Kinesiology doctoral candidate Alison Phillips has been awarded a 2015 Graduate Student Research Grant from the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity (NASPSPA). The award will be presented at the organization’s annual meeting in Portland, OR, on June 5. Phillips, whose emphasis is in the psychosocial aspects of youth sport and other performance domains, was recognized for her dissertation work titled, “Friendship quality and motivational outcomes in sport and music during early  adolescence.” Phillips is one of two students who were awarded the $1195 grant out of a field of nine applicants .

NASPSPA awards the research grants annually to promote and support the scholarly activity of graduate student members of the organization. Submissions are judged based on three criteria: the research question must be original, innovative, and important, and must be consistent with the purpose of NASPSPA ; the student must be the primary investigator on the project; and the student must demonstrate the potential benefits to her or his education and future collaboration prospects.

The Society is a multidisciplinary association of scholars from the behavioral sciences and related professions and functions to (a) develop and advance the scientific study of human behavior when individuals are engaged in sport and physical activity, (b) facilitate the dissemination of information, and (c) improve the quality of research and teaching in the psychology of sport, motor development, and motor learning and control.

Phillips’ major advisor is Dr. Maureen Weiss, a professor of kinesiology with an emphasis in youth development through sport and physical activity.