The APS Colleges offer a range of awards and prizes each year that encourage and recognise excellence in psychology across the specialist fields. The 2016 recipients are profiled below.

APS College Awards of Distinction 2016

The APS College Award of Distinction recognises the importance of an individual's contribution to his or her specialist field and significant contributions to the relevant APS College over a number of years.

APS College of Clinical Neuropsychologists

Tony Kneebone

Dr Tony Kneebone FAPS has been engaged in psychological practice for more than 30 years. Tony is one of the founding members of the South Australian Section of the College of Clinical Neuropsychologists and has provided long and distinguished service to the Section.

Tony has held the position of Chief Neuropsychologist at the Flinders Medical Centre for the past 30 years, in addition to concurrent positions as a visiting clinical specialist at three other Adelaide metropolitan hospitals. He has also held longstanding positions as Senior Lecturer at the University of Adelaide and Flinders University in the School of Psychology and the School of Medicine. Throughout his extensive career, Tony has made significant contributions to teaching and has been involved in the ongoing supervision and mentoring of both medical and psychology students.

Tony’s leadership is evidenced in the development and evaluation of the role of clinical neuropsychology in epilepsy surgery programs. His expertise, clinical rigour and communication skills in this area have seen neuropsychology integrated as a central service alongside other medical fields in the area of epilepsy surgery.

Tony was involved in the pioneering Australian Longitudinal Study of Ageing (along with Dr Colin Field and Jane McAuliffe) and was instrumental in the design and implementation of the neuropsychological assessment component for this study, which was carried out in Adelaide in the 1990s and 2000s. This enormous undertaking was the precursor to the now internationally recognised longitudinal study.

The contributions Tony has made in growing the College of Clinical Neuropsychologists State Section in South Australia and in instilling in members a strong sense of collegiality and support as they pursue their professional careers in neuropsychology has been invaluable.

APS College of Counselling Psychologists

Maria Pirrello

Maria Pirrello MAPS has been a Member of the APS for 35 years and a Member of the College of Counselling Psychologists for 30 years. Maria has held a number of roles on the Counselling College NSW State Section and the National Executive, including editor of the College newsletter, College Membership Secretary and part of the College Conference Committee (2013-2015).

The role of Membership Secretary was particularly critical during the transition period to national registration (2010-2013) and Maria’s expertise and extensive knowledge of counselling psychology competencies for membership were of great benefit in the assessment process.

An active counselling psychologist, Maria has mentored many counselling psychology students, including supervising counselling psychology students in her work roles.

Maria worked for many years in the education sector, initially as a school counsellor and then as a counsellor in a number of universities. Maria brought substantial expertise to these positions and for many years has championed the issues facing international students.

Additionally, Maria has been a passionate advocate for the counselling psychology profession and has contributed to the community in this field through her volunteer work as a psychologist on the management committee of the Victims and Witnesses of Crime Court Support Program (2011-2016) and as a former Chair of the management committee of the Rape Crisis Centre (2008). Her contribution to College life, the field of counselling psychology and the community has been significant.

APS College of Sport and Exercise Psychologists

Eugene Aidman

Dr Eugene Aidman MAPS has been a Member of the APS since 1991, and in 1992 was a founding Member of the College of Sport and Exercise Psychologists (CSEP).

A high-achiever in the field of sport and exercise psychology, Eugene has seven books and more than 100 peer-reviewed publications to his credit. These include papers in high-impact journals, book chapters and technical reports on operator fatigue, implicit cognition, design and theory of psychological testing and its applications in personality assessment, and performance psychology.

He has been recognised by his peers in many capacities, including being appointed Visiting Professor at Kingston University, London; invited speaker/workshop presenter at the 2008 Convention of the International Council of Psychologists (ICP); invited workshop presenter at the 2008 Australasian Conference on Individual Differences; symposium convener at the joint APS/NZPsS Conference in Auckland (2006); and an invited speaker and expert panel member at the 2004 APA Convention in Honolulu. In addition, The Self-Apperception Test (Aidman, 1999) is listed in the Educational Testing Services reference base.

Eugene’s contributions to College life have been numerous and include several roles on the CSEP National Committee since 2002, including Newsletter Editor (2002-2007; 2010-2012), Web Editor, and Deputy Chair (2012-2015). He has also been involved in APS expert panels including the Public Interest Advisory Group (2007-2011), and the Division of Research and Teaching (2004-2006), where his expertise in the field of sport and exercise psychology was applied.

It is estimated that Eugene has supervised upward of 50 student projects and mentored staff within the Australian Government, Department of Defence Science and Technology.

