Sherman College Celebrates the 2026 IRAPS Research and Philosophy Award Recipients
ChiroFutures provides $5,000 in scholarship awards honoring research, philosophy, and principled chiropractic inquiry at Sherman College of Chiropractic
Sherman College of Chiropractic once again served as a leading center for chiropractic research and philosophical scholarship during the 21st International Research and Philosophy Symposium, IRAPS, held May 1-2, 2026, in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
As part of this year’s symposium, ChiroFutures, McCoy Press, and the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation continued their commitment to advancing principled chiropractic scholarship by supporting $5,000 in awards recognizing excellence in research and philosophy.
CLICK HERE for a copy of the proceedings
The awards were presented to IRAPS contributors whose work reflected the depth, range, and importance of scholarship taking place through Sherman College’s research community. The 2026 proceedings, published in the Journal of Philosophy, Principles & Practice of Chiropractic, included papers addressing vertebral subluxation, chiropractic philosophy, upper cervical care, sensorimotor function, pediatric neurodevelopment, women’s health, cultural competence, animal chiropractic, scoliosis, politics, and community-based birth outcomes.
Sherman College continues to provide one of the profession’s most important platforms for research and philosophy centered on vertebral subluxation.
Honoring the 2026 IRAPS Award Recipients
First place was awarded to Simon Senzon for his paper, “European Chiropractic’s Transformation: From Pioneers Under Persecution to Identity Crisis.” Senzon’s work traced the historical transformation of European chiropractic, from its early pioneers and persecution to later institutional pressures and the marginalization of subluxation-centered practice. His scholarship placed chiropractic identity, history, and philosophy at the center of the discussion, reminding the profession that its future cannot be separated from its past.
Second place was awarded to Scott Little for “When Love and Skill Work Together: Restoration of Vitality in a Rescued Horse, Following Chiropractic Adjustment.” This case report described observed physiological and behavioral changes in a severely debilitated rescued horse following chiropractic evaluation and adjustment, with the paper focusing on vertebral subluxation correction, vitality, coherence, and life expression.
Third place was awarded to Sarah Hock for “Collaborative Chiropractic–Community Model and Birth Outcomes: A Three-Year Review of Sherman College and BirthMatters.” Hock’s work highlighted a community-based model involving Sherman College and BirthMatters of Spartanburg, examining prenatal chiropractic care, maternal comfort, birth outcomes, breastfeeding initiation, and broader perinatal support.
The 2026 recipients reflect the full spirit of IRAPS, rigorous inquiry, philosophical depth, clinical relevance, and a continuing commitment to chiropractic’s foundational principles.
Recognizing the Breadth of Chiropractic Scholarship
Additional awards were presented to contributors whose work further demonstrated the breadth of research and scholarship being advanced through IRAPS.
Trent Scheidecker was recognized for “An Analysis of The Language and Logic of Chiropractic Techniques in Relation to The 33 Chiropractic Principles.” His work examined the language, reasoning, and philosophical coherence of chiropractic technique systems in relation to the profession’s foundational principles.
Daniel Becker was recognized for “Improvement of Cervical Proprioception Following a Single Orthospinology High Velocity, Low Amplitude Atlas Adjustment.” Becker’s study examined cervical proprioception and head relocation accuracy following an Orthospinology atlas adjustment, contributing to the growing body of research on upper cervical care and sensorimotor function.
Joaquin Farias was recognized for “Toward a Neurophysiological Model of Functional Leg Length Change: Integrating Muscle Activation Patterns and Non-Painful Nociception.” His work proposed a neurophysiological model for functional leg length change, integrating muscle activation, nociceptive processing, and suprasegmental sensorimotor responses.
Justin Dick was recognized for “A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Analysis of Abnormal Cervical Mechanics in Patients with Scoliosis.” His research explored cervical mechanics in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, examining cervical instability, sagittal mechanics, and the possible relationship between cervical dysfunction and global spinal biomechanics.
Brian Dooley was recognized for “Politics as Philosophy in Motion: From Knowing to Doing in Chiropractic.” Dooley’s presentation connected chiropractic philosophy to professional action, leadership, advocacy, and the responsibility of chiropractors to carry principle into the public and political life of the profession.
Bill Decken was recognized for “Metaphysics of the Mental Impulse.” Decken’s philosophical work explored the mental impulse, information, metaphysics, vitalism, mechanism, and the deeper implications of chiropractic’s understanding of life, intelligence, and the transmission of information.
Allie Hamstead and Lourdes Ramirez were recognized for “Reduction Of Back Pain and Regulation of Menstrual Cycle in A 28 Yr. Old Female Using Subluxation Based Chiropractic Care: A Case Study.” Their case study described improvement in low back pain and normalization of menstrual cycles in a 28-year-old female receiving subluxation-based chiropractic care.
Hope Ossee was recognized in connection with the work on “Resolution of Pudendal Neuralgia Following Vertebral Subluxation-Based Chiropractic Care: A Case Study.” This case study, presented with Sarah Hock, addressed a postpartum female with pudendal neuralgia who experienced resolution of symptoms following vertebral subluxation-based chiropractic care.
Sherman College’s Continuing Leadership
IRAPS remains one of the few venues in the chiropractic profession where research and philosophy are brought together intentionally, not as competing interests, but as complementary expressions of chiropractic’s purpose.
That matters.
At a time when much of the healthcare conversation is driven by third-party policy, medicalization, and reductionist models of practice, Sherman College continues to provide a platform where vertebral subluxation, innate intelligence, chiropractic principles, clinical reasoning, and scholarly investigation remain central.
The 2026 proceedings demonstrate that this work is not narrow. It reaches into history, philosophy, pediatric development, women’s health, animal care, upper cervical analysis, scoliosis, wearable technology, cultural competence, and community birth outcomes. What unites these topics is not sameness, but purpose. Each paper, in its own way, reflects a profession still asking foundational questions about life, function, adaptation, subluxation, and the role of chiropractic in human and animal flourishing.
IRAPS is important because it gives chiropractic scholars a place to investigate the profession from within its own principles, rather than forcing chiropractic to explain itself through someone else’s model.
Advancing Research, Philosophy, and the Future of Chiropractic
The awards initiative was supported by ChiroFutures in collaboration with McCoy Press and the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation. The purpose was to encourage excellence, recognize scholarly contribution, and strengthen the research culture surrounding Sherman College and IRAPS.
ChiroFutures’ support reflects its belief that the future of chiropractic depends on a profession willing to invest in research, philosophy, and principled scholarship. McCoy Press continues to support authors in developing and publishing scholarly work, while the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation continues to assist with research development, scholarship, and projects focused on advancing the understanding of vertebral subluxation.
Together, these efforts reinforce Sherman College’s unique role in the profession, not only as an educational institution, but as a home for the ongoing development of chiropractic thought.
Congratulations to the 2026 IRAPS Award Recipients
Congratulations to Simon Senzon, Scott Little, Sarah Hock, Trent Scheidecker, Daniel Becker, Joaquin Farias, Justin Dick, Brian Dooley, Bill Decken, Allie Hamstead, Lourdes Ramirez, and Hope Ossee.
Their work strengthens Sherman College, advances chiropractic scholarship, and helps ensure that the philosophy, science, and art of chiropractic remain active, principled, and alive in the profession.
The 21st IRAPS was more than a symposium. It was a reminder that chiropractic research and philosophy still have a home, and that Sherman College of Chiropractic continues to be one of the profession’s most important centers for that work.
CLICK HERE for a copy of the proceedings
