The Martin Nunn Prize
The Martin Nunn Prize is an annual award recognising outstanding student research in speech-language therapy that focuses on the impact of acquired communication difficulties. This prize honours the memory of Martin Nunn and supports students who are committed to making a meaningful difference in the lives of people affected by these conditions.
About the Prize
The Martin Nunn Trust for Research into Acquired Communication Difficulties established this prize to encourage innovative research that explores the 'whole of life' aspects of acquired communication difficulties—how they affect employment, relationships, parenting, friendships, community engagement, and psycho-social wellbeing.
We believe that the most impactful research centres the voices and lived experiences of people with acquired communication difficulties and their families. This prize celebrates students who prioritise these perspectives in their work.
Eligibility
The Martin Nunn Prize is open to students undertaking the MScPrac for speech-language therapy at The University of Auckland who complete a research project as part of their qualification.
To be eligible, projects must have achieved at least a B+ grade or equivalent.
Award criteria
The Martin Nunn Prize recognises research projects that demonstrate excellence across the following criteria:
- Whole of life impact: The research explores how acquired communication difficulties affect various aspects of daily life, such as employment, relationships, parenting, friendships, community engagement, and psycho-social wellbeing.
- Lived experience: The research meaningfully considers the perspectives and experiences of people with acquired communication difficulties and/or their families and friends.
- Participatory research: The research prioritises the inclusion of people with acquired communication difficulties in the design and implementation of the study, ensuring their voices shape the research process.
- Practice implications: The research findings have clear relevance and implications for speech-language therapists and other professionals working with people who have acquired communication difficulties.
Selection process
Projects are reviewed by the Trustees of the Martin Nunn Trust through a rigorous and fair evaluation process:
- Eligible students submit both lay and technical abstracts of their research projects to The University of Auckland.
- Abstracts are de-identified and forwarded to the Trustees for independent review.
- Each Trustee independently evaluates projects against the four award criteria, assigning scores from 0 (does not meet) to 3 (fully meets) for each criterion, with a maximum total score of 12 points.
- The Trustees meet to discuss the submissions and determine the prize recipient(s). At least two qualified speech-language therapists participate in the selection process.
- The University is notified of the winning project(s), and the winning student's name is provided to the Trust.
Award and recognition
Prize recipients receive:
- A monetary prize transferred directly to the winner
- An official certificate of achievement
- Recognition at a face-to-face awards ceremony
- Opportunity for their research to be featured in relevant publications and media, such as Communication Matters and University of Auckland publications
Winners are formally notified and provided with details for receiving their award and certificate.
Questions?
For more information about the Martin Nunn Prize or the application process, please contact The University of Auckland's speech-language therapy program or reach out to the Martin Nunn Trust.