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IOA Research Awards

IOA has two annual research awards to encourage and recognize research that significantly adds to the body of knowledge on the organizational ombuds profession, practices, and professionals as outlined in IOA’s Research Agenda. Award recipients will receive monetary awards and recognition at the IOA Annual Conference. Award nominations will be accepted on a rolling basis.

Professional Research Award
Student Research Award

Professional Research Award

The IOA Professional Research Award recognizes and encourages research that addresses contemporary and emerging issues on the theory and practice of ombuds work from a wide variety of perspectives and methodologies. These awards recognize published research that significantly adds to the body of knowledge on the organizational ombuds profession, practices, and professionals as outlined in IOA’s Research Agenda.

Recipients will receive:

  • A monetary award of $250.00 USD
  • A plaque to be awarded at the following Annual Conference 

Eligibility:

  1. Any current IOA member who has independently conducted original research related to organizational ombuds work and has published that research in a peer-reviewed publication within the last five years. IOA membership at the time the research was conducted and/or published is not required.
  2. If the research was conducted by multiple individuals:
    1. At least one member of the research team must be an IOA member at the time of nomination.
    2. The nomination packet must be submitted by either that individual or another IOA member on the team.
    3. If the team is selected for an award, the monetary prize will go to the nominator.
    4. Previous recipients of this award are not eligible within two years of receiving the award and must submit new original research to be eligible.
    5. Current members of the Board of Directors and the Research and Assessment Committee are not eligible for consideration for this award but may be considered once their term expires.

Nomination Components:

  1. A nomination letter submitted by an IOA member who conducted the research
  2. A copy of the nominee’s publication
  3. A bibliography of works referenced, if not included in the publication
  4. A letter of reference supporting the nominee’s qualifications for the award which highlights how the nominee’s published research has generated discussion, impacted practice, and/or advanced the body of knowledge in ombuds practice.

Please submit nominations by email to:

                Research and Assessment Committee

                c/o International Ombuds Association

                [email protected]

                Subject: IOA Professional Research Award

Student Research Award

The IOA Student Research Award recognizes and encourages research conducted during an Undergraduate, Master's, or Doctoral program that significantly adds to the body of knowledge on the organizational ombuds profession, practices, and professionals as outlined in IOA’s Research Agenda. 

The Student Research Award may be awarded annually in three categories:

  1. Doctoral Degree Level (Dissertation or Final Paper for a course)
  2. Master’s Degree Level (Thesis or Final Paper for a course)
  3. Undergraduate Level – (Capstone or Final Paper for a course)

Recipients will receive:

  • A monetary award of $250.00 USD
  • A plaque to be awarded at the following Annual Conference 

Eligibility:

  1. Any individual (IOA member or not) who is completing or has recently (within one year) completed research at the Undergraduate, Master’s, or Doctoral level that significantly adds to the body of knowledge on organizational ombuds theory and practice is eligible.
  2. Submission must show consideration of a deeper understanding or recommendations for what ombuds practice is/should be. References from published literature on the field. APA.

Restrictions:

  1. Previous winners of this award are not eligible.
  2. Current members of the Board of Directors and the Research and Assessment Committee are not eligible for consideration for this award.  After their term expires, they may then be eligible.

Nomination Components:

  1. A nomination letter submitted by the individual who conducted the research (Please note whether Undergraduate, Masters or Doctoral)
  2. A final copy or draft of your student research proposal. It may be in the format required by your institution for thesis and/or dissertation proposals, but it must include the following components:
    1. Title
    2. Abstract (200 words or less)
    3. Statement of significance of study within the body of ombuds theory and practice
    4. Definition of key terms
    5. Statement of limitations of the study
    6. Design of the study
    7. Brief review of relevant literature
    8. Preliminary or actual findings, including implications for ombuds practice
    9. Schedule for completing the study (if not already completed)
    10. Note: You do not need to submit your entire dissertation or thesis. Only relevant pages or chapters are necessary.
  3. Letter from your program advisor, current supervisor, or faculty – a required component of the nomination materials submitted for this award is a signed support letter from your program advisor, supervisor or faculty stating that this student research project is worthy of award consideration.  This letter must be printed on institutional letterhead, signed by your program advisor, supervisor, or faculty, and e-mailed with your application no later than the deadline.

Please submit nominations by email to:

                Research and Assessment Committee

                c/o International Ombuds Association

                [email protected]

                Subject: IOA Student Research Award 

Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis.