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First presented in 1981 and sponsored jointly by CGS and ProQuest Dissertations Publishing (a Division of ProQuest Information and Learning), these awards are made each year to individuals who, in the opinion of the award committee, have completed dissertations representing original work that makes an unusually significant contribution to the discipline.

Two awards are given annually in two different broad areas (mathematics, physical sciences and engineering; and social sciences; and the biological sciences; and humanities and fine arts). Individuals must be nominated for these awards by a member institution, the  nominations will be accepted until June 30, 2022.

The fields off competition for this year are:

• Mathematics, Physical Sciences, and Engineering
• Social Sciences

2022 Call for Nominations

2022 Nomination Form

Past Award Winners

Anna M. Naranjo

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Distinguished Dissertation Award

These awards recognize outstanding and exceptional scholarship and research at the doctoral level. Nominations are due by 5 p.m. PST, May 2, 2024. Each recipient will receive an honorarium of $1,000 and will be publicly recognized by the Graduate School.  

Call for Nominations  

The Graduate School is pleased to announce the 2024 Distinguished Dissertation Awards competition in the following four categories:  

• Biological Sciences  
• Humanities and Fine Arts 
• Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Engineering* 
• Social Sciences* 

* CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award 2024 fields of competition  

These awards recognize outstanding and exceptional scholarship and research at the doctoral level. Nominations are due by 5 p.m. PST, May 2, 2024 . Each department can submit only one nomination per category.  

Eligibility  

The effective date of degree award must fall within the period of July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024, inclusive, for the nominee selected.  To be eligible, the nominee’s dissertation must be available in the ProQuest database.    

Formatting      

For all documents, fonts are to be no smaller than 11-point and margins no narrower than one inch.  We will strictly observe page-length limits and formatting guidelines.    

Nomination packet materials  

Step 1   

Please provide information about the nominee, the nominating department, etc. via this Microsoft Form .  

Step 2   

Combine the following materials into a single Adobe PDF file, observing the strict page length cap of each component:     

• A non-technical summary (NTS) addressing the purpose, methods, results of the research and its significance within the discipline of this dissertation. An NTS is a concise document that provides a description of the process and its findings in a manner that is both appealing to read and easily understood by the general public. The NTS must not exceed two pages, typed and double-spaced. Please include the nominee’s name and doctoral program on this page.  
• An abstract of the nominee’s dissertation (not to exceed five double-spaced pages).  Appendices containing other material–such as charts, tables, and/or references–may be included as additional pages.  All pages should be numbered, and each should bear the name of the nominee.  
• Three letters of recommendation evaluating the significance and quality of the nominee’s dissertation work. One of these letters is to be from the nominee’s dissertation supervisor, another from a member of the nominee’s dissertation committee, and the third from a person of the nominee’s choice.  
• The nominee’s curriculum vitae (not to exceed five pages) 

Step 3   

The department chair, graduate program advisor, or the graduate program coordinator should submit the complete nomination file c/o [email protected] by the deadline of 5 p.m. PST, May 2, 2024 . This is a firm deadline; in fairness to all nominators, no exceptions or extensions will be granted.   

Please save your file in this format:  

LASTNAMENOMINEE – Nominating Department – Dissertation – [Category] – 2024.pdf    

Ex:  SONG – Astrobiology – Dissertation – Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Engineering – 2024.pdf     

Criteria  

A Graduate School committee will select the award recipients. The nominated dissertations should represent original work that makes an unusually significant contribution to the disciplines.  

Both methodological and substantive quality will be judged. Nominations will be evaluated on the following:  

• Innovation: The degree of innovation, creativity and insight shown by the author.  
• Scope: The scope and importance of the work to the department and to the field.  
• Writing: The effectiveness of the writing (including whether it is written in language that is reasonably understandable to faculty in related disciplines).  

Awards  

Each recipient will receive an honorarium of $1,000 and will be publicly recognized by the Graduate School.  

Council of Graduate Schools Distinguished Dissertation Award national competition   

2024 UW Graduate Schools distinguished dissertation award materials will be forwarded to the Council of Graduate Schools/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award competition when the awardees’ dissertations fall within the current year’s fields of competition as the UW’s institutional nominations for this prestigious recognition.   

