Awards and Scholarships

Douglas N. Jackson Memorial Award

Awarded annually to a full-time graduate student entering the graduate program in Psychology, specializing in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, based on academic achievement (minimum 78% average) and research potential.

The Psychology Graduate Affairs Committee will select the recipient. At least one member of this committee will hold membership in the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

This award is made possible by donations made in memory of Dr. Douglas N. Jackson.

Value: To be confirmed.

How to Apply: MSc1 or PhD1 students are selected from the pool of applicants who have been accepted to the Psychology Graduate Program. Whether this award will be offered for 2024 will be announced by April 30th.

Past Recipients:
2023 Jake Pavicic 
2022 Not awarded
2021 Roy Hui
2020 Not awarded
2019 Jennifer Lynch
2018 Trevor Coppins
2018 Noelle Baird
2017 Natasha Ouslis
2015 Mogollon Espinoza
2012 Joseph Chun Shui Choi
2010 Justin Feeney
2009 Sheerin Thussu
2008 Leah Sheppard

Dr. David Sherry AFAR Graduate Award

The Dr. David Sherry AFAR Graduate Award is open to full-time graduate students in any faculty who are conducting research affiliated with the Advanced Facility for Avian Research (AFAR) based on financial need and academic achievement. Preference will be given to candidates conducting bird research.

An interdisciplinary committee in the AFAR will select recipients. At least one representative of the committee must hold membership in the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

Value: 1 at $1,000

How to Apply: Students submit their CV and a 1-page statement outlining how they meet the award criteria as a single PDF attachment by email to Dr. Scott MacDougall-Shackleton, at smacdou2@uwo.ca by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, April 15, 2024.

Dr. Sam Paunonen Award in Psychology

Awarded annually to a full-time graduate student in a Masters or Doctoral program in Psychology, with academic achievement and research merit, whose research is based in the social sciences and humanities.

The Psychology Graduate Affairs Committee will select the recipient. At least one representative of the Committee must hold current membership in the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

This scholarship was established by the family, friends and colleagues of Dr. Paunonen (PhD 82, Psychology, BA 77) to honour and celebrate his life, and to recognize a student who shares Dr. Paunonen’s qualities, values and interests. The hope is that future students will receive the assistance they require to fulfil their dreams and aspirations.

Dr. Paunonen was a long-time Faculty member in the Psychology Department at Western University and specialized in Personality and Measurement research. He died in 2015 at age 63.

Value: 1 at $1,000

How to Apply: Faculty members submit nominations in support of MSc or PhD students online by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, April 22, 2024.

Past Recipients:
2025 Kristi Baerg MacDonald
2024 Christopher Kowalski
2023 Laura Johnson
2022 Jesse Wilde
2021 Claire Wilson
2020 Katerina Rnic
2019 Sarah Babcock
2018 Rachel Plouffe
2017 Erica Sutherland

G. Keith Humphrey Memorial Award

Awarded to a full-time student enrolled in a graduate program in Psychology or Neuroscience based on academic achievement (minimum 78% average) and who best exemplifies the philosophy and spirit of Professor G. Keith Humphrey and his research.

The recipient will be selected by the Psychology Graduate Affairs Committee. At least one representative of the Committee must hold current membership in the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

Professor Humphrey was a brilliant young scholar who admired true intellectual curiosity and possessed a love of visual science.

This award was established by gifts from family, friends and colleagues in memory of Professor G. Keith Humphrey.

Value: 1 at $650

How to Apply: Faculty members submit nominations in support of MSc or PhD students online by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, April 22, 2024. 

Past Recipients:
2024 Anthony Cruz
2023 Cailey Salagovic
2022 Rebekka Lagace-Cusiac
2021 Avital Sternin
2020 Clara Stafford
2019 Anita Feher
2018 Aaron Gibbings
2017 Carmen Wong
2016 Caroline Strang
2015 Tara Farrell
2014 Krista Macpherson
2013 Stephan Vogel
2012 Kazunaga Matsuki
2011 Jeffrey Malins
2010 Andres Carrasco
2009 Robert Whitwell
2008 Kenneth Valyear
2007 Matthew Brown
2006 Jonathan Cant

Leola E. Neal Award

Awarded in the Fall for the most outstanding MA thesis in any of the following subject areas in the Graduate Psychology Program: clinical, developmental, educational, industrial/organizational, measurement, personality or social psychology.

