Funding Opportunities
Arthur W. Staats Lecture for Unifying Psychology
The Arthur W. Staats Lecture was established in 1997 by Peter S. Staats, MD, in honor of his father, Arthur W. Staats, PhD. Each year, the lecturer delivers an address on a body of work which has held great significance for many fields of psychology or has the potential to be extrapolated to have unifying power within the discipline of psychology as a whole. The award is sponsored by the American Psychological Foundation (APF) and coordinated by Division. 1.
This program is no longer accepting applications for the 2025 program year.
The Arthur W. Staats Lecture was established in 1997 by Peter S. Staats, MD, in honor of his father, Arthur W. Staats, PhD. Each year, the lecturer delivers an address on a body of work which has held great significance for many fields of psychology or has the potential to be extrapolated to have unifying power within the discipline of psychology as a whole. The award is sponsored by the American Psychological Foundation (APF) and coordinated by Division 1.
More information on Division 1 (The Society for General Psychology and Interdisciplinary Inquiry)
Eligibility
APF encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds with respect to age, race, color, religion, creed, nationality, ability, sexual orientation, gender, and geography.
There are no restrictions on nominees.
Self-nominations as well as nominations by others are encouraged for this award.
Application Instructions
Nominations materials should include the nominee’s curriculum vitae along with a detailed statement indicating why the nominee is a worthy candidate for the award including evidence that the nominee would give a good lecture.
Nominations should be sent to the Division 1 chair of the Arthur W. Staats Lecture.
Please be advised that APF does not provide feedback to applicants on their proposals.
Please review our Program FAQs for important details on the application process.
Recent Recipient
Drs. Christopher D. Green & Barbara Held
Past Recipients
2025
David S. Moore, PhD, Pitzer College and Claremont Graduate University
“We are all dynamic systems: How a developmental perspective applies across psychology’s subdisciplines”
2024
Nancy L. Segal, PhD, California State University, Fullerton
2023
Barbara Held, PhD, Barry N. Wish, Professor of Psychology and Social Studies Emerita, Bowdoin College
Christopher D. Green, PhD, Professor of Psychology, York University
2022
Lillian Comas-Diaz, PhD, mujerista decolonial thinker, writer, activist, theorist and therapist
2021
Carol Dweck, PhD, Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology, Stanford University
2020
Carola Suárez-Orozco, co-director, Institute for Immigration, Globalization and Education, University of California, Los Angeles
2019
Janet Helms, PhD, Boston College
2018
Michelle Fine, PhD, City University of New York Graduate Center
2017
Keith Simonton, PhD, University of California, Davis
2016
Lisa M. Osbeck, PhD, University of West Georgia
2015
Judith Torney-Purta, PhD, University of Maryland at College Park
2014
Peter Salovey, PhD, Yale University
2013
Diane Halpern, Claremont McKenna College
2012
Ellen Langer, PhD, Harvard University
2011
Wilbert J. McKeachie, PhD, University of Michigan
2010
Douglas Candland, PhD, Bucknell University
2009
J. Bruce Overmier, PhD, University of Minnesota
2008
Susan T. Fiske, PhD, Princeton University
2007
Bruce McEwen, PhD, Rockefeller University
2006
Hazel Markus, PhD, Stanford University
2005
Frans de Waal, PhD, Emory University
2004
Paul T. Costa, PhD, National Institute on Aging
2003
Robert J. Sternberg, PhD, Yale University
2002
Marvin Goldfried, PhD, State University of New York, Stony Brook
2001
Gregory Kimble, PhD, Duke University
2000
Martin E. P. Seligman, PhD, University of Pennsylvania