to Country - Joe Bennett
- Native American Dance Performance
- Welcome by Dean Tiffany Smith, OSU-OKC Oklahoma City School of Human Services
9:30 - 10:20 a.m. Keynote: Physical Employment Standards: Past, Present and Future Directions
- Dr. Gemma Milligan and Dr. Sam Blacker
10:30 - 12:00 p.m. Oral Presentations
- Theme: PES Implementation
12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Lunch Break 1:00 - 2:50 p.m. Thematic Poster Presentations
- Theme 1: PES Implementation
- Theme 2: PES Review
3:00 - 3:50 p.m. Oral Presentations
- Theme: PES Review
4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Roundtable Discussion/Q&A: Creating Defensible Standards: Determining minimum competence? 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Conference Delegate Networking: Thursday, February 20, 2025
8:00 - 8:30 a.m. Registration 8:30 - 9:20 a.m. Keynote: Operational Performance: Defining Fitness
- Mark Stephenson, MS, ATC, CSCS,*D, TASC-F,*D
9:30 - 10:50 a.m. Oral Presentations
- *Theme: Physical Conditioning
11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Thematic Poster Presentations
- Theme 2: Health and Rehabilitation
12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Lunch Break 1:30 - 2:50 p.m. Thematic Poster Presentations
- Theme 1: PES Implementation
- Theme 2: PES Review
3:00 - 4:30 p.m. Oral Presentations
- Theme: Health and Rehabilitation
4:30 - 5:00 p.m. Roundtable Discussion/Q&A: Operational Performance: Defining Fitness 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Conference Delegate Networking: Friday, February 21, 2025
8:00 - 8:30 a.m. Registration 8:30 - 9:20 a.m. Keynote: Spaceflight Physiology: Translational Lessons to Optimizing Health on Earth
- Michael Harrison, MD
9:30 - 10:50 a.m. Oral Presentations
- Theme: Physical Diversity in the Workplace: Age and Sex
11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Thematic Poster Presentations
- Physical Diversity in the Workplace: Age and Sex Issues
12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Lunch Break 1:30 - 2:50 p.m. Thematic Poster Presentations
- Theme 1: Theme 2: Physical Diversity in the Workplace: Disability and Physical Limitations
3:00 - 4:30 p.m. Oral Presentations:
- Theme: Physical Diversity in the Workplace: Disability and Physical Limitations
4:30 - 5:00 p.m. Closing address and handover to the next host - Registration
Registration Options
1-Day Registration
$200 USD
Register Now 
Student Registration
$325 USD
Register Now Early Bird 3-Day
$400 USD
Register Now 3-Day Registration
$465 USD
Register Now Opening Night Social Event
Free for conference registrants
Register Now Refunds due to withdrawals:
- Prior to December 31, 2024 = 95% refund (administration fees to cover initial ticketing fees)
- Prior to January 15, 2025 = 50% refund
- Refunds are not available after Tuesday, January 14, 2025.
- Accommodations
Conference Accommodations
The following are links to the Oklahoma City area with hotels, restaurants, etc., that will be linked to the IPES registration site in case anyone wants a sneak peek.
- OKC Visitors Guide
- Visit OKC - The Modern Frontier
- Explore OKC
- Getting Here & Getting Around
- Restaurants in OKC
- Sustainable Restaurants, Shops & Markets in OKC
While OSU-OKC does not recommend a specific hotel, it would make transportation logistics easier if attendees chose one of the following hotels for their visit to Oklahoma City's IPES conference.
- AC Hotel Oklahoma City Bricktown
411 E Sheridan Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73104 - Hampton Inn & Suites Oklahoma City-Bricktown
300 E Sheridan Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73104 - Hilton Garden Inn Oklahoma City Bricktown
328 E Sheridan Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73104 - Holiday Inn Express & Suites Oklahoma City Downtown - Bricktown, an IHG Hotel
101 E Main St, Oklahoma City, OK 73104 - Hyatt Place Oklahoma City / Bricktown
20 Russell M. Perry Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73104 - Renaissance Oklahoma City Downtown Bricktown Hotel
100 E Sheridan Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73104 - SpringHill Suites Oklahoma City Downtown/Bricktown
600 E Sheridan Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73104
- Sponsorship Information
Sponsorship Level
Bronze Sponsorship
$1000 USD
This link is for the Bronze Sponsorship $1000 level for the International Physical Employment Standards (IPES) conference, Feb 19-21, 2025, OSU-OKC Student Center, 900 N Portland Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73107, 3rd floor, North/South Conference room. A credit card processing fee will be charged when you use this link. If you'd like to avoid that credit card fee you can contact Janet.Stricklin@okstate.edu for an invoice to be billed to you for Bronze Sponsorship level of $1000. All payments of invoices are due by Jan 1, 2025.