The Psychology Graduate Affairs Committee will select the recipient.

Students who are graduating in the Fall or who graduated in the Spring of the same calendar year are eligible. After graduation the recipient must be immediately continuing as a full-time PhD student in Psychology at any university.

Value: 1 at $700

How to Apply: Faculty members submit nominations online by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, April 22, 2024 in support of MSc students who defended in 2023.

Past Recipients:
2024 Nini Longoria
2023 Joseph Rovetti
2022 Megan Lindloff
2021 Katarina Huellemann
2020 Christine Moreau
2019 Nicolyn Charlot 
2018 Alexa Clerke
2017 Bryan Grant
2016 Celia Goffin
2015 Martin Smith
2014 Emily Nichols
2013 Anna Matejko
2012 Sarah Stanton
2011 Claire Salisbury
2010 Jennifer Tapscott
2008 Paula Brochu
2007 Rhys Lewis
2006 Christopher Wilbur
2004 Elspeth Evans
2003 Corinne Haigh
2002 Henryk Krajewski
2001 Kristine Boksman
2000 Lynne Herscovitch
1999 David Stanley

Marilyn (Pack) McClelland Award in Psychology

Awarded to a full-time graduate student who is conducting research in Developmental or Clinical Psychology relating to children. Selection will be based on academic achievement (min 78% average), research productivity and quality of research publications.

The Psychology Graduate Affairs Committee, with at least one participant holding current membership in the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, will select the recipient.

This award was established by a gift from Dr. W.J. McClelland.

Value: 1 at $750

How to Apply: Faculty members submit nominations in support of MSc or PhD students online by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, April 22, 2024.

Past Recipients:
2024 Marilyn Chege
2023 Haley Green
2022 Carolynn Hare
2021 Chole Lau
2020 Samantha Schulz
2019 Sarah Babcock
2018 Mary Ritchie
2017 Helen Sokolowski
2016 Anna Matejko
2015 Niki Hosseini-Kamkar
2014 Yuliya Kotelnikova
2013 Kyleigh Schraeder
2012 Stephanie Bugden
2011 Katie Kryski
2010 Ian Holloway

Ralph S. Devereux Award in Psychology

Awarded to a full-time graduate student in the Masters of Psychology Program, with preference given to students specializing in topics relating to education or children, based on academic achievement and financial need.

The Psychology Graduate Affairs Committee will select the recipient. At least one member of this committee will hold membership in the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

This award was established by Frances R. Devereux (MA'58, Psychology) and the late Ralph S. Devereux (MA'48, Philosophy & Psychology, LLD'85) through Foundation Western.

Ralph Spence Devereux was born in 1915 on a pioneer farm in Kent County. He attended London Normal School in 1932-33 during the Great Depression and started his teaching career in Windsor.

During World War II he enlisted and served as a Radar Instructor Airborne in the RCAF in Great Britain and Canada. He received his BA in 1946 and his MA in Philosophy and Psychology in 1948 from The University of Western Ontario.

Ralph became Master at London Teachers’ College from 1951 to 1962 where he established the Educational and Child Psychology programs. In 1962, Ralph was appointed founding Principal of the newly established Windsor Teachers’ College. Having organized its integration with the University of Windsor in 1972, he retired as Associate Dean of the Faculty of Education in 1975.

After his retirement, Ralph founded the Senior Alumni Program at The University of Western Ontario in 1977. Western honoured him with an LLD in 1985 and the Alumni Award of Merit in 1986. Ralph died in 2004 at age 88.

Value: 1 at $1,800

How to Apply: MSc students can apply online by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, April 22, 2024.