APS College of Organisational Psychologists

Peter Macqueen

Peter Macqueen FAPS joined the College of Organisational Psychologists in 1990 and has been involved in Committee roles at the QLD State level from the early-to-mid 1990s including State Section Chair (2006-2008) and Treasurer (2011). He has also been a valuable member of the Tests and Testing Expert Group (2011-present) and served on the APS College of Organisational Psychologists National Regulatory Developments (NRD) Working Party (2009-2013).

Peter has made broad contributions to the College, particularly in the work undertaken in reviewing regulatory material in the National Registration Scheme of Health Practitioners and creating responses for the College. He also co-convened a Senior Psychologist Forum. Peter’s mentoring and collegiate support at State and National Committee levels have been remarked upon, particularly in dealing with difficult regulatory challenges for the College.

Beyond the College, some highlights of Peter’s contribution to the profession include serving as an external lecturer at Griffith University in psychological assessment, as a coordinator/lecturer on a casual basis in personal assessment at the University of Queensland (2014-2016), along with recognition as an expert in the field of psychological assessment, including running his own consultancy providing organisational psychology services to industry.

Peter has contributed significantly to the profession of organisational psychology by providing ongoing supervision of registrars in the Psychology Board of Australia registrar program and previously of provisionally registered psychologists under the Psychologist Board of Queensland. Peter has also provided placement supervision for organisational psychology students completing Honours in postgraduate programs at Griffith University (1993-2012). Peter’s ongoing commitment to providing opportunities within his practice to assist provisionally registered psychologists also supports the development of future organisational psychologists.

The following APS Colleges did not offer a College Award of Distinction for 2016

• APS College of Clinical Psychologists
• APS College of Community Psychologists
• APS College of Educational and Developmental Psychologists
• APS College of Forensic Psychologists
• APS College of Health Psychologists

Individual College Awards

A number of the APS Colleges offer awards and prizes that 
encourage and recognise excellence in their particular field of psychology.

APS College of Clinical Psychologists

Research Grant

Viviana Wuthrich

Dr Viviana Wuthrich MAPS is a Senior Lecturer in the faculty of Human Sciences at Macquarie University, with a particular focus on understanding and treating anxiety and depression in older adults, and developing prevention programs for dementia in at-risk older adults.

Viviana has made a significant contribution to the scientific knowledge on psychological therapy for older people. Her applied research in the area of normal adult ageing, with a focus on research on non-Alzheimer and non-Parkinson disorders is of exceptional quality and has significant research implications for the psychological treatment of problems among older people.

In addition, Viviana has won numerous grants in the above areas, including the Macquarie University Research Development Scheme for the Psychological Reduction of Risk for Cognitive Decline and Dementia among Older Australians project and a Parkinson’s NSW grant for the Psychological Treatment of Anxiety and Depression in Patients with Parkinson's Disease: A pilot program.

Viviana has published extensively on the topic of ageing and the treatment of late-life depression and anxiety, including publications in high-quality journals.

Significant Contribution Award (SA)

Dr Linley Denson FAPS

Dr Linley Denson FAPS has made a significant and sustained contribution to clinical psychology in South Australia in several ways. Linley has demonstrated an effective, long-term involvement in the local Clinical College community, where she has served as Chair, Secretary and Treasurer on the College Committee and been involved in organising professional development activities and conferences.

In addition, Linley has made a notable contribution to clinical psychology, specifically through the development of the psychology department at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. This large teaching hospital initially employed one psychologist who provided neuropsychological assessment services, but is now a large and effective department with psychologists providing clinical services to the Cancer Centre, Pain Management Unit, Cystic Fibrosis Unit, Spinal Unit and 
Burns Unit.

Dr Denson has combined clinical work with academia for many years and now holds the position of Master of Psychology Clinical Program Director at the University of Adelaide. She has supervised many clinical psychology interns enrolled in clinical psychology Master programs at Flinders University, the University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia during her 19-year career in the state health system.

In terms of contribution to the wider community, Dr Denson was appointed by the South Australian Attorney-General to the South Australian Guardianship Board, a Tribunal which appoints proxy decision-makers (guardians and financial administrators) for people with mental incapacity.

While these achievements are deserving of the College of Clinical Psychologists Significant Contribution Awards (SA), Dr Denson has also authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications in clinical psychology journals, received six grants and two prizes.

