APA’s Board of Professional Affairs (BPA) seeks nominations for the APA Distinguished Professional Contributions awards. Please send nomination materials for all categories to Sheila Kerr at the APA address. You may also reach her by phone at (202) 336-5878 or email at skerr@apa.org.  Email submissions strongly encouraged.

Important Note: We encourage you to share information on these Distinguished Awards through your personal networks and official communications channels.  Qualified candidates only.  Nominees must have excellent overall personal and professional reputations. Nominees should not have received disciplinary action from a state board of examiners in psychology and must have no history of ethical violations at the state or national level. Details on eligibility and awards descriptions are provided below:

The APA Award for Distinguished Professional Contributions to Applied Research is given to a psychologist whose research has led to important discoveries or developments in the field of applied psychology. To be eligible, this research should have led to innovative applications in an area of psychological practice, including but not limited to assessment, consultation, instruction, or intervention (either direct or indirect). Research involving the original development of procedures, methodologies, or technical skills that significantly improve the application of psychological knowledge and provide direct and immediate solutions to practical problem areas will be considered, as will research that has informed psychologists on how better to observe, define, predict, or control behavior. Original integration of existing theories or knowledge is also eligible for consideration.

For additional information please visit: http://www.apa.org/about/awards/applied-research.aspx

Nomination Material: 1. Narrative statement (less than 300 words) on the nature of the individual’s contributions to the respective award category 2. Resume and bibliography. *Endorsements from other individuals or groups are encouraged.

The APA Award for Distinguished Professional Contributions to Independent Practice. The award is intended to recognize outstanding independent practitioners in psychology. Nominations will be considered for psychologists working in any area of clinical specialization, health services provision, or consulting, and services provided to any patient population or professional clientele in an independent setting. Services provided to diverse client groups or patient populations, including but not limited to children/adolescents/adults/older adults; urban/rural/frontier populations; minority populations; and persons with serious mental illness will be considered. Contributions may be judged distinguished by virtue of peer recognition, advancement of the public’s recognition of psychology as a profession, relevant professional association honors, or other meritorious accomplishments denoting excellence as a practitioner including advancement of the profession.

For additional information please visit: http://www.apa.org/about/awards/private-sector.aspx

Nomination Material: 1. Narrative statement (less than 300 words) on the nature of the individual’s contributions to the respective award category 2. Resume and bibliography. *Endorsements from other individuals or groups are encouraged.

The APA Award for Distinguished Professional Contributions to Institutional Practice. The award is intended to recognize outstanding practitioners in psychology. Nominations will be considered for psychologists working in a wide variety of institutional practice settings (e.g. schools, military, state hospital, Department of Veterans Affairs, etc.). Services provided to diverse client groups or patient populations, including but not limited to children/adolescents/adults/older adults; urban/rural/frontier populations; minority populations; and persons with serious mental illness will be considered. Contributions may be judged distinguished by virtue of peer recognition, advancement of the public’s recognition of psychology as a profession, relevant professional association honors, or other meritorious accomplishments denoting excellence as a practitioner including improvement of institutional service delivery systems or development of psychologically informed public policy.

For additional information please visit: http://www.apa.org/about/awards/institutional-practice.aspx

Nomination Material: 1. Narrative statement (less than 300 words) on the nature of the individual’s contributions to the respective award category 2. Resume and bibliography. *Endorsements from other individuals or groups are encouraged.

APA/APAGS Award for Distinguished Graduate Student in Professional Psychology is awarded on an annual basis by BPA and the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS) to a graduate student who has demonstrated outstanding practice and application of psychology. A qualified candidate must demonstrate exemplary performance in working with an underserved population in an applied setting or have developed an innovative method for delivering health services to an underserved population. Nominees may have received their doctoral degree at the time of nomination provided that accomplishments for the award were achieved while a graduate student. Eligible candidates are encouraged to apply from all psychology sub-specialties (e.g., clinical, counseling, organization, school, health) and can be self-nominated or nominated by an APA member. However, all self-nominations must be endorsed by an APA member who serves the function of a nominator.

For additional information, including details regarding nomination material please visit: http://www.apa.org/about/awards/grad-profpsyc.aspx

Nomination Material: 1. Summary regarding nominees work with an underserved population (less than 1,000 words) 2. Curriculum Vitae 3. letter of support from a member of APA (in the instance of a self-nomination)