The ATSA Lifetime Significant Achievement Award recognizes and honors an individual who, over the course of their career, has made an important contribution within the field of sexual abuse. This award recognizes individuals who have contributed to the state of knowledge in the field of sexual abuse; the reduction or prevention of sexual abuse; or the development of initiatives or programs to assist abusers or victims/survivors. The award is presented to an individual whose career work and dedication have significantly influenced or impacted advancements in the field while promoting the safety and well-being of those affected by sexual abuse and the larger community. The recipient of this award should be an individual:

• Who has worked in the field of sexual abuse for a minimum of 25 years;
• Whose contribution has enhanced the knowledge base in the field of sexual abuse;
• Whose influence has been exerted through leadership including as an innovator, a teacher/mentor, theorist, spokesperson, or a developer of public policy regarding sexual abuse; and
• Whose work has contributed to enhanced community safety and wellness.

Scroll down to the nomination instructions for more information.

 

Award Recipient	Year		Award Recipient	Year
Elizabeth Letourneau, Ph.D.	2022		Stephen Hudson, Ph.D. / Tony Ward, Ph.D.	2003
Ron Langevin, Ph.D.	2021		R. Karl Hanson, Ph.D.	2002
Michael Miner, Ph.D., LP	2020		Fran Henry, M.B.A.	2001
Jill S. Levenson, Ph.D., MSW, LICSW	2019		Howard Barbaree, Ph.D.	2000
Michael C. Seto, Ph.D., CPsych	2018		William D. Murphy, Ph.D.	1999
Grant Harris, Ph.D. & Marnie Rice, Ph.D.	2017		Raymond A. Knight, Ph.D. / Robert A. Prentky, Ph.D.	1998
Keith Kaufman, Ph.D.	2016		Anna Salter, Ph.D.	1997
Robert McGrath, M.A.	2015		James Breiling, Ph.D.	1996
David L. Burton, Ph.D.	2014		Janice Marques, Ph.D.	1995
Arthur Gordon, Ph.D.	2011		Vernon L. Quinsey, Ph.D.	1994
Ray Blanchard, Ph.D.	2010		William L. Marshall, Ph.D.	1993
Anthony R. Beech, D.Phil.	2009		Judith V. Becker, Ph. D.	1992
Jan Hindman, M.S.	2008		Gene G. Abel, M.D.	1991
James L. Haaven, M.A.	2007		William D. Pithers, Ph.D.	1990
David Thornton, Ph.D.	2005		D. Richard Laws, PH.D. / Lucy Berliner, M.S.W.	1989
David Finkelhor, Ph.D.	2004		Kurt Freund, M.D.	1988

The Distinguished Contribution Award is designed to recognize an individual who has made a notable contribution within the field of sexual abuse.  The award is open to all disciplines and areas of the field of sexual abuse and honors an individual who has:

• Demonstrated excellent and innovative clinical skills that have engaged clients in the process of change and advanced the state of sex offender treatment; or
• Made outstanding contributions in serving the community through dedicating their time, energy, knowledge, and skills to support/facilitate community safety and abuse prevention; or
• Through the press, television or film has advanced the public understanding of relevant issues regarding sexual abuse and offending, as well as the role of effective treatment in risk management; or
• Had a significant impact on the growth and development of professionals in the field through mentoring and clinical guidance to others; or
• Promoted advances in the effective management of sex offenders through other avenues, disciplines, etc.

Scroll down to the nomination instructions for more information.

     

Award Recipient	Year		Award Recipient	Year
James Cantor, Ph.D., C.Psych.	2022		David S. Prescott, L.I.C.S.W.	2014
Jacqueline Page, Psy.D.	2021		Nicole Pittman, J.D.	2013
Det. Robert A. Shilling, A.A., ATSAF	2017		Madeline Carter,  MSCJA	2007
Leo P. Cotter, Ph.D.	2016		Alisa Klein, MAIPS	2005

Patricia Lynn "Patty" Wetterling is a well-known national advocate, visionary & educator on the issues and prevention of child abduction and exploitation. Since her son Jacob was abducted in 1989, Patty has been a champion for children. Her vision is to build a world where children can grow up safe and follow their dreams.

Throughout the challenges during the continued search for Jacob, Patty has never given up. She is committed to a vision for a better world for children. She co-founded the Jacob Wetterling Resource Center, served on the Board of Directors and is the current Chair for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and co-founded Team H.O.P.E., a national support group for families of missing children. She is now a national consultant at child abuse conferences and law enforcement trainings. In addition to her many awards, the Minneapolis Star Tribune selected Patty as one of the “100 Most Influential Minnesotans of the Century.”