The 2024 fields of competition are Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Engineering and Social Sciences. Click here for more details about the CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award and for clarification regarding which fields/disciplines are included under the above categories. 

Address nomination materials c/o:  

Joy Williamson-Lott Dean of The Graduate School [email protected]

Jerry Pangilinan Assistant to the Dean [email protected]

The Graduate School

University information technology (uit), main navigation, cgs/proquest distinguished dissertation award.

Prize Amount: $500 and entrance in the CGS/ProQuest competition as an official University of Utah nominee

For: al l graduate students and graduates of the University of Utah who have defended an eligible dissertation

Due: Thursday, June 1, 2023

The CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award recognizes dissertations that represent original work that makes an unusually significant contribution to the discipline. Each year, CGS and ProQuest choose two discipline fields as categories for the award. This year’s categories are Biological Sciences/Life Sciences and Humanities and Fine Arts .

Students, administration, faculty, and staff may nominate dissertations for consideration.

Students chosen for the award from the University of Utah will receive $500 and be entered in the highly prestigious national CGS/ProQuest competition .

National CGS/ProQuest Competition

Two CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards, each consisting of an award of $2,000 and a certificate of recognition, will be presented at the CGS Annual Meeting Awards Luncheon in December 2023, in Washington, DC. Reasonable travel expenses of award recipients will be covered.

Individuals cannot apply separately to the national award. Only winners of the University of Utah nominating competition can be entered in the national competition.

Eligibility

• All graduate students and graduates of the University of Utah who have defended an eligible dissertation.
• A dissertation must have passed its defense (or be scheduled to defend) in the timeframe between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2023
• Categories 
• Biological Sciences/Life Sciences : biology; botany; zoology; ecology; embryology; entomology; genetics; nutrition; plant pathology; plant physiology; anatomy; biochemistry; biophysics; microbiology; pathology; pharmacology; physiology; and related fields (health sciences). Also included are agriculture, forestry, zoology; and related fields.
• Humanities and Fine Arts: history; philosophy; language; linguistics; literature; archaeology; jurisprudence; the history, theory and criticism of the arts; ethics; comparative religion; and those aspects of the social sciences that employ historical or philosophical approaches.

If a dissertation is multi- or interdisciplinary in nature, a significant portion of the work must be comprised by at least one of the 2023 fields of competition.

Applications

Nomination packets must contain:

• University of Utah Nomination Form
• An abstract of the nominee’s dissertation (not to exceed five double-spaced pages). Appendices containing other material, such as charts, tables, and/or references may be included as additional pages (not to exceed five pages).
• Nominee’s dissertation supervisor
• A member of the nominee’s dissertation committee
• A person of the nominee’s choice
• The nominee’s curriculum vitae (not to exceed five pages).

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Thursday, June 1, 2023

Submit applications through Academic Works

CGS/ProQuest Dissertation NOMINATION FORM

• Graduate School
• Award Opportunities

CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award

Annual value, citizenship, degree level.

Sponsored jointly by Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) and ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, these dissertation awards are made annually to individuals who, in the opinion of the award committee, have completed dissertations representing original work that makes an unusually significant contribution to their disciplines.

Graduate programs may submit up to two nominations: one in Mathematics, Physical Sciences, and Engineering , and one in Social Sciences . UBC will forward one nominee in each category to the international competition (open to all institutions who are members of the Council of Graduate Schools in the US and Canada).

Two CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards, each consisting of an award of $2,000 and a certificate of recognition, will be presented at the CGS Annual Meeting Awards Luncheon in December 2024 in St. Louis, Missouri.  Reasonable travel expenses of award recipients will be covered.

Eligibility

• The effective date of degree award, or the completion of doctoral degree requirements and dissertation, must fall in the period of July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2024, inclusive, for each nominee selected.
• Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Engineering: Mathematics, statistics, computer sciences, data processing, systems analysis, chemistry, earth sciences, physics, geology, meteorology, astronomy, metallurgy, geophysics, pharmaceutical chemistry; aeronautical, architectural, biomedical, ceramic, chemical, civil, and electrical engineering sciences; environmental health engineering; geological, mechanical, mining, nuclear, and petroleum engineering.
• Social Sciences: agricultural economics, geography, anthropology, archaeology, economics, education, sociology, government (political science), demography, and psychology. Please note that for purposes of this competition, history is classed within the humanities and is not a field of competition this year.
• If a dissertation is multi- or interdisciplinary in nature, a significant portion of the work must be comprised by at least one of the 2024 fields of competition.

