We are now accepting applications for the Outstanding Postgraduate Research Award (OPRA).
The OPRA highlights outstanding student research conducted by postgraduate student members of SASP. This year, three awards will be given out: one First Place award ($500), one Runner-up award ($250), and a People’s Choice award ($250). The OPRA selection panel will select up to six student finalists to present their research at the SASP 2025 conference in Melbourne, VIC (20th – 22nd November 2025).
Award eligibility
To be eligible for a OPRA in 2025, applicants must be:
- Be currently enrolled in a postgraduate program or have submitted within the year of your application (i.e., between December 2024 and November 2025)
- Be a student member of SASP
- Register to attend the SASP 2025 conference
How to apply
Please read the following requirements carefully.
Your application must include all of the following AS ONE DOCUMENT:
- A title page with your name, contact information (phone, address, e-mail address), school affiliation, current enrolment status, and title of your research project.
- A page with an abstract of up to 200 words summarising your research project.
- A research summary limited to 500 words single-spaced on a single A4 page detailing Purpose, Brief Introduction, Method, Results, and Discussion/Implications. A reference list is not required.
- Supplementary materials: You can include up to two Tables and/or Figures and/or extracts from qualitative interview transcripts that are not included in the word count and may be included on additional pages.
In short, that’s three (3) separate pages in ONE document, with the allowance of 1-2 extra pages for 2 Tables and/or Figures and/or transcript extracts in total.
Please submit applications as an email attachment (Word or PDF format) to Danny Osborne () by COB Friday 12th September 2025. Please use “SASP 2025 OPRA” as the subject of the email. Unfortunately, late submissions cannot be considered.
Selection process
Up to six finalists will be chosen based on the merits of the entire application. In previous years, successful finalists have submitted applications based on projects that are:
- [a] programmatic (i.e., multiple studies that build on each other),
- [b] theoretically innovative, and
- [c] communicate the implications (theoretical and/or practical) of the results.
Finalists and non-finalists will be notified by October 3rd 2025.
Finalists will present their research at the SASP-ACPID 2025 conference in a special OPRA symposium.
The First Place and Runner-Up awards will be decided based on the original application and conference presentation.
The People’s Choice award will be decided based on attendees’ votes immediately after the OPRA session. Be on the lookout for QR codes displayed at the conference to cast your vote!