APS College of Community Psychologists

Robin Winkler Award

Debra Rickwood

Professor Debra Rickwood FAPS impressed the selection committee with the project details of the Youth Mental Health Services Inclusion Project. The project’s inclusiveness and effective delivery exemplify excellence in the field of community psychology. The objective of the project was to inform headspace youth mental health services of how best to ensure that its services were accessible to and inclusive of young people from population groups who often have high levels of need for mental health support but can be marginalised from access to mainstream services.

The focus was on young people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex or questioning their sexuality or gender; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander; from culturally or linguistically diverse backgrounds; experiencing comorbid mental health, alcohol and other drug problems, or are homeless.

Such a focus illustrates the multiple ways that young people can be isolated from the community-level support that they need for wellbeing. The project highlights the values of community psychology in relation to inclusion, respect for diversity, voice and prevention. The inclusive nature of the program, combined with the way it offered young people a voice and medium in which to express their needs and access services allows for its incorporation into service delivery in an effective and efficient manner that doesn't place an unsustainable impost on service providers.

APS College of Clinical Neuropsychologists

Exceptional Postgraduate Student Award

Amanda Ng, University of Western Australia

APS College of Clinical Psychologists

Research Grant

Jane Scott, Katie Bunch and Keong Yap, Australian Catholic University

Anne Gannoni and Reg Nixon, Flinders University

Student Prize

Jessica Ogden, Australian Catholic University

Georgia MacNevin, Australian College of Applied Psychology

Sara Quinn, Australian National University

Jessica Anna-Maria Carroll, Bond University

Damian George Guastella, Cairnmillar Institute

Michelle Allana Gregory, Charles Darwin University,

Kylie Ann Redman, Charles Sturt University

Ellen Maclaine, Curtin University

Michelle Stewart, Deakin University

Charlotte Bool, Edith Cowan University

Claire Mills, Federation University Australia

Eva Vall, Flinders University

David Zimmerman, Griffith University

Trelawney Sarah Tourle, James Cook University

Charlotte Hudson, La Trobe University

Iris Bartula, Macquarie University

Sophie Robinson, Monash University

Sarah Joanne Schubert, Murdoch University

Cressida Brown, Queensland University of Technology

Tiffany Chiao Shin Low, RMIT University

Charlotte Keating, Swinburne University of Technology

Kaitlin Nicole Harkess, University of Adelaide

Nuwan Leitan, University of Melbourne

Louise Heiniger, University of New England

Melissa Jane Black, University of New South Wales

Bronwyn Steele, University of Queensland

Andrea Leslie Pratt, University of South Australia

Krystle Gay Hann, University of Southern Queensland

Phoebe Lau, University of Sydney

Katie Linda Ling, University of Tasmania

Rebecca Prodinger, University of Technology Sydney

Jessica Godfrey, University of the Sunshine Coast

Nadia Karen Cunningham, University of Western Australia

Esther Louise Davis, University of Wollongong

Danielle Koncz, Western Sydney University

Mikaela Smee, Victoria University

APS College of Community Psychologists

Postgraduate Student Conference Award

Dallas Ambry, Victoria University

Sam Keast, Victoria University

Ben Moberley, Victoria University

Student Award

Maryanne Kapoulitsas, Victoria University

APS College of Counselling Psychologists

Hank Andrews Award for Best PhD Thesis in Counselling Psychology

Magdalena Goryczko, Curtin University

Susanna Richardson Award

Katherine Barton, University of Queensland

APS College of Forensic Psychologists

Annual Awards (NSW): Psychological Practice and Professional Work

Christopher Lennings, LSC Psychology Clinical and Forensic Psychology services

Annual Awards: Open category

David Mutton, Western Sydney University

Significant Professional Contribution Award (QLD)

Robert Walkley, Private practice, Townsville

Maconochie Prize

Craig Jones, University of New South Wales

APS College of Health Psychologists

Award for Excellent Higher Degree Thesis

Rachel Cox, Deakin University

Award for Excellent Masters Thesis

Christopher Kilby, Macquarie University

Award for Excellent Honours Thesis

Youngblood Roche, University of Adelaide

APS College of Organisational Psychologists

Workplace Excellence Awards (WEA)

WEA in Assessment: Individual, Team or Organisation, PreViso

WEA in Coaching: Leadership, Career and Performance, Commonwealth Bank of Australia

WEA in Learning and Development, BHP Billiton

WEA in Organisational Change, Disability Services Australia

WEA in Organisational Design, Telstra (Health, Safety and Environment Division)

WEA in Recruitment and Selection, Aurizon and Workplace Research Associates

WEA in Workplace Health and Wellbeing, WorkSafe Victoria and Xchanging

APS College of Sport and Exercise Psychologists

Student Award

Tomas Tapper, University of Queensland