Note: The CGS/ProQuest Award operates on a two-year cycle in regard to fields of competition. The fields of competition for 2025 will be Biological and Life Sciences, and Humanities and Fine Arts.

Evaluation Criteria

The nominated dissertations should represent original work making an unusually significant contribution to the disciplines. Both methodological and substantive quality will be judged.

Application Procedures

• Applicants should consult their graduate program for their internal application deadline.
• An abstract of the applicant’s dissertation (not to exceed 5 double-spaced pages). Appendices containing nontextual material, such as charts or tables, may be included as additional pages. All pages should be numbered, and each should bear the name of the nominee.
• Three letters of recommendation evaluating the significance and quality of the applicant’s dissertation work. One of these letters is to be from the applicant's dissertation supervisor, another from a member of the applicant's dissertation committee, and the third from a person of the applicant's choice.
• The applicant’s curriculum vitae (not to exceed 5 pages).

Nomination Procedures

The CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award is very competitive - PhD dissertations from universities across North America are forwarded to this competition. UBC graduate programs are strongly encouraged to only forward nominations that are competitive with those from top PhDs throughout North America. A list of recent awardees is available from the CGS website . 

The deadline for graduate programs to submit nominations to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies is 4:00 pm PT on Friday, June 14, 2024.

Graduate programs may submit up to two nominations: one in Biological Sciences/Life Sciences, and one in Humanities and Fine Arts.

• nomination form , completing the first section "Information about the Nominee" (leave the rest of the form blank)
• application materials listed in the "Application Procedures" section of this webpage above
• Filename: "CGS_Program_LastName_FirstName.pdf".  For example, the nomination file for student Jane Smith from Mathematics would be named "CGS_MATH_Smith_Jane.pdf".

Further Information

Please see the CGS website for additional information.

For questions, please contact Joan Toledo ( [email protected] ).

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Cgs/proquest distinguished dissertation awards, award overview.

• Award Category: Completion Awards , Doctoral Awards
• Application Dates : Spring
• Value & Duration : Two CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards, each consisting of an honorarium of $2,000 and a certificate of citation, will be presented at the annual meeting of the Council of Graduate Schools. Reasonable travel expenses of the recipients will also be paid.
• Level of Study : Doctoral
• Required Legal Status : Domestic / International

The CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards recognize Canadian doctoral dissertations that represent original work, making an unusually significant contribution to their disciplines. Two awards are given annually in rotating fields of study. Both methodological and substantive quality of the dissertation will be judged.

Two awards are given annually in two different broad areas (mathematics, physical sciences and engineering; and social sciences; and the biological sciences; and humanities and fine arts).

The 2023 fields of competition are:

• Biology and Life Sciences
• Humanities and Fine Arts

Eligibility

All applicants must have completed and had their dissertation accepted by SGS between July 1 (up to two years earlier) and June 30 of the competition year.

Nomination Process

Application is by nomination through the  Governor General’s Gold Medals competition .

Contacts & Resources

For further details and/or if you have questions about this award competition, please visit the CGS website or contact:

Graduate Awards Office School of Graduate Studies [email protected] 416-978-2150

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CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award

Sponsored jointly by CGS and ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, the Distinguished Dissertation Award is made annually to individuals who, in the opinion of the award committee, have completed dissertations representing original work that makes an unusually significant contribution to the discipline. Award recipients receive an honorarium of $2,000 and a certificate of recognition, presented at the annual meeting of the Council of Graduate Schools, December 4-7, 2024, in St. Louis, Missouri. Reasonable travel expenses of the recipients will be paid by the CGS.

Eligibility guidelines

The effective date of degree awarded must fall in the period of July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2024 .

K-State will select one nominee for each of the two award categories described below. Graduate program directors should determine the category in which their nominee's work fits best. Nominations from fields of study not listed below are welcome for submission so long as the nature of the dissertation work fits within one of the two competition categories. Awards will be presented in Biological/Life Sciences and Humanities/Fine Arts in 2025.