She is passionate about working with other Change Agents to seek solutions to the complex problems confronting children today. Patty will continue to fight for a world where children have the right to grow up safe and follow their dreams.

The Patricia Wetterling Scholarship seeks to acknowledge the work of others who are pushing for sound public policy and advocacy related to sexual violence work.

The scholarship is an opportunity for its recipient to have his/her ATSA conference fee waived. Assistance with travel expenses is also available. This scholarship is non-transferable. This scholarship does not provide funding for research projects.

Eligibility

Members and non-members of ATSA are eligible for this award. Members of the Awards Committee and the ATSA Board of Directors shall be ineligible for nomination.

Nomination Procedures

• Nominations must be made by an ATSA member.
• Nominations should be submitted to the Awards Committee Chair at awards@atsa.com
• Please submit the email address and telephone number of the person you are nominating.
• Deadline for nominations is June 30, 2023.

Scholarship nomination should include a detailed description of the questions below, as well as the nominee's current CV. Please also ensure that a second letter of support for this nomination is also included.

1. How has the nominee's advocacy and/or public policy work contributed to informing legislators, community agencies, and/or the community about sound public policy and research around sexual violence relative to sexual offending work?
2. How will attending the ATSA conference assist the nominee in furthering their public policy/advocacy work?

Eligibility

Members and non-members of ATSA are eligible for this award. Members of the Awards Committee and the ATSA Board of Directors shall be ineligible for nomination.

Nomination Procedures

• Nominations must be made by an ATSA member.
• Nominations should be submitted to the Awards Committee Chair at awards@atsa.com.
• Please submit the email address and telephone number of the person you are nominating.
• Deadline for nominations is June 30, 2023.

Lifetime Significant Achievement Award nominations should include a detailed description of at least 3 of 5 areas below, as well as the nominee's current CV. Please also ensure that the second letter of support for this nomination is also included.

1. How has the nominee's research and publications contributed to the knowledge in our field?​
2. If the nominee is also a treatment provider or other service provider in the assessment and/or treatment of abusers, what significant contributions have they made to the evolution of best practices in evaluation and treatment?
3. How has the nominee's research contributed to informing policy analyses or evidence-based policy development?
4. How has the nominee played a role in advocating for evidence-based policy, practices, or human rights and social justice as it pertains to people who have abused?
5. How has the nominee contributed service to the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers, at the national, regional, state, and/or local levels?

The Distinguished Contribution Award nominations should include a detailed description of at least one of the areas below. Please note that we ask that you provide detailed information that truly highlights the nominee’s contribution in one or more of the areas listed as your words will be used to highlight his/her contribution at the conference and the reason the nominee is receiving the award as well as the nominee's current CV. Please also ensure that the second letter of support for this nomination is also included.

1. How has the nominee demonstrated excellent and innovative clinical skills that have engaged clients in the process of change and advanced the state of sex offender treatment?
2. What outstanding contributions has the nominee made in serving the community through dedicating their time, energy, knowledge, and skills to support/facilitate community safety and abuse prevention?
3. How has the nominee advanced the public understanding of relevant issues related to sexual abuse and offending as well as effective treatment and risk management through the press, television, or film?
4. What significant impact has the nominee had on the growth and development of professionals in the field through mentoring and clinical guidance to others?
5. In what ways has the nominee promoted advances in the effective management of sex offenders through other avenues, and disciplines?
6. Please submit the email address and telephone number of the person you are nominating,

Decision and Presentation

The Awards Committee will review the nominees and make recommendations to the ATSA Board of Directors, who will vote on the presentation of the Award to the most appropriate and deserving nominee. The recipient will be informed and the award will be presented as part of the conference program.

The Gail Burns-Smith Conference Scholarship & Award recognizes people who have made significant contributions to preventing sexual violence through their work to facilitate effective partnerships between advocates working on behalf of victims and survivors and those working in the area of sex offender management and treatment. This scholarship and award, named in honor of Gail Burns-Smith, a visionary woman who expanded the thinking and actions of two previously disconnected groups of professionals, is intended to ensure that this important collaboration is continued and expanded by other forward-thinking leaders. The scholarship and award are jointly sponsored by the Association for the Treatment & Prevention of Sexual Abuse (ATSA) and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), two organizations with similar missions and goals; honored to carry on the mission and vision of Gail Burns-Smith.

