Each academic college may nominate one outstanding thesis and one outstanding dissertation.
The Graduate College Awards Committee will review and rate all nominations. The awards committee will assign each thesis and dissertation into one of two broad categories based upon the Council of Graduate Schools/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation award competition. Category 1 will include social sciences, humanities and fine arts. Category 2 will include biological sciences, mathematics, physical sciences, health sciences and engineering.
Procedures
Eligible projects for this year's Outstanding Thesis and Outstanding Dissertation awards are those successfully defended between August 1, 2023, and August 1, 2024. Nominations are due to the Graduate College by December 1st, 2024. Students: Please see their college/school for their internal application deadline.
The College Dean's office will submit their nomination via the . The Dean/Associate Dean of each respective College/School will provide signature and approve the one nominee on the form. The nominations package must include:
- A PDF of the final, formatted and approved document (thesis or dissertation)
- A letter of nomination from the student's faculty mentor or department chair
Awards
In each category there is a $2,000 prize for the author of the Outstanding Dissertation, and a $1,500 prize for the author of the Outstanding Thesis. Winners will be announced in Spring and recognized at the UNLV Academic Recognition Ceremony & at the Graduate College Awards Ceremony.
Past Award Winners
Outstanding Thesis - STEM
Davis Cammann, Master of Science, Life Sciences,
The Genetic Relationship Between Peripheral Inflamation and Alzheimer's Disease
Outstanding Thesis - Non-STEM
Mohammed Jahama, Master of Arts, English
A Name No One Should Know
Outstanding Dissertation - STEM
Dr Jacqueline Phan, Doctor of Philosophy, Chemistry and Biochemistry
Poop! There It Is! Anti-germinants and Biological Variables as Modulators of Clostridioides Difficile Infection (CDI)
Outstanding Dissertation - Non-STEM
Dr. Christopher Wakefiled, Doctor of Philosophy, Sociology
The Invisible Stockade: Sex Offender Management, Governmentality, and the Search for Normal Life
Outstanding Thesis - STEM
Evan O'Neal, Master of Science, Geoscience
Outstanding Thesis - Non-STEM
Madison Wiese, Master of Arts, Communication Studies
Outstanding Dissertation - STEM
Suzanne Mulligan, Doctor of Philosophy, Geoscience
Outstanding Dissertation - Non-STEM
Edward Smith, Doctor of Philosophy, Clinical Psychology
Outstanding Thesis - STEM
Cale Seymour, Master of Science, Biological Sciences
Outstanding Thesis - Non-STEM
Maribel Estrada Calderon, Master of Arts, History
Outstanding Dissertation - STEM
Jeremy Smallwood, Doctor of Philosophy, Astronomy
Outstanding Dissertation - Non-STEM
Yen-Ling Chen, Doctor of Philosophy, Psychology
Cultural Mechanism of Mothers’ Perceptions of YouthPsychopathology
Outstanding Thesis - STEM
Lara Turello, Master of Science, Biochemistry
Outstanding Thesis - Non-STEM
Christopher Forepaugh, Master of Arts, Criminal Justice
Outstanding Dissertation - STEM
Ali Saber Sichani, Doctor of Philosophy, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Outstanding Dissertation - Non-STEM
Shae Cox, Doctor of Philosophy, History
Outstanding Thesis - STEM
Rachel Rahib, Master of Science, Geoscience
Outstanding Thesis - Non-STEM
Frank Johnson, Master of Fine Arts, Poetry, Creative Writing
Outstanding Dissertation - STEM
Joshua Sackett, Doctor of Philosophy, Life Sciences
Outstanding Dissertation - Non-STEM
Sarah McCarthy, Doctor of Philosophy, Early Childhood, Multilingual, and Special Education
Outstanding Thesis - STEM
Jacqueline Phan, Master of Science, Biochemistry
Outstanding Thesis - Non-STEM
Olufunke Ogundimu, Master of Fine Arts, Fiction, Creative Writing
Outstanding Dissertation - STEM
Leland Barker, Doctor of Philosophy, Kinesiology
Outstanding Dissertation - Non-STEM
Scot Ewen, Doctor of Philosophy, Science Education
Outstanding Thesis - STEM
Jeremy Smallwood, Master of Science, Astronomy 2018
Outstanding Thesis - Non-STEM
Sara Black, Master of Arts, History
Outstanding Dissertation - STEM
Tyler Stalbaum, Doctor of Philosophy, Mechanical Engineering
Outstanding Dissertation - Non-STEM
Cheryl Anderson, Doctor of Philosophy, Anthropology
Outstanding Thesis - STEM
Michael Steiner, Master of Science in Geoscience
Outstanding Thesis - Non-STEM
Jesse Cook, Master of Arts in English
Outstanding Dissertation - STEM
Janelle Droessler, Doctor of Philosophy in Radiochemistry
Outstanding Dissertation - Non-STEM
Margaret Huettl, Doctor of Philosophy in History