1) Social Sciences The following list, although not all-inclusive, illustrates the fields considered as Social Sciences by the CGS: agricultural economics, geography, anthropology, archaeology, economics, education, sociology, government (political science), demography, and psychology. (For purposes of this competition, history is considered with the humanities.)

2) Engineering/Math/Physical Sciences The following list, although not all-inclusive, illustrates the field considered as Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Engineering by the CGS: mathematics, statistics, computer sciences, data processing, systems analysis, chemistry, earth sciences, physics, geology, meteorology, astronomy, metallurgy, geophysics, pharmaceutical chemistry; aeronautical, architectural, biomedical, ceramic, chemical, civil, and electrical engineering sciences; environmental health engineering; geological, mechanical, mining, nuclear, and petroleum engineering. (For purposes of this competition, engineering technologies are not included).

Nomination instructions

Nomination deadline: May 1, 2024

Each graduate program may submit one nomination in each award category.

The following materials are to be uploaded in the online nomination form accessible below:

• Not to exceed five pages, typed, double-spaced on 8.5" by 11" pages.
• Appendices containing non-textual material, such as charts or tables, may be included as additional pages (not to exceed five pages).
• All pages should be numbered, and each should bear the name of the nominee.
• Use of headings to identify major sections of the abstract is encouraged.
• One of these letters is to be from the nominee's dissertation supervisor (major professor).
• Another letter is to be from a member of the nominee's doctoral supervisory committee.
• The third letter is to be from a person of the nominee's choice.
• The nominee's curriculum vitae (not to exceed five pages)

The Graduate School will begin accepting nominations from January 16 th .

Selection criteria

Objective selection criteria are not provided by the CGS. The primary criteria presented by the CGS are that, "The nominated dissertations should represent original work making an unusually significant contribution to the discipline. Both methodological and substantive quality will be judged." Thus, the abstract and the letters of recommendation should emphasize the "unusually significant contribution" that is made by the dissertation.

The abstract should provide a summary of the dissertation work that includes relevant background research, the work's purpose, primary hypotheses/research questions, methodology, results related to primary hypotheses, and conclusions.

We also strongly recommend that the abstract is written in a manner that can be understood by a broad audience. Nominations will be reviewed by individuals with research backgrounds related, though not identical, to the nominee's area of research. Therefore, it is important that the work is summarized in a way that can be understood by individuals who are not experts in the nominee's specific field or area of research.

Deadlines and award selection timeline

Award cycle, award categories.

Humanities The following list, although not all-inclusive, illustrates the fields considered as Humanities/Fine Arts by the CGS: history; philosophy; language; linguistics; literature; archaeology; jurisprudence; the history, theory and criticism of the arts; ethics; comparative religion; and those aspects of the social sciences that employ historical or philosophical approaches. If the dissertation is multi- or interdisciplinary in nature, at least one of these fields should comprise a significant portion of the work.

Biological and Life Sciences The following list, although not all-inclusive, illustrates the field considered as Biological and Life Sciences by the CGS: biology; botany; zoology; ecology; embryology; entomology; genetics; nutrition; plant pathology; plant physiology; anatomy; biochemistry; biophysics; microbiology; pathology; pharmacology; physiology; and related fields. Also included are agriculture, forestry, and related fields. If the dissertation is multi- or interdisciplinary in nature, at least one of these fields should comprise a significant of the work.

Social Sciences The following list, although not all-inclusive, illustrates the fields considered as Social Sciences by the CGS: agricultural economics, geography, anthropology, archaeology, economics, education, sociology, government (political science), demography, and psychology. (For purposes of this competition, history is considered with the humanities.)

Engineering, Mathematics, and Physical Sciences The following list, although not all-inclusive, illustrates the field considered as Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Engineering by the CGS: mathematics, statistics, computer sciences, data processing, systems analysis, chemistry, earth sciences, physics, geology, meteorology, astronomy, metallurgy, geophysics, pharmaceutical chemistry; aeronautical, architectural, biomedical, ceramic, chemical, civil, and electrical engineering sciences; environmental health engineering; geological, mechanical, mining, nuclear, and petroleum engineering. (For purposes of this competition, engineering technologies are not included).

