Developmental Psychology Section

All research proposals must be compliant with the British Psychological Society's Code of Ethics and Conduct, the Code of Human Research Ethics and the relevant supplementary guidelines for research with animals (as appropriate).

Applications must answer the following questions (the response to each question is limited to 250 words): 

1. Aims & objectives
2. Anticipated outcomes (e.g. publications; further research proposals; presentations; 'impact')
3. Costings (please be as detailed as possible)
4. Timeframe (including proposed start and end dates)
5. Work planned (this section should include the details of the planned activities)

Eligible costs include any costs associated with the project, with two exceptions: 

1. The Section does not cover costs associated with academic staff time or replacement teaching costs.
2. The Section does not cover institutional overheads.

Grant holders are expected to provide a report of around 500 words (suitable for publication in the Development Forum and on the Section's website), together with a final budgetary report, within three months of the end of the funding period.

Grant holders must be members of the British Psychological Society, Developmental Psychology Section.

The maximum grant available under this scheme is £500 per applicant. However, we anticipate most projects requesting £300 with a strong justification being needed if applicants wish to request the full amount. Funds must be claimed by invoice to the BPS which must be received no later than 01 November 2024.

You will need the following information:

1. Name
2. Organisation/affiliation
3. PhD/ECR status. If PhD please state if full or part-time and expected completion date. If ECR please provide date PhD was awarded, and give name of awarding institution
4. BPS membership number 

Information should be included on the following (where the response to each question is limited to 250 words):

1. Aims and objectives
2. Anticipated outcomes (e.g. publications; further research proposals; presentations; 'impact')
3. Costings (please be as detailed as possible)
4. Timeframe (including proposed start and end dates)
5. Work planned (this section should include the details of the planned activities)
6. Justification of application to this fund (this section should briefly outline why this funding is needed and why funding from other sources, e.g. institutional funds for small research costs, cannot be used/is not sufficient) 

Committee members must declare any conflicts of interest before participating in the decision-making process.

An Awarding Sub-Committee will review all applications.  This Sub-Committee's decision is final.

The committee wishes to support PGR and ECR members who may not have access to institutional support for small research costs.

We have decided not to provide a single definition of ECR but responses to Q6 will be carefully considered during shortlisting as the aim of this fund is to support individuals who do not have access to other sources of funding.

The proposal must specify a detailed, timetabled and specific project that is feasible and achievable within the proposed timescale.

Awards could contribute towards registration, accommodation, or travel to the conference. Please request the financial assistance that you require but be mindful that we do have a limited budget and that the maximum award that will be made to an individual is £500. 

All recipients of the award will be expected to support the committees with some small tasks to support the smooth running of the conference. This could involve live tweeting in sessions, and assisting during the sessions. Guidance will be given, and we anticipate that this experience should complement your own involvement in the conference – and certainly will not detract from it. Upon receipt of your bursary the conference organisers will contact you to discuss your contribution.

In addition, all recipients of the award will be expected write a short (approx. 400 words) piece for Developmental Forum. This could be a review of the conference or a piece on a topic relating to your research. You will be given some direction for this and support from one of our editors.

Applications are welcome until the closing date of Monday 24 June 2024 at 17:00.

Applications will be assessed by a sub-committee of the BPS Developmental Committee on the case for need for funding requested and the benefits of attendance.

Decisions will be made and communicated by Monday 15 July 2024 at 17:00

The award is open to postgraduates registered for degrees at any UK or Republic of Ireland institution.

Applicants must be members of the BPS Developmental Psychology Section.

Applicants will be required to provide:

1. Name
2. Organisation/affiliation
3. BPS membership number
4. Confirmation that they are a member of the Developmental Section
5. A statement of not more than 150 words providing a brief explanation of why a bursary is needed (e.g. because a postgraduate student is not funded by a research council or their institution), why the applicant should be awarded a bursary, and how she or he will benefit from attending the conference.
6. Details of any funding being requested (accommodation/registration/travel/etc), including cost breakdown.

Late applications will not be accepted and only the first 150 words of any statements that exceed the word limits will be considered. 

You will be required to submit receipts as evidence of your expenses to claim the award within one month of the conference. You may submit receipts in advance of the conference with proof of purchase. 

Note, if you are unable to subsequently attend the conference, you must reimburse the BPS Developmental Section for any claims made. In order to be eligible, it is expected that applicants will pay early bird registration fees.

We will not be liable to reimburse travel and accommodation if you do not the conference after being awarded a bursary. You are advised to get travel insurance prior to booking to cover any costs which may arise if you are unable to attend.

If the conference is cancelled after the award has been made, we will refund any costs that are within the scope of the original award, and that cannot be recouped by other means such as your travel insurance or travel/accommodation.