SPONSOR NOW Red, White & Blue Sponsorship
$500 USD
This link is for the Red, White & Blue $500 Sponsorship level for the International Physical Employment Standards (IPES) conference, Feb 19-21, 2025, OSU-OKC Student Center, 900 N Portland Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73107, 3rd floor, North/South Conference room. A credit card processing fee will be charged when you use this link. If you'd like to avoid that credit card fee you can contact Janet.Stricklin@okstate.edu for an invoice to be billed to you for the Red, White and Blue Sponsorship level of $500. All payments of invoices are due by Jan 2, 2025.
SPONSOR NOW Silver Sponsorship
$1500 USD
This link is for the Silver Sponsorship level $1500 for the International Physical Employment Standards (IPES) conference, Feb 19-21, 2025, OSU-OKC Student Center, 900 N Portland Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73107, 3rd floor, North/South Conference room. A credit card processing fee will be charged when you use this link. If you'd like to avoid that credit card fee you can contact Janet.Stricklin@okstate.edu for an invoice to be billed to you for the Silver Sponsorship level of $1000. All payments of invoices are due by Jan 1, 2025.
SPONSOR NOW Gold Sponsorship
$2500 USD
This link is for the Gold Sponsorship level $2500 for the International Physical Employment Standards (IPES) conference, Feb 19-21, 2025, OSU-OKC Student Center, 900 N Portland Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73107, 3rd floor, North/South Conference room. A credit card processing fee will be charged when you use this link. If you'd like to avoid that credit card fee you can contact Janet.Stricklin@okstate.edu for an invoice to be billed to you for the Gold Sponsorship level of $2500. All payments of invoices are due by Jan 1, 2025.
SPONSOR NOW Platinum Sponsorship
$5000 USD
This link is for the Platinum Sponsorship level $5000 for the International Physical Employment Standards (IPES) conference, Feb 19-21, 2025, OSU-OKC Student Center, 900 N Portland Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73107, 3rd floor, North/South Conference room. A credit card processing fee will be charged when you use this link. If you'd like to avoid that credit card fee you can contact Janet.Stricklin@okstate.edu for an invoice to be billed to you for the Platinum Sponsorship level of $5000. All payments of invoices are due by Jan 1, 2025.
SPONSOR NOW - Our Sponsors
- Abstract Submissions
We welcome abstract submissions for presentation as:
- a free paper (15min oral presentation),
- poster presentation
While preference is given to completed research, ongoing research will be considered by the scientific reviewing committee. All abstracts will be peer reviewed and accepted abstracts published in a book of abstracts. Selected abstracts / authors will also be invited to submit a full manuscript for potential publication in a special edition in the journal ‘Work’. Please follow the below guidelines for abstract submission.
Please complete and return one copy of the abstract template provided below for each abstract that you wish to submit. Only two abstracts will be accepted per presenting author. Attach the abstract template (word file) to the conference email (ipesconference@gmail.com). Please provide only ONE abstract per email. Enter the following subject title in the email: Abstract Submission IPES 2025.
When saving your abstract, please use the following file-naming convention to ensure easy identification of your abstract:
PRESENTING AUTHOR_AUTHOR INITIALS_CONFERENCE_Abstract number
E.g. For Dr T Surname this would be: SURNAME_T_IPES2025_1.doc
Repeat this process for every abstract that you wish to submit for consideration.
Only abstracts formatted as per the guidelines and template will be considered.
Important dates
The abstract submission CLOSING DATE is 13 December 2024
- IPES Committee Members
Dr. Gemma Milligan; PhD, BASES, FHEA, CSci
Associate Professor in Occupational and Applied Physiology
School of Psychology, Sport and Health Sciences
University of Portsmouth
Dr Rob OrrDirector Tactical Research Unit
Professor of Physiotherapy
Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine
Bond UniversityJ. Jay Dawes, PhD
CSCS,*D, NSCA-CPT,*D, TSAC-F, FNSCA
Professor - Applied Exercise Science
Co-director: Tactical Fitness and Nutrition Lab
School of Kinesiology, Applied Health & Recreation
Oklahoma State University
Stephen A. Foulis, Ph.D.
Research Physiologist & Civilian Deputy Division Chief
US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine
Military Performance Division
Etienne Chassé
M.Sc, CEP, CSEP-High Performance SpecialistTM
Agent à la recherche en performance humaine (intérim) | Acting Human Performance Research Officer
QG PSP Direction des programmes | PSP HQ Directorate of programs
Services de bien-être et moral des Forces canadiennes | Canadian Forces Morale & Welfare Service
Helen Kilding
SPRINZ Research Associate
School of Sport and Recreation
Auckland University of TechnologyTraci Tauferner, LAT, ATC, CSCS
Director of Industrial & Tactical Medicine
Licensed Athletic Trainer, Strength & Conditioning Specialist
For inquiries or more information
Joe Bennett
Director, Fire Protection
BT 301E
405-945-8672
Email: joebe@okstate.edu