KSU nominees and award recipients

Questions about the nomination process for this award may be directed to Miranda Schremmer, [email protected], 532-6191.

• Updated: 1/11/24

CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards

This award is sponsored jointly by the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) and ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, a division of ProQuest Information and Learning .

The University of Cincinnati selects one student per category to nominate for the CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award. Two awards are given annually in two of four different broad categories: Biological Sciences/Life Sciences; Humanities and Fine Arts; Social Sciences; and Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Engineering.

Current Award Cycle (Summer 2024)

The Graduate College is accepting nominations for the CGS (Council of Graduate Schools)/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award from programs, faculty, and students. The students chosen by the Graduate College selection committee to represent UC in the 2024 CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award competition will each receive a $350 prize. Should either of the UC nominees win the national competition, the student will receive an award of $2,000, plus reasonable travel expenses to attend the CGS Annual Meeting Awards Luncheon on December 2024, in St. Louis, Missouri.

Mathematics/Physical Sciences/Engineering programs and Social Sciences programs

The Graduate College may nominate one student from each category (Mathematics/Physical Sciences/Engineering category and Social Sciences category) to represent UC in the 2024 CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award competition. We request that you submit to us your best students who have graduated between July 1, 20 22  and June 30, 20 24  (a two-year period). It is important to note that the nominated dissertations must be available in the ProQuest database.

• Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Engineering: Mathematics, statistics, computer sciences, data processing, systems analysis, chemistry, earth sciences, physics, geology, meteorology, astronomy, metallurgy, geophysics, pharmaceutical chemistry; aeronautical, architectural, biomedical, ceramic, chemical, civil, and electrical engineering sciences; environmental health engineering; geological, mechanical, mining, nuclear, and petroleum engineering.
• Social Sciences: agricultural economics, geography, anthropology, archaeology, economics, education, sociology, government (political science), demography, and psychology.  Please note that for purposes of this competition, history is classed within the humanities and is not a field of competition this year.

Please contact Megan Carroll ( [email protected] ) with questions. 

Application Guidelines

The nomination application must include:

• An abstract of the nominee’s dissertation (not to exceed 5 double-spaced pages). Appendices containing other materials, such as charts, tables, and/or references, may be included as additional pages (not to exceed 5 pages). All pages should be numbered, and each should bear the name of the nominee.
• Three letters of recommendation evaluating the significance and quality of the nominee’s dissertation work, are to be included in the nomination materials. One of these letters is to be from the nominee’s dissertation supervisor , another from a member of the nominee’s dissertation committee , and the third from a person of the nominee’s choice .
• The nominee’s curriculum vitae (not to exceed 5 pages).

Nomination applications for Mathematics/Physical Sciences/Engineering students and Social Sciences students are due no later than 5 p.m., Friday, May 31, 2024 . Please see the submission guidelines below for details . The two dissertations selected to represent UC in the national competition will be announced by June 21, 2024.

Advice for Writing and Compiling Materials for the Application Packet

Based on feedback from previous selection committees, here are some tips for students and faculty preparing an application packet:

• Both students and letter writers should keep in mind that they are writing for a general audience . These categories cover a broad range of programs and disciplines, so there is no guarantee that your material will be reviewed by someone from your specific field.
• Both students and letter writers should make it abundantly clear what the impact of the student's dissertation work is within the field . Once again, keep in mind that your materials may be reviewed by someone outside your field. What may be obvious to you in terms of the work's impact may not be clear to the outside reviewer unless it is explicitly stated.
• Consider the abstract to be a professional text and include the appropriate citations.
• Provide a structure for this extended abstract, such as an introduction with an objective, the aims or goals of the work, results and future work. You do not need to use this exact structure, but composing the abstract with sections and headings is highly recommended.
• While the abstract must be 5 pages or fewer of text, you are allowed to include additional information such as figures, tables, references and a brief CV. However, please make sure that all of these additional materials are necessary.

Submission Guidelines

All nomination materials for Mathematics/Physical Sciences/Engineering students and Social Sciences students must be submitted electronically, via this form (https://form.jotform.com/241166144257151) by 5 p.m., Friday, May 31, 2024 . Incomplete and late submissions will be rejected.