Decisions will be final, and no correspondence will be entered into regarding unsuccessful applications.

This award recognises distinguished contributions to British Developmental Psychology.

This award will be presented to a candidate who has made substantial contributions to research in Developmental Psychology or through Developmental Psychology to wider society. The latter may be in the realms of higher education teaching, changing government policy, communication of science to the general public or implementation of interventions. A substantial proportion of time should have been spent working in the UK.

Criteria

• Candidates should be nominated by an academic or professional peer
• The letter of nomination should evidence the substantial contributions made by the nominee
• The nomination should be support by the nominee's C.V. and a letter from an additional referee

How to apply

Submit your nomination here using our online portal

We advise that you prepare your submission on a word document or alternative.

Download an example of the online form here.

The award winner:

• Receive the Distinguished Contributions Award Certificate
• The winner of the award will be invited to deliver a keynote address at the annual Developmental Section Annual Conference
• Free registration at the annual Developmental Section Annual Conference

Judging process

The Section Committee will appoint an award sub-committee to adjudicate submissions.

This award recognises and rewards a significant contribution to impact and engagement beyond the academy, in the field of developmental psychology.

The scale of impact may be regional, national, or international in nature.

This award will be presented to a candidate at any career stage who has made a significant and demonstrable contribution to making an impact with their research, translating developmental psychology into practice, and / or promoting public knowledge and understanding of developmental psychology.

Innovation in impact work, impacts on policy or practice, and engagement with a wide variety of audiences is especially encouraged.

Nomination criteria

• Candidates should be nominated by an academic or professional peer;
• The letter of nomination should evidence the substantial contributions made by the nominee in terms of impact evidence and / or public engagement;
• The nomination should be support by the nominee's C.V

How to apply

Submit your nomination using the online portal.

We advise that you prepare your submission on a word document or alternative.

Download an example of the online form here.

 The award winner will:

• receive an Impact and Engagement Award Certificate
• be invited to deliver a prize winner address at the annual Developmental Section Annual Conference
• receive free registration at the annual Developmental Section Annual Conference

Judging process

The Section Committee will appoint an award sub-committee to adjudicate submissions.

Judging criteria

• The impact / engagement work is relevant to developmental psychology
• The impact / engagement work has made a substantial positive contribution beyond academia
• The impact / engagement work is novel, innovative and timely in nature

Awarded Annually for Outstanding Contributions to Developmental Psychology

This annual award is for outstanding early career contributions to the field of developmental psychology. 
The winning candidate will have made an outstanding contribution within any field of developmental psychology; this will be evident in some or all of theory development, originality and innovation in methodology, along with other indicators of esteem.

Eligibility criteria

• Applicants from previous years are eligible to re-apply, and are encouraged to do this.
• Candidates are eligible for consideration up to and including 10 years following the award of a PhD.
• Candidates need not be a member of the BPS but they must be resident in the United Kingdom.
• Career breaks are not included in the 10 year post PhD completion time, and in accordance with EDI initiatives were supportive of diverse career paths. 

How to apply

Applicants can either nominate themselves or they can be nominated by a colleague.

Heads of Department and senior faculty members are particularly encouraged to nominate eligible colleagues.

Nominations should include a one-page statement outlining the candidate's contribution to developmental psychology plus a full CV.

Submit your nomination here

Judging process

The Section Committee will appoint an award sub-committee to adjudicate submissions

The award winner

• Receive the Margaret Donaldson Early Career Prize Certificate
• The winner of the award will be invited to deliver a keynote address at the annual Developmental Section Annual Conference
• Free registration at the Developmental Section Annual Conference

This annual award is for a piece of published research on cognitive conditions that appear in development and persist throughout life. 

Neil O'Connor was one of the UK's foremost experimental psychologists, and a pioneer in applying experimental methods to the study of developmental conditions. Friends, relatives and former colleagues have contributed to a trust fund that allows this award to be made annually.

Eligibility criteria

• Conditions may be of a perceptual, cognitive, social or emotional nature and can include (but are not confined to) deafness, blindness, learning disabilities, dyslexia, language disorder, aphasia, Williams syndrome, Down syndrome, Turner syndrome, autism, ADHD.
• The candidate must be either the sole or main author of the article concerned. In the case of multiple authors, the relative contribution of different authors must be outlined. The prize and the invitation to speak will be offered to the main author.
• The candidate should be studying for a PhD or not more than 10 years post-PhD.
• The publication must be accepted into a peer-refereed journal bearing the date 2019 or later (including articles in press).
• There is no geographic restriction, but submissions must be in English.

