Art Nezu Dissertation Diversity Award

2024 Art Nezu Dissertation Diversity Awardee

B. Andi Lee, is a healer-in-training on internship at Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services and doctoral candidate in Clinical-Community Psychology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Andi’s research aims to challenge systemic racism, foster wellness, and promote the humanity of Global Majority members by centering their lived experiences and expertise in belonging, healing, and liberation. Her recent published work includes a grounded theory framework and scale of racial-ethnic-cultural (REC) belonging for Global Majority members, Global Majority healing research methods, training models for liberation, and decolonial psychological science. She enjoys lifelong learning, collective organizing and activism, and mentoring other Global Majority students navigating academia.

Doctoral dissertations regarding diversity/multiculturalism may be eligible for the Art Nezu Dissertation Diversity Award.

The Art Nezu Dissertation Diversity Award is a prestigious award that recognizes an individual whose doctoral dissertation makes an outstanding contribution to the field of professional psychology and diversity and/or multiculturalism. The recipient of the award will receive a $1,000 award.

Eligibility Criteria

  1. The doctoral dissertation must have been successfully defended in 2023.
  2. The dissertation must be completed by a student in a professional psychology discipline.
  3. The dissertation must focus on an aspect of diversity and/or multiculturalism. 
  4. The dissertation topic must reflect some aspect of psychology specialization, represented by at least one ABPP specialty.   
  5. The dissertation must be publication-eligible. Quantitative and qualitative methods will be considered.

Please submit the following materials online (all at once) 

  1. Current curriculum vita. 
  2. Letter from candidate specifying how the dissertation addresses diversity and/or multiculturalism. 
  3. Specify the specialty board that the dissertation represents in American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP).
  4. Electronic copy of entire dissertation (Abstract, Literature Review, Results, Discussion, References & Appendices).
  5. Copy of program-issued final approval of dissertation defense form.
  6. Letter of recommendation from dissertation chair or committee member. 
  7. One additional letter of recommendation regarding the candidate’s potential to enhance diversity and/or multiculturalism in professional psychology.
The award winner will be chosen primarily based upon the quality of dissertation research and its likelihood to impact the fields of professional psychology and diversity/multiculturalism.  Secondary criteria include (a) dedication to a multicultural/diversity focus in career choice and professional psychology work, and (b) professional strengths and successes identified in recommendation letters.

For questions regarding online submissions, contact us.

The 2025 nominations will open in January. The deadline for submitting a nomination is April 15, 2025.

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