If you have a student you wish to nominate now for next year's categories (Biological Sciences/Life Sciences category and Humanities and Fine Arts category), please contact Megan Carroll at [email protected] .

Please direct any questions to Megan Carroll at [email protected] .

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Council of Graduate Schools/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award

Sponsored jointly by the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) and ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, these dissertation awards are made annually to individuals who, in the opinion of the Award Committee, have completed dissertations representing original work that make an unusually significant contribution to their disciplines.

Award Information

UB has been invited to submit one nomination in the field of Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Engineering and one nomination in the field of Social Sciences. A selection committee will decide on the nomination to be put forward from UB for each category.

Two CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards, each consisting of an award of $2,000 and a certificate of recognition, will be presented at the CGS Annual Meeting Awards Luncheon in December 2024, in St. Louis, Missouri. Reasonable travel expenses of award recipients will be covered.

Nominations for the 2024 award will be accepted through June 3.

Fields of Competition

There are two broad fields of competition for the 2024 dissertation awards. Under each broad field, we provide a non-inclusive list of fine fields that are considered to belong to the broader fields under consideration.

• Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Engineering : mathematics, statistics, computer sciences, data processing, systems analysis, chemistry, earth sciences, physics, geology, meteorology, astronomy, metallurgy, geophysics, pharmaceutical chemistry; aeronautical, architectural, biomedical, ceramic, chemical, civil and electrical engineering sciences; environmental health engineering; geological, mechanical, mining, nuclear, and petroleum engineering.
• Social Sciences : agricultural economics, geography, anthropology, archaeology, economics, education, sociology, government (political science), demography, and psychology. Please note that for the purposes of this competition, history is classed within the humanities and is not a field of competition this year.

If a dissertation is multi- or interdisciplinary in nature, a significant portion of the work must be comprised by at least one of the 2024 fields of competition.

Eligibility Criteria

The effective date of the degree awarded, or the completion of doctoral degree requirements and dissertation, must lie in the period of July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2024.

This year, the Graduate School is accepting nominations from the following fields of competition:

• Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Engineering
• Social Sciences

Nomination Package Requirements

A complete nomination package includes the following four components in the order of:

• A completed nomination form.
• An abstract of the nominee's dissertation (not to exceed five double-spaced pages). Appendices containing nontextual material, such as charts or tables, and/or references may be included in additional pages (not to exceed five pages). All pages should be numbered, and each should bear the name of the nominee.
• Three letters of recommendation evaluating the significance and quality of the nominee's dissertation work. One of these letters is to be from the nominee's dissertation supervisor, another from a member of the nominee's dissertation committee, and the third from a person of the nominee's choice.
• The nominee's curriculum vitae (not to exceed five pages).

CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award

First presented in 1981 and sponsored jointly by CGS and ProQuest, part of Clarivate, these awards are made each year to individuals who, in the opinion of the award committee, have completed dissertations representing original work that makes an unusually significant contribution to the discipline.

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Council of Graduate Schools (CGS)/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award

The College of Arts and Sciences is seeking nominations for the  2024 Council of Graduate Schools (CGS)/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award . Full details about the award can be found on the  CGS website . The fields for this year’s awards are:  1) Mathematics, Physical Sciences, and Engineering  and 2) Social Sciences . In each category, only one institutional nominee can be selected.  We will use the following timeline/process:

• Submit nomination materials electronically to Dr. Brian Orefice ( [email protected] ), Assistant Dean, Graduate Studies.
• ASC nominations will be competing with nominations from other colleges in each category, so the Graduate School will identify the institutional nominee. 
• Nominees must have had their doctoral degree awarded between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2024.
• An abstract of the nominee’s dissertation (not to exceed 5 double-spaced pages).  Appendices containing other material, such as charts, tables, and/or references may be included as additional pages. All pages should be numbered, and each should bear the name of the nominee.
• Three letters of recommendation letter evaluating the significance and quality of the nominee’s dissertation work. One letter is to be from the nominee’s dissertation supervisor, another from a member of the nominee’s dissertation committee, and the third from a person of the nominee’s choice.
• The nominee’s curriculum vitae (not to exceed five pages).
• Monday, June 24 – Nominations due from College of Arts and Sciences to the Graduate School
• Wednesday, July 3 – Graduate School submits materials to CGS

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About the Award

The CAGS-ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award recognizes Canadian doctoral dissertations that make unusually significant and original contributions to their academic field. They were established in 1994 and are presented annually by the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies (CAGS), with sponsorship support provided by ProQuest. Winners of this award will be granted a $1,500 cash prize, a certificate of recognition, and an opportunity to attend the 62nd Annual CAGS Conference, to be held in Toronto, Ontario, in November 2024.