How to apply

Applicants can either nominate themselves or they can be nominated by a colleague.

Heads of Department and senior faculty members are particularly encouraged to nominate eligible colleagues.

Nominations should include a copy of the publication and a copy of the applicant's CV.

Submit your nomination or application here

Judging process

The Section Committee will appoint an award sub-committee to adjudicate submissions.

The award winner

• Receive the Neil O'Connor Award Certificate
• The winner of the award will be invited to deliver a keynote address at the annual Developmental Section Annual Conference
• Free registration at the Developmental Section Annual Conference

Distinguished Contribution Award

• 2024: Professor Elizabeth Meins  
• 2023: Professor Julie Dockrel 
• 2022 Professor Robert Plomin 
• 2021: Professor Josef Perner
• 2020: Professor Dieter Wolke
• 2019: Professor Simon Baron-Cohen
• 2018: Professor Dorothy Bishop (University of Oxford)
• 2017: Professor Annette Kamiloff-Smith (Birkbeck: University of London)
• 2016: Professor Bruce Hood (University of Bristol)

Impact and Engagement Award

• 2024: Dr Mary Hanley  
• 2023: Dr Josie Booth 

Margaret Donaldson Early Career Prize

• 2024: Dr Maheen Siddiqui  
• 2023: Dr Charlotte Tye 
• 2022: Lisa Henderson 
• 2021: Professor Helen Dodd
• 2020: Dr Jo Van Herwegen
• 2019: Dr Karla Holmboe
• 2018: Dr Harriet Over (University of York)
• 2017: Dr Lucy Cragg (University of Nottingham)
• 2016: Dr Sue Fletcher-Watson (University of Edinburgh)
• 2015: Dr Antsushi Senju (Birkbeck: Univrsity of London)
• 2014: Dr Debbie Riby (Durham University)
• 2013: Dr Andrew Bremner (Goldsmiths College, University of London)
• 2012: Dr Gaia Scerif (Oxford University)
• 2011: Dr Sarah Beck (University of Birmingham)
• 2010: Dr Victoria Southgate (Birkbeck College: University of London)
• 2008: Dr Ian Apperley (University of Birmingham)
• 2006: Dr Denis Marescal (Birkbeck College: University of London)

The Neil O'Connor Award

• 2024: Dr Jo Saul  
• 2023: Dr Jayne Spiller 
• 2022: Cathy Manning 
• 2021: Dr Saloni Krishnan
• 2020: Dr Lucy Livingston
• 2019: Dr Chloe Lane
• 2018: Dr Giorgia Michelini (King's College London)
• 2017: Dr Jessica Hodgson (University of Lincoln)
• 2016: Dr Teodora Gliga (Birkbeck College: University of London)
• 2015: Dr Victoria Simms (Ulster University)
• 2014: Dr Sarah White (University College London)
• 2013: Dr Mayada Elisabbagh (Birkbeck: University of London)
• 2012: Dr Anna Remington (Oxford)
• 2011: Dr Antsushi Senju (Birkbeck: University of London)
• 2010: Dr Matthew Belmonte (National Brain Research Centre, Manesar, India)
• 2009: Dr Emily Farran (Institute of Education)
• 2008: Dr Angelica Ronld (Birkbeck: University of London)
• 2007: Dr Elisa Back (Birmingham)
• 2006: Dr Elizabeth Pellicano (Oxford)
• 2005: Dr Rebecca Greenaway (Cambridge)
• 2004: Dr Courtenay Norbury (Oxford)
• 2003: Dr Gaia Scerif (University College London)
• 2002: Dr Tyron Woolfe (Sheffield)
• 2000: Dr Chris Jarrold (Bristol)

• Full access to our website
• Opportunities to influence and take part in the development of the section
• Opportunity to voice your opinion, either at the Section's AGM and/or by becoming a member of the section's committee
• Regular updates via our membership announcement email list

The Developmental Psychology Section uses its membership announcement email list to inform its members of activities and initiatives that are relevant to their interests and to make requests for engagement on topical issues. 

By becoming a member of the Section you are automatically added to the announcement list.

To receive these emails you will need to:

1. become a member of the Developmental Psychology Section
2. opt into receiving email communication and provide a working email address

These preferences can be updated by logging into your member portal.

If you have any queries, please contact Member Network Services.

To assist us in responding to your query please make sure to include your membership number and quote 'Developmental Psychology Section announcement email' in the subject line.

The Developmental Psychology Section relies on a wide range of people getting involved, and the work of the Section is largely achieved through the dedication of unpaid volunteers.

Our volunteers come from a wide range of different backgrounds, whether they be practitioners or academics, or full members or student members, and together form an open and inclusive community.