The Committee on Scientific Awards (COSA) administers APA's scientific awards for outstanding contributions to scientific psychology. The committee, on behalf of APA, also submits nominations of prominent psychologists for awards bestowed by other scientific organizations.
The APA Awards Committee selects recipients for the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award, the Distinguished Scientific Award for the Applications of Psychology, and the Distinguished Scientific Awards for Early Career Contributions to Psychology.
Nominations are solicited each year through a general call for nominations published in the American Psychologist, the APA Monitor on Psychology, and the Science Directorate's Science Spotlight. The 2026 deadline for the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award and the Distinguished Scientific Award for the Applications of Psychology is March 15. The 2026 deadline for the Distinguished Scientific Awards for Early Career Contributions to Psychology is June 1.