Dr. Jim Rimmer, director of CEDHARS and NCHPAD, has been honored with the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers, recognizing his longstanding contributions to disability and rehabilitation research.
“This is a tremendous honor for my lifetime in this field, but I’m mindful that recognition like this is never the result of one individual,” Rimmer said. “I have long believed in the expression, ‘I can of my own self do nothing.’ The true impact comes from the people you surround yourself with.”
The National Association of Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers (NARRTC) is a professional association tied to federally funded disability and rehabilitation research through the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR).
The Distinguished Service Award is NARRTC’s highest honor, presented annually to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, sustained impact and commitment to advancing research, practice, and policy that improve the lives of people with disabilities.
Rimmer was nominated by his colleague and NCHPAD associate director, Dr. Zoe Young, who highlighted his decades of work expanding access to health promotion, inclusive fitness, and community-based wellness programs for people with disabilities.
“I feel especially grateful to share this moment as one of the many researchers Dr. Rimmer has mentored,” Young said. “His guidance, support, and commitment to developing others have had a lasting impact on my own journey. I know much of our team has experienced that same generosity and dedication – something that truly defines who he is.”
Over the course of more than four decades in the field, Rimmer has been widely recognized for bridging the gap between research and real-world application, ensuring that evidence-based practices reach the communities they are designed to serve. His work has helped shape national conversations around disability health, accessibility and the importance of opportunities for physical activity for people of all abilities.
“My role has simply been to serve as a conduit, helping to carry our shared mission forward by connecting people, aligning efforts and creating momentum,” Rimmer said. “In this case, that mission is improving the well-being of people with disabilities, with them rather than for them.”
This recognition from NARRTC underscores the national significance of Rimmer’s contributions and reflects his enduring commitment to improving health outcomes and quality of life for people with disabilities.
“This national recognition is by no means an individual award,” Rimmer said. “As I reflect on my career, every one of my mentors and mentees’ names should be on it. If anything, I’m simply the tip of the spear, identifying opportunities for others’ growth and hoping that what you do feels like a vocation, not just a job.”
