Robert Roe Memorial Award

1. Purpose of the award

The Robert Roe Memorial Award is focused on European psychology and making a difference to society.  The award recognises psychologists whose work contributes towards making a better society by demonstrating the relevance of psychological knowledge and achieving impact in society, communicating psychological science for societal benefit, or using psychological science for public policy influencing. 

2. History

The Robert A. Roe Award was initiated by EFPA, The European Association of Work and Organisational Psychology EAWOP, the Department of Organization Studies of Maastricht University, and the Research Institute IDOCAL of University of Valencia as a memorial award to Robert Roe who died in 2016.

Robert Roe was President of EFPA from 2009 to 2015. He had throughout his career been instrumental and influential in bringing Psychologists across Europe together.  He was one of the founders of EAWOP (one of EFPA’s Associate Members), and emphasized that psychologists should focus on how the discipline can contribute towards making a better society.   

3. Profile of the award

The award will be made to a European psychologist or a team of European psychologists working in an institution in Europe (Europe being understood as a country that is a member state of the Council of Europe) who has:

• Through the impact of their research or practice work demonstrated the relevance of psychological knowledge for society.
• Communicated psychological science for societal benefit.
• Used psychological science for public policy influencing.
• Made an outstanding contribution to bringing psychologists from all over Europe together, either from a scientific, professional, practical, or policy-making perspective.   

As well as academic or practitioner psychologists, the award is open for example to psychologists working as a journalist, communications person, or policy person.  It is also open to psychologists whose research has been translated into an effective tool in these respects.  Psychologists at any career stage may be nominated for the award. 

EFPA would like to encourage a wide field of applications, and for a diverse group of people from across psychology to have the opportunity and feel encouraged and welcome to come forward, including those who may not normally consider such award schemes are for them.  The award is open to all who meet the criteria, inclusive of all personal characteristics and from across European countries. 

The Robert Roe Award is awarded during the European Congress of Psychology by the President of EFPA, this may be a virtual or in-person attendance depending on circumstances. 

4. Awarding procedure and nominations

The award will be made in accordance with the European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations ‘Process for granting awards’.  Information about how to nominate for this award is here.

5. Previous Robert Roe award recipients

EFPA congratulates once more the recipients over the years whose names are recorded below: