Jeffrey S. Tanaka Memorial Dissertation Award in Psychology
The APA Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs (CEMA) continues to strive for increased research that will promote a better understanding of the complex issues facing communities of color (i.e., African-Americans/Blacks, Asian-Americans/Pacific Islanders, American Indians/Alaskan Natives, Hispanics/Latino(a)s). To this end, CEMA sponsors an award for the most outstanding dissertation in psychology which addresses concerns relevant to populations of color.
The Jeffrey S. Tanaka Memorial Dissertation Award in Psychology is so designated in the memory of an outstanding scholar and psychologist of color whose career stressed the critical importance and relevance of the role of culture and ethnicity in the scientific understanding of behavior. Tanaka was actively involved in APA, where he was a fellow of Division 5 (Evaluation, Measurement and Statistics), and member of the Division 8 (Society for Personality and Social Psychology) and Division 45 (Society for the Psychological Study of Culture, Ethnicity and Race). He was chair-elect of the Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs at the time of his death on November 3, 1992.
CEMA welcomes applications from ethnic minorities—as well as nonethnic minority individuals who are APA members/student affiliates that have filed their dissertations in either 2024 or 2025, on research involving one or more of the following areas.
contribution which enhances the understanding of people of color
contribution to the enhancement of psychological service delivery systems to persons of color
development of new concepts and/or theories relevant to populations of color
development of new and creative methodological paradigms, which promote more effective research on and for communities of color
creative approach in methodology sensitive to the unique values, beliefs, and needs of communities of color
Selection will be made by a CEMA-appointed Dissertation Award Selection Subcommittee, utilizing a masked review process. Evaluation of abstracts and dissertations submitted will be based on the following criteria:
potential impact upon ethnic minority populations
completeness and clarity of abstract/dissertation
creativity of project
effectiveness of research design
Semifinalists will be chosen from an initial review of all abstracts submitted and requested to provide copies of their entire dissertation for the final selection process. The author of the dissertation determined to be the most outstanding shall win an $800 cash prize and award plaque. Non-APA member/student affiliate applicants will be required to be an APA member/student affiliate prior to commencement of the competition review process.
To apply, please submit two (2) versions of a 1,000-word abstract through our online submission formopens in new window: one (1) must be anonymous, and one (1) should indicate author's name, current address, and daytime telephone number. Please ensure that the title of the dissertation appears on both versions of abstracts submitted.
2023
Ummul-Kiram Kathawalla, PhD, LP
Discrimination, Life Stress, and Mental Health among Muslim: A Preregistered Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (University of Minnesota)
2022
Terrill O. Taylor, MA
Does Race Matter? An Experimental Vignette Study on Harm Severity, College Student Discipline, and Restorative Justice (University of North Dakota)
2021
Jillian Fish (Tuscarora Nation), PhD
Systems of Cultural Representation: An Examination of Native American Identity and Cultural Representations Through Digital Stories (University of Minnesota)
2020
Cindy Lin, PsyD
Fluid Multiracial Experience: An Examination of Multiracial Identity, Malleable Racial Identification, Dialecticism, and Psychological Well-being
Brian T.H. Keum, PhD
Social Interdependence Examination of Social Justice Attitude, Training Program Norms, and Advocacy Intentions Among Counseling Psychology Graduate Students
2019
Della V. Mosley, PhD
"Exploring Critical Consciousness, Facilitating Black Liberation" (University of Kentucky, 2018)
2018
Gihane E. Jérémie-Brink, PhD
"To Be Black, Caribbean, and American: Social Connectedness As A Mediator To Racial and Ethnic Socialization and Well-Being Among Afro-Caribbean American Emerging Adults" (Loyola University Chicago)
2017
Lauren K. Berger, PhD
"Unpacking the Relationship between Ethnic Identity and Adjustment among Biracials" (University of California, Davis, 2016)
2016
Bridget L. Richardson, PhD
"The Relationships between African American Adolescents' Daily Racial Discrimination, Daily Racial Socialization, and Racial Identity with Academic and Psychological Outcomes" (University of Michigan, 2015)
2015
William Martinez, PhD “The Impact of Culture and Neighborhood Context on the Mental Health of Latino Youths” (DePaul University, 2014).
2014
2013
Cynthia J. Najdowski, PhD
“Stereotype Threat in Police Encounters: Why African Americans are at Risk of Being Targeted as Suspects” (University of Illinois at Chicago, 2012).
2012
Le Ondra L. Clark, PhD
“Seeing through our clients' eyes: An assessment of cultural competence in a community mental health agency” (The University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2010).
2011
Aurelia Mok, PhD
“Identity Integration and Frame Switching: Evidence for a Nonconscious Motivated Process” (Columbia University, 2010).
