2026 Estes Fund Unlocks New Skills With Mathematical Workshops

Image above: Peter Kvam (left) and Eric-Jan Wagenmakers (right).

Two summer schools focused on skills for cognitive modeling and mathematical psychology will each receive $20,000 grants through this year’s Estes Fund.

The William K. & Katherine W. Estes Fund was established to extend the legacy of Bill Estes, a trailblazing psychological scientist whose pioneering work had a profound influence on the field and earned him some of the nation’s highest scientific honors, including the National Medal of Science.

“The initiatives supported through the Estes Fund this year will help early career researchers catalyze career advancement and further the field of psychological science by strengthening methodological skills that will contribute to their scientific work in the years ahead,” said APS CEO Robert Gropp. “APS is thrilled to be able to support these important efforts and to collaborate with the Psychonomic Society in administering the Estes Fund.”

Jointly overseen by APS and the Psychonomic Society, the Estes Fund supports a variety of activities aimed at bolstering methodology in mathematical, quantitative, and experimental psychology and related areas.

Bill Estes was a major contributor to both organizations: He served on the founding committee that established the Psychonomic Society and later chaired its governing board. He was a charter member of APS and served as the founding editor of the APS journal Psychological Science.

“The Estes Fund goes much beyond honoring Bill Estes’ legacy and contributions to the founding of both societies,” said Fábio Leite, incoming executive director of the Psychonomic Society. “By funding innovative projects that strengthen the use of mathematical and computational bases and approaches in psychological science, it provides much appreciated support for measurable contributions toward robust methodology and expanded tool sets available to psychological scientists.”

Applications for the 2027 Estes Fund will open this summer. For more information, visit the webpage.

The latest funded projects are described below.

Peter Kvam

Ohio State University

Project Title: Unlocking New Horizons in Cognitive Modeling With Simulation-Based Inference
Grant Amount: $20,000
Project Description: Computational models are powerful tools in psychology, but many researchers find them difficult to use because they require specialized quantitative training and rely on complex statistical methods. The summer school will help address these barriers by teaching participants a newer approach called simulation-based inference, which combines deep learning with traditional cognitive modeling. Through lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on projects, participants will learn how these techniques can help researchers develop theories, analyze data, and better understand the mental processes behind behavior and brain activity. The workshop will be led by an international team of experts with experience in deep learning, statistical and computational modeling, software development, Bayesian analysis, neuroimaging, joint modeling, and the applications of these approaches to understanding the latent cognitive processes that govern behavior.

Apply for the summer school here.

Eric-Jan Wagenmakers

University of Amsterdam

Project Title: Bayesian Modeling of Speeded Decision Making
Grant Amount: $20,000
Project Description: For more than 50 years, an international network of European universities has organized an annual seminar on mathematical psychology. They have brought together early career researchers and leading scholars for an intensive week of learning and collaboration, often inspiring participants to pursue academic careers in the field. In 2026, the consortium plans to host a summer school with about 35 students from universities across the globe. The 2026 program will focus on models that explain how people make quick decisions, combining these theories with modern Bayesian statistical methods used in cognitive science research. Students will attend lectures, complete modeling exercises, and develop their own research projects.

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