Nomination/Application Process:

Send the following information electronically to the Awards Committee Chair at awards@atsa.com:

• A biographical sketch/resume of the nominee.
• Description of the personal and professional qualities the nominee brings to their work or efforts and how they exemplify Gail’s efforts to facilitate effective partnerships between advocates working on behalf of victims/survivors and those working in the area of sex offender management and treatment.
• At least two letters of support in addition to the nomination letter. At least one of the letters must come from an individual outside the nominee's workplace (e.g. agency, organization, department, institution, practice).
• Please submit the email address and telephone number for the person you are nominating.

The deadline for submission is June 30, 2023. 

Click here to learn more about Past Award Winners.

The Fay Honey Knopp Scholarship serves as an opportunity for its recipient to have his/her ATSA conference fee waived. This scholarship is non-transferable. This scholarship does not provide funding for research projects. For those seeking research funding opportunities, please see the Research tab on the ATSA website.

Nomination/application process:

Send the following information electronically to the Awards Committee Chair at awards@atsa.com:

• A current copy of the nominee's CV.
• A letter of support about receiving the scholarship, including the impact of the scholarship on the nominee's work in the field of sexual abuse. It is suggested that the letter include:
• Current work the nominee is doing in the field of sexual abuse (e.g., researcher, therapist, program development, advocacy, etc).
• How attending the ATSA conference will contribute to the nominee's professional development and inform future work.
• Applicant must submit information demonstrating financial need.
• Please submit the email address and telephone number of the person you are nominating,
• The deadline for submission is June 30, 2023. 

 

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The ATSA Research Committee recognizes the outstanding achievement of an early career researcher. The ATSA Early Career Research Award is designed to recognize a scholar whose research has made an outstanding contribution to the understanding, management, or prevention of sexual abuse. It is open to any researcher, from any field, in any country, whose work is consistent with ATSA’s mission to prevent sexual abuse through sound research and education.

Award: 

• Recipient will receive an award plaque with an inscription.
• Recipient will receive financial assistance toward conference travel to accept the award.
• Recipient will receive their conference registration fee waived,
• Recipient will also receive tickets to the Speaker Event and Student Reception.

Eligibility: 

• The candidate’s Ph.D. (or other terminal degrees) was conferred no more than 10 years ago (independent of time spent on parental leave).
• The research contribution being recognized was not part of the candidate’s undergraduate or graduate studies.
• The award is not limited to those working in a university setting.
• The award is for research contributions only.
• An individual may only win this award once.
• No self-nominations are permitted.
• Applications will be considered annually, but the ATSA Research Committee is not compelled to grant the award every year.
• Members of the ATSA Research Committee, the ATSA Board of Directors, and the Editor-in-Chief of the ATSA journal Sexual Abuse are not eligible for this award.

Taken together, the scholar’s written work must demonstrate any of the following:

• A critical evaluation of extant research or policy that generates new directions or sets an agenda for future study.
• A compelling and innovative use of original research.
• A new evidence-informed theoretical perspective or integration of existing perspectives that increases our understanding.
• A novel empirically based approach in therapy, treatment, management, or intervention.
• A programmatic empirical investigation of a critical issue on sexual abuse.

Nomination/Application Process:

Send the following information electronically to the Awards Committee Chair at awards@atsa.com:

• Two (2) nomination letters, with at least one (1) nomination letter from an ATSA member (no more than 3 pages), that address the candidate’s research excellence and detail the contributions of the research and its impact on the understanding, management, or prevention of sexual abuse.
• A copy of the nominee’s Curriculum Vitae, edited to emphasize research accomplishments.
• Up to three (3) first-authored research publications in peer-reviewed journals that are representative of the candidate’s contributions to the field since graduate school.

The deadline for submission is June 30, 2023.  

If you have any questions or wish to make a nomination, please contact the Chair of the Research Committee via email at: awards@atsa.com

Graduate Student Award is presented to a graduate-level researcher completed whose research pertains to either sexual abusers or sexual abuse victims/survivors. The award winner will be selected by a panel of distinguished researchers who have produced some seminal work in this field. ATSA has developed this awards program with the intent of attracting research excellence to the assessment and treatment of individuals perpetrating or affected by sexual abuse.

Pre-Doctoral Research Grant This year, ATSA will provide funding for grants designated for student research. The total amount of grant monies available is $15,000. Applications requesting any amount up to this limit will be considered. More than one application can be funded until the full $15,000 has been awarded.

All funded awards must be processed through the official funding office of the applicant’s university (Some universities require that an office of sponsored research approve a grant proposal before it is submitted).

The ATSA Awards and Grants are not necessarily awarded annually. Each year the recipients will be chosen based on the number and quality of submissions.
 

Nomination/Application Process:

A complete description of the awards, the criteria, and the nomination procedure can be accessed by clicking on the appropriate links above.