ESPO Awards

Awards for GSA's ESPO MEMBERS are offered by each of the Society's four sections, in addition to offering one award through its Civic Engagement in an Older America Project. Awards will be presented at GSA's Annual Scientific Meeting. Please be sure to check the appropriate box in GSA's Call for Papers under "Student Awards". For complete descriptions of each award, including dates and deadlines, please click here.

EMERGING SCHOLAR AND PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION

The Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization offers a $250 cash award for the best Interdisciplinary Research Paper on a topic related to aging by a GSA student member. Some examples might include how the biological aspects of aging are related to the social consequences of aging; using a theoretical perspective such as life course theory to explain various outcomes of communication and aging; or how public policy affects clinical, biological or psychological aspects of aging. Papers may be empirical or theoretical. To be eligible, students must have an abstract accepted for presentation at the annual meeting. Finalists will be requested to submit an article-length manuscript for final judging. To be eligible, student papers must be primarily the work of the student (if co-authored, a letter from the other author should verify that the student had primary responsibility for the work).

The Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization (ESPO) offers five Poster Awards. The applicant must be a GSA ESPO MEMBER. Posters from all sections will be considered. To be eligible, ESPO members must have a poster abstract accepted for presentation at the annual meeting. Finalists will be requested to submit a .pdf or PowerPoint version of their poster for final judging. The poster must be primarily the work of the ESPO member. If co-authored, a letter from the other author/s should verify that the ESPO member had primary responsibility for the work. A copy of this letter (if applicable) and the abstract should be sent to GSA's Awards Coordinator

BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES SECTION

The George Sacher Student Award is given to the best student presentation by a GSA member at the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting.

To be eligible for the award, a student member of the Society must submit an abstract and be accepted for the Annual Scientific Meeting. The abstract must be accompanied by a letter from the student's advisor verifying the submitted work is the student's. The student must then present the work at the Annual Scientific Meeting.

The annual $500 award is designed to encourage research and to foster interest among students in the Biological Sciences section to play an active role in the Society's annual meetings.

CLINICAL MEDICINE SECTION

The Person-in-Training Award is given to a student of the Clinical Medicine section for the best student presentation at the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting. Eligibility for the Person-in-Training Award is limited to students enrolled in a doctoral program.
The $500 award is designed to encourage research and to foster interest among students in the Clinical Medicine section and to encourage participation in the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting.

To be eligible for the award, abstracts must be submitted and accepted for presentation at the Annual Scientific Meeting. After being accepted must apply for award. Once the abstract has been accepted, a 1,500-word paper by the trainee describing the research must be submitted. The paper must be accompanied by a letter from the student's advisor verifying that the submitted work is the student's. The award is made on the basis of the paper.

The Clinical Medicine Research Award is given to a new investigator in the Clinical Medicine Section. Individuals eligible for the Research Award are new investigators who have received a doctoral degree within the last seven years. Interested Clinical Medicine Section students, trainees, fellows and junior faculty must submit and have an abstract accepted for presentation at the annual meeting.

The $1000 award is designed to encourage postdoctoral research and encourage participation in the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting. To be eligible for the award, researchers must submit their work by the abstract deadline and indicate a wish to be considered for the award on the abstract form. Once the abstract is accepted, a 1,500-word paper describing the research must be submitted. The award is made on the basis of the paper.

BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES SECTION

The Behavioral and Social Sciences Section presents two awards for student posters/papers: one at the pre-dissertation level and one at the dissertation level. The award winner at the dissertation level receives a $1,000 cash prize and the award winner at the pre-dissertation level receives a $500 cash prize. Award winners in both categories also receive a copy of The Handbook of Aging (the Social Sciences or the Psychology edition) and a one-year GSA membership. Student members who wish to compete for this award must submit an abstract by the March 15, 2005 deadline and have it accepted for presentation on the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting program. Finalists will be requested to submit an article-length manuscript (see specifications #11 and 12 below) for final judging. The manuscript will be judged based on the following 12 criteria:

1. The paper must be a completed empirical study dealing with a topic of relevance to the BSS section of GSA.
2. The quality of review of previous theoretical and/or empirical work
   
3. Intelligent use and explanation of existing theory to build a context for the present paper
   
4. Originality/Creativity
   
5. Extent to which relevant methodological aspects (e.g., sample, measures, data analysis) are adequately described.
   
6. Quality of methods (e.g., use of appropriate sampling, data collection, research design and data analytic techniques; proper execution of chosen methods).
   
7. Appropriateness of scope of the paper (e.g., does the author attempt to accomplish too much?)
   
8. Quality of Interpretation (e.g., conclusions do not extend beyond what the data indicate; awareness of study limitations; relevance to future practice, theory, or research are well-described)
   
9. Writing style/Adherence to guidelines
   
10. Progression of Ideas
    
11. The paper must adhere to APA style (American Psychological Association (2001), Publication Manual, 5th Ed).
    
12. The paper may not exceed 30 double-spaced pages total (including, figures, tables, references, and appendices) at a minimum of 12 point font with one-inch margins all around.

Finally, student papers must be primarily the work of the student. If the manuscript is co-authored, a letter from the other author is required that should verify that the student applicant had the primary responsibility for the work.

SOCIAL RESEARCH, POLICY AND PRACTICE

The Social Research, Policy and Practice Section offers two awards for its Student Research Awards: a $500 cash prize for doctoral level work and a $250 cash prize for advanced undergraduate/or masters level work.

Students must first submit and have a paper or poster abstract accepted for presentation at the annual meeting. Following notification of acceptance, the student will be contacted by GSA to submit an article length manuscript for final judging in order to compete for the award. The manuscript must address a significant research, policy or practice topic and be research-based, conceptual or analytical, contribute to the body of knowledge. Additionally, it must address the following five criteria:1) is of publishable quality; 2) includes sound methodology appropriate to the issues under investigation; 3) discusses practice and policy implications; 4) identifies the institution with which the student is affiliated; 5) includes a statement from a faculty mentor verifying that the work was done while the applicant was a student and that the paper represents the student's own efforts. Student authors must be members of GSA. Five copies of the manuscript must be submitted for final judging.

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IN AN OLDER AMERICA PROJECT

GSA's Civic Engagement in an Older America initiative offers two cash awards to recognize outstanding papers on the topic of civic engagement as it relates to older adults. The Initiative will award $500 to one paper from a student or junior scholar (no more than five years post-doctorate on September 10, 2005). The Initiative will also award $1000 to one paper from a senior scholar. Criteria for selection are that the paper focuses on an aspect of civic engagement and explores questions related to federal, state or local policy initiatives that maximize involvement of older adults in meaningful, productive civic roles, including work, caregiving, and volunteering. Papers must be methodologically sound and of publishable quality. Persons who wish their abstracts to be considered for this award should check the appropriate box in the Call for Papers. Finalists will be selected from among the abstracts accepted for presentation at the meeting and are requested to submit an article-length manuscript for final judging. The author(s) must present the work during the Annual Meeting.