Dissertation Awards

These awards supports students who complete dissertations involving basic or applied research in psychology and law.
Students
Graduate
Dissertation
Sponsor

AP-LS Dissertation Award Committee

Deadline

December 31, 2026

Contact Submit here

The American Psychology-Law Society confers Dissertation Awards for scientific research and scholarship that is relevant to the promotion of the interdisciplinary study of psychology and law. Students who complete dissertations involving basic or applied research in psychology and law, including its application to public policy, are encouraged to apply for these awards.

First ($1,000), second ($750) and third place ($500) winners are conferred annually, and winners will be invited to present their research at the AP-LS Annual Conference.

To be eligible for the award, you must be a member of AP-LS and have defended your dissertation during the calendar year of the submission deadline (e.g., if the deadline for submissions is December 31, 2026, then you must have defended your dissertation in 2026).

Note

You do not need to have graduated by December 31 to apply.

  • Originality: A dissertation exhibits original work when it brings innovative and unique perspectives, advancing the breadth of knowledge with novel findings or methodologies that challenge and expand upon existing paradigms.

  • Quality: Exceptional research is characterized by meticulous attention to detail, sophistication, and a rigorous, well-executed qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-method study design.

  • Contribution: The value of a dissertation is measured by its capacity to significantly enhance the field, whether through pioneering ideas or the insightful re-evaluation of established data.

  • Presentation: Clarity and structure in the dissertation are essential, with visual elements like tables and figures enhancing the narrative by being self-explanatory and succinct.

  • Contributions to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI): The dissertation addresses and furthers AP-LS’s commitment to EDI, providing insights that extend to traditionally underrepresented groups. The work may examine specific subgroups and/or propose broader applications that encourage inclusivity and address systemic disparities.

  • Open-Science Practice: The dissertation demonstrates transparency, reproducibility, and open science practices (e.g., preregistration, data/materials sharing, clear reporting).

Please upload your submission to the AP-LS Dissertation Award Google Form before December 31 annually.

TipSubmissions should include:

  1. Copy of Dissertation Submission: Provide a copy of the dissertation as it was submitted to the student’s university in either Word or PDF format.

  2. De-identified Dissertation Copy: Submit a copy of the dissertation with all author, advisor, and school identifying information removed, formatted in either Word or PDF.

  3. De-identified Letter (2 pages max): Include a de-identified letter, limited to two pages in PDF format, addressing the following:

    1. Rationale for Dissertation Topic Selection: Explain the reasons behind the choice of the dissertation topic, including its significance and relevance to the field of study.

    2. Involvement in the Research Process: Describe your comprehensive involvement in all stages of the research process, encompassing conceptualization, methodology design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation.

    3. Alignment with Scoring Criteria: Articulate how the dissertation fulfills each of the scoring categories outlined above, demonstrating its originality, quality, contribution to the field, clarity of presentation, and potential contributions to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Additionally, applicants may address the alignment of their research with open-science practices, if applicable.

For more information, please contact the chair of the Dissertation Awards Committee dissertation@ap-ls.org.

Year
1st place
2nd place
3rd place
2026
Sandy S. Xie
Samantha Rea Bean
Luca Adolfo Tiberi
2025
Laura M. Stevens
Emily Weinberger
Dilhan Töredi
2024
Jacqueline Katzman
Lauren Grove
Cassandra Flick
2023
Jesse Grabman
Tamara de Beuf
Breanne Wylie
2022
Stephanie Cardenas
Joseph Avery
Amy Dezember
2021
Catherine Shaffer-McCuish
Alejandra de la Fuente
Adele Quigley-McBride
2020
Christine Shahan Brugh
Dylan T. Gatner
Alicia Nijdam-Jones
2018
Lucy Guarnera
Pia Hollerbach
Rachel Greenspan
2017
Nathalie Brackmann
Melissa Colloff
Lauren Kois
2016
Evan McCuish
Caitlin Cavanaugh
Kelsey Henderson
2015
Skye Stephens
Laura White
Alana Krix
2014
Anthony Perillo
(tie) Miko Wilford & Misun Yi
Jeffrey Kukucka
2013
Taeko Wachi
Rebecca Weiss
Heather Butler
2012
Kaitlyn McLachlan
Ekaterina Pivovarova
Jessica Salerno
2011
Annelies Vredeveldt
Jay P. Singh
Julia Clara Busso Kennard
2010
Samantha Schwartz
Caroline Crocker
Ashley Christiansen
2009
Tarika Daftary-Kapur
Gianni Pirelli
Bethany Young
2008
Margaret C. Stevenson
Laura G. Kirsch
Melanie R. Farkas & Lindsay Malloy
2007
Jeffrey Haun
Kathryn Modecki
Tracy Fass
2006
Amy Leach
Jessica Klaver
Jessica Meyer
2005
Tara Mitchell
Lisa Chraznowski
Lora Levett & Greg Kramer
2004
Jodi Viljoen
Candice Odgers
Martin Hildebrand
2003
Virginia Cooper
Teri Forrest
Mary Ann Campbell & Alexis Kennedy
2002
Jennifer Groscup
Tamara Haegerich
Gina Vincent & David DeMatteo
2001
Mark Phillips
Christian Meissner
Eve Brank
2000
Bradley McAuliff
Lyn Castrianno
Kimberly Brown
1999
Jennifer Skeem
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Dan Krauss
1998
Joanna Pozzulo
Jennifer Robbennolt
Dennis Stolle
1997
David Glass
Stephen Anderer
Richard Redding
1996
Kimberly Lonsway
Charles R. Mullin
Phyllis B. Gerstenfeld
1995
Lori Beth Frank
Mindy Mechanic
Maithilee K. Pathak
1994
Margaret Kovera
Karen Leslie Steinberg
Nancy Schneider
1993
Ann Tobey
Doug Narby
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1992
Bette Bottoms
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Cathy Carter
1991
Barry Rosenfeld
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1990
James Ogloff
Regina Schuller
Mark Small
1989
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1988
Patricia Frazier
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1987
Brian Cutler
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1986
Roselle Wissler
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1985
Nancy Brekke
Carol Krafka
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1984
Daniel Linz
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1983
Sarah Tanford
Edie Greene
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