Callum Cooper wins the Schmeidler Outstanding Student Award for 2014

Callum Cooper, Associate Lecturer in Parapsychology and PhD candidate at the University of Northampton has been named as the winner of this year’s Schmeidler Outstanding Student Award by the Parapsychological Association.

The annual award goes to a student who excels academically and makes early contributions to the field through conference presentations, research or involvement in one or more of the organisations of the field, and/or who has overcome practical difficulties to study parapsychology.

Callum holds degrees in psychology and social science research methods. As well as being a PhD candidate, he also lectures on Parapsychology, Thanatology and Human Sexual Behaviour. His PhD is investigating post-death experiences during bereavement and the effects they have on percipients, and what cognitive mechanisms are promoted from such experiences to aid recovery.

He is the author of Telephone Calls from the Dead, contributor/editor to Conversations with Ghosts with Dr Alex Tanous and the co-editor of Paracoustics with Steve Parsons, which is soon to be released. He has produced over two dozen published articles and papers in parapsychology and holds a host of research awards including the Eileen J. Garrett Scholarship (Parapsychology Foundation, USA) and the Alex Tanous Scholarship Award (Alex Tanous Foundation for Scientific Research, USA).

Callum frequently guest lectures in parapsychology throughout the UK and USA, as well as contributing to radio and TV as a representative for parapsychology.

His is a member of organisations, such as the Society for Psychical Research (and on the Survival Research Committee), the Parapsychological Association (Student Member) and the Centre for the Study of Anomalous Psychological Processes (CSAPP, University of Northampton).

Callum commented: ”It is an honour to receive this award as I have been conducting research and writing pieces on parapsychology in and outside of University for a number of years. It is a real motivational boost to have your efforts recognised in such a way, I am just truly grateful to my peers who voted for me.

“This may even be inspirational to other students within the University of Northampton. Parapsychology is one of the most popular Third Year choices for undergraduates in psychology.  This last academic year saw just over 60 students take on the module.  We have even had students from the USA join us and enrol in psychology as an undergraduate course, just so that they could immerse themselves in parapsychology, to discuss and research the subject with people of similar interests and passion.  It’s great to see!”
Professor Chris Roe, Research Leader in Psychology at the University of Northampton, commented: “Callum is the third CSAPP PhD student to receive this prestigious international award following Glenn Hitchman in 2013 and Christine Simmonds-Moore in 2002. It is gratifying that the high quality and hard work of our students has been recognised in this way. Callum is a very worthy winner. He is less than half way though his PhD studies but already has an enviable record of publications and conference presentations. He has built up a strong network of academic contacts that will see him in good stead when he begins his postdoctoral career.”​

Find out more about the Parapsychological Association Annual Awards