Past Recipients:
2024 Amira Hmidan
2023 Talib Karamally
2022 Emma Stewart
2021 Jennifer Mullen
2020 Katarina Huellemann
2019 Kaitlyn Parks
2018 Ola Mohamed Ali
2017 Andrew Daoust
2016 Carolina Patryluk
2015 Jeremy Viczko
2014 Sarah Ouellette
2013 Aaron Gibbings
2012 Tram Nguyen
2011 Hayden Woodley
2010 Eugene Ji
2009 Megan Hancock
2007 Stefania Bucciarelli

Reva Gerstein Fellowship for Masters Study in Psychology

This fellowship was created to honour Dr. Reva Gerstein, Chancellor of The University of Western Ontario from 1992-1996. Available annually to a student at the Year 1 Masters level in the Graduate Program in Psychology who demonstrates financial need. Recipient must meet the minimum academic requirements for funding of the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (78% = B+).

Selection to be made by the Psychology Graduate Affairs Committee. Recipient must meet OSOTF eligibility requirements.

Value: 1 at $4,000 

How to Apply: First-year MSc students can apply online before 11:59 p.m. on Monday, April 22, 2024.

Past Recipients:
2024 Madeline Bloomberg
2023 Hassan Al-Hayawi
2022 Kaycee Stewart
2021 Darren Liang
2020 Shayla Jackson
2019 Kara Hannah
2018 Leah Brainin
2017 Deanne Tak On Wah
2016 Clara Stafford
2015 Valentina Sergeeva
2014 Kabir Daljeet
2013 Steven Matson
2012 Tram Nguyen
2011 Candace Kawiuk
2010 Eugene Ji
2009 Sheerin Thussu
2008 Eric Stinchcombe
2007 Krista Macpherson
2006 Priscilla Burnham
2005 Mariam Naqshbandi
2004 Sandra Lackenbauer
2003 Karen Hussey
2003 Amy Desroches
2003 Agnes Massak

Richard A. Harshman Scholarship

The Richard A. Harshman Scholarship is awarded to a PhD student (part-time or full-time) based on academic achievement (minimum 78% average). To be eligible, a student must be in Year 2 or higher of a PhD program and be undertaking research in Statistical Methods or the Philosophy of Science.

The Psychology Graduate Affairs Committee, with representation from the Department of Psychology or the Department of Philosophy, and at least one member who is a current member of the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, will select the recipient.

Award recipients are eligible to receive this scholarship once during their academic career at Western. This award will alternate between the Departments of Psychology and Philosophy.

This award was established through Foundation Western.

Value: 1 at $1,500

How to Apply: Open to Psychology students only for 2023. PhD students at level 2, or higher, may apply online by submitting their CV and a one-page statement describing their research and relevant achievements, including publications, before 11:59 p.m. on Monday, April 22, 2024.

Past Recipients:
2024 Lindsay Gabel (Psychology)
2023 Kardelen Kucuk (Philosophy)
2022 Christine Moreau (Psychology)
2021 Jaipreet Mattu (Philosophy)
2020 Geoff Laforge (Psychology)
2019 Adam Koberinski (Philosophy)
2018 Rodrigo Maeda (Psychology)
2016 Tram Nguyen (Psychology)
2015 Molly Kao (Philosophy)
2014 Livia Veselka (Psychology)
2013 Andrew Peterson (Philosophy)
2012 Matthew Shanahan (Psychology)
2011 Lee-Anna Sangster (Philsophy) 

Canada’s Distinguished Dissertation Awards (DDA)

Every year SGPS seeks nominations of recent Ph.D. graduates for Canada’s Distinguished Dissertation Awards (DDA). 

The Distinguished Dissertation Awards recognize Canadian doctoral dissertations that make unusually significant and original contributions to their academic field. Two (2) awards are available and presented annually – one for engineering, medical sciences and natural sciences, and one for fine arts, humanities and social sciences.

The awards are granted by the Canadian Association of Graduate Studies (CAGS) and are sponsored by Proquest-UMI (University Microfilms International). Visit the SGPS Funding Opportunities page for the DDA Nomination and Submission process details.