APA Dissertation Research Award Program

The Science Directorate of the American Psychological Association sponsors an annual competition for dissertation research funding. The purpose of the Dissertation Research Award program is to assist science-oriented doctoral students of psychology with research costs. The current program includes 30-40 grants of $1000 each, along with several larger grants of up to $5000 to students whose dissertation research reflects excellence in scientific psychology.

APF/Todd E. Husted Memorial Award

Additionally, the Directorate is pleased to announce that it will administer on behalf of the American Psychological Foundation the nineth annual APF/Todd E. Husted Memorial Award. This is a single award in the amount of $2,000 for the dissertation research that indicates the most potential to contribute toward the development and improvement of mental illness services for those with severe and persistent mental illness. Applicants for the Husted Award must meet the same eligibility requirements as the Dissertation Research Awards. A panel of experts on the serious mental illnesses will select the awardee. For more information, please visit the Todd E. Husted Memorial Dissertation Award page.

DEADLINES:
The annual deadline for Dissertation Award applications is September 14, 2007. Application packets will be accepted after June 1, 2007. Award decisions are typically made in late December for the Dissertation Awards and in late January for the APF/Todd E. Husted Memorial Award.

ELIGIBILITY:

Applicants must be graduate students of psychology in good standing with their university, at a regionally accredited university or college located in the United States or Canada. Applicants must be enrolled full-time or working on their dissertation research for an equivalent of full-time enrollment regardless of actual registration status.
Applicants must be student affiliates or associate members of the American Psychological Association. Students who are not affiliates must apply for affiliation when submitting materials for the Dissertation Research Award; however, all materials must be received by the Science Directorate in a single, complete package. The APA Student Affiliate membership form is available on-line at: www.apa.org/membership/forstudents.html.
Applicants must have had their dissertation proposals approved by their dissertation committees prior to application.
Each psychology department (i.e., not individual programs within a department) may endorse no more than three (3) students per year, per program. If more than three students from a department wish to apply for these funds, the department must perform an initial screening and forward only three applications.
Applicants who have already defended their dissertations are eligible to apply for these funds, as long as they have not yet received doctoral degrees as of the application deadline.
Applicants must not have previously received an APA Dissertation Research Award or an APF/Todd E. Husted Memorial Award.
APA Dissertation Research Award: The dissertation research may be in any area of psychological research.

APF/Todd E. Husted Memorial Award: The dissertation must focus on mental illness services research. Relevant topics include those that foster the development of a more comprehensive, humane, and responsive system of mental health care; develop a protective and humane sequencing of interventions that prevents the deterioration, homelessness, and premature deaths of those with serious mental illness; develop effective methods of improving patient compliance with medication and treatment for those having impaired insight as a result of schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder; demonstrate practical methods of improved identification, diversion, and treatment of persons with mental illness who, as a result of that illness, enter the criminal justice system; foster methods to improve training and social attitudes of professionals in the criminal justice system (attorneys, public defenders, judges) regarding the role of serious mental illness in the behaviors of mentally ill offenders; increase access to and utilization of appropriate services and supports for the most treatment-resistant and severely mentally ill persons.

PROCESS:

Science Directorate staff will examine all applications for eligibility.
Applicants must use the attached application form. A photocopy of this form is acceptable. The application form must be typed or neatly printed, and submitted with the following materials:

1-page maximum typed cover letter describing your research interests and experience, as well as your career plans.
2-page maximum summary of the dissertation research, including project background and rationale, an explanation of research design (methods, procedure, analysis plan, etc.), and other important aspects of the project.

PLEASE NOTE: Figures and/or tables may be included only if they can be incorporated into the two (2) page research summary. The research summary must not exceed the two (2) page limit including any figures or tables. Please do not submit a list of references with your summary (although citations should normally be included in the text).

1-page maximum brief explanation of proposed use of funds (i.e., budget). The award must be used to support expenses that are directly related to the dissertation research (e.g., computer time, animal care, equipment, participant fees, and incentives); it may not be used for tuition, travel, lab assistant pay, consultant fees, or personal expenses. Be sure to justify all expenses and detail any additional funds that will be used for the project. If the budget for the project exceeds the amount available from the award, you should describe the source of the additional funds.
2-page maximum Curriculum Vitae including scientific publications, presentations, research, and teaching experience (the Curriculum Vitae may contain only highlights and does not need to be a complete version).
1-page maximum letter of recommendation from your academic advisor or professor. It is unnecessary to enclose this letter in a sealed envelope; however, if your advisor/professor prefers to do this, please be certain that she or he also prepares three (3) additional copies of the letter to submit with your application (original + 3 copies should be enclosed in the same envelope)

PLEASE NOTE: The maximum length of the recommendation letter is one (1) page. Please communicate to the faculty member who will write your recommendation letter the importance of adhering to this maximum page limit. In addition, please do not submit more than one letter of recommendation; only one will be forwarded for review.
All application materials must be delivered in one complete package on or before September 14, but after June 1 to:
APA Dissertation Research Awards
Science Directorate
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242

Four collated sets of application materials (the originals plus three copies) must be included in each submission. Be sure to keep a copy of the submitted materials for your records.
Decisions will be based upon the quality of the submitted information. Panels of distinguished scientists representing the breadth of scientific psychology will make funding recommendations to the Science Directorate.
APA Dissertation Research Award recipients are announced in late November. APF/Todd E. Husted Memorial Award notifications are made in late December. Funds are provided directly to the students following the announcement of the award recipients.
By August 1 in the next year, each award recipient must submit a one (1) page report specifying how the funds were used. This report must be co-signed by the chair or head of the Department.

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