The Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award

Administration of the award

Following the close of the call for nominations, the Science, Academia and Research Advisory Group (SARAG) will be responsible for recommending an appropriate recipient to the Board.

Eligibility

Candidates should be currently engaged (directly or indirectly) in innovative research in any field of psychology, which represents a major influence on the direction of research in the scientist's area.

Nomination process

(a) A call for nominations for the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award should:

(i) be advertised in InPsych;

(ii) be provided to the Heads of Department of each tertiary institution that has independent membership of the Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee.

(b) Candidates must be nominated for the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award by a Member of the Society.

(c) Nominations should be addressed to SARAG and received by the National Office prior to the closing date via registered post.

(d) One complete hard copy nomination should be submitted with an electronic copy on CD Rom. Electronic documents should be submitted in PDF format.

(e) Nominations should be made in writing and should include:

(i) a letter of nomination addressing the items referred to in clause 8.5 (Judging criteria);

(ii) a curriculum vitae giving details of all publications, grants and prizes; and

(iii) up to five (5) selected publications, with a one (1) page cover sheet indicating why they have been selected and how they reflect the nominee's contribution.

Judging criteria

8.5  In judging nominees for the award, SARAG will have regard to:

(a) the scientific questions addressed by the candidate;

(b) the important research findings;

(c) the extent to which the findings have generated research;

(d) the significant influence of the candidate's research;

(e) the influence the candidate has had on students in the same field of study including a brief description of the candidate's past and present students;

(f) publications by the candidate; and

(g) other grants and prizes received by the candidate.

Value of award

Successful candidates for the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award:

(a) will be offered a one year of membership of the Society at no cost provided that the recipient makes an application for membership within twelve (12) months of the date of receipt of notice of their Award. If the recipient is an existing Member of the Society, they will be offered membership of the Society for the following twelve (12) months at no cost.

(b) will be invited to attend the Society's Annual Conference in the year following the receipt of their Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award to present a keynote address on the topic of their theoretical or empirical contributions to psychology. If the recipient attends they will have their travel, conference registration expenses and accommodation for up to four (4) nights at the conference venue paid by the Society.

(c) will be invited to submit a versions of their keynote address to the Australian Journal of Psychology.

(d) who attend the Society's Annual Conference and present a keynote address will also receive a plaque of the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award, to be presented at the invited address.

Further information

Nominations close 30 June 2010. 

Please send nominations, including one complete hard copy of the application and an electronic copy on CD-ROM (files in PDF format), to:

• "Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award"
  Awards Administrator - Science & Education
  The Australian Psychological Society Ltd
  PO Box 38
  Flinders Lane PO VIC 8009

Additional information can be obtained from:

• Administrator, Science and Education
  Tel: 03 8662 3300
  Email: science.awards@psychology.org.au

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