We invite submissions of dissertations in both official languages.

This year, a first place winner will be selected from each of the following categories:

• Engineering, Medical Sciences, and Natural Sciences
• Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences

Eligibility

Eligible Dissertations include:

• A dissertation in any discipline in engineering, medical sciences, and natural sciences completed and accepted by the Graduate School between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023.
• A dissertation in any discipline in the fine arts, humanities, and social sciences completed and accepted by the Graduate School between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023.

Note : In interdisciplinary domains or in fields that overlap the two broad areas in which the prizes are given, the Dean of Graduate Studies must decide for which prize it is appropriate to submit the dissertation.

Note : To be eligible, dissertations must be disseminated in full text format via the ProQuest Dissertation & Thesis Global database (PQDT Global), prior to jury selection.

Nomination Procedure

Member institutions may submit two nominations – one for each category of award.

Each nomination must include:

• A description of the process used to select the nominee;
• The name and departmental affiliation of the nominee’s research supervisor;
• The name and affiliation of the external examiner;
• The date of the defence and the date of final acceptance of the dissertation by the Graduate School (the date at which the final copy of the thesis, including all required corrections, is submitted to the graduate school).
• Note: all applications must be submitted by the Dean of Graduate Studies (or equivalent) or by a representative of their office.
• A letter from the student’s supervisor or program director describing the reasons for the nomination, and why the dissertation constitutes a significant piece of original work.
• A copy of the external examiner’s pre-defence report. The examiner’s report must be dated and signed or otherwise authenticated by the Dean of Graduate Studies.
• An abstract of the dissertation, not exceeding 350 words, written by the candidate in non-technical language (the candidate should also be aware of their nomination for the award and provide the information in items 4 and 5; should this not be possible the reasons must be given in the letter from the dean).
• An up-to-date c.v. of the nominee.
• The name and coordinates of the person to contact for questions relating to the nomination.

Submission Period

CAGS is accepting nomination packages for the 2024 CAGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award during the period 1 February – 2 April 2024. Complete nomination packages should be submitted electronically in a single file (PDF) to [email protected] by 4:00 PM (ET) on Tuesday, 2 April 2024. Please send separate files for each award category, and include “CAGS-ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award” in the subject line.

Dr. Sabrina Rondeau, School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph

Dr. Célia Romulus, Department of Political Studies, Queen’s University

Dr. Stephanie Ross, Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University

Dr. Zachary Witkower, Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia

Dr. Ugo Gilbert Tremblay, Department of Law, University of Montreal

Dr. Qinzhe Zhang, Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications Research Centre (EMT), Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS)

Dr. Ina Anreiter, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto

Dr. Hannah Kia, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto

Dr. Janelle Marie Baker, Anthropology Department, McGill University

Dr. Soren Mellerup, Department of Chemistry, Queen’s University

Dr. Ashley Whillans, Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia.

Dr. Christian Reimer, Department of Physics, National Institute for Scientific Research (INRS)

Dr. Boyang Zhang, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Toronto.

Dr. Leila Qashu, Department of Ethnomusicology, Memorial University.

Dr. Douglas Hunter, Department of History, York University.

Dr. Drew Higgins, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo.

Dr. Bree Akesson, School of Social Work, McGill University.

Dr. Michelle (Tonkin) Parker, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria.

Dr. Eric Weissman, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Concordia University.

Dr. Daniel Boyce, Department of Biology, Dalhousie University.

Dr. Laura Bisaillon, Department of Population Health, University of Ottawa.

Dr. Aaron Shafer, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta.

• ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award

The Canadian Association for Graduate Studies Announces Winners of 2023 CAGS-ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award

2023 CAGS-ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award Winner – Fine Arts, Humanities and Social...

The Canadian Association for Graduate Studies Announces Winners of 2022 CAGS-ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award

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