Call for Internal Nominations
The Western Association of Graduate Schools (WAGS) and University Microfilms International (UMI) are pleased to announce the 2024 WAGS/UMI Outstanding Innovation in Technology award.
This $1,500 award may be given either to a master’s thesis or to a doctoral dissertation and is intended to recognize the innovative application of technology to scholarship. Each member institution may submit one nomination for this award; internal UW submissions are due to the Graduate School by 5 p.m. PST, May 2, 2024.
Eligibility Requirements
This award may be given either to a master’s thesis or to a doctoral dissertation for the development of an innovative technology and its utilization for the creative solution of a major problem.
Each department can submit only one nomination. The UW Graduate School, in turn, will submit one nomination to the Western Association of Graduate Schools.
A nominee must have earned the master’s or doctoral degree within the period of July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024.
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
The following materials must be submitted electronically and combined into a single PDF, in this order:
- A non-technical summary prepared by the student (1,000-1,500 words) describing the research and how it demonstrates or resultated in the development of innovative technology in the conduct of scholarship. This summary should be directed to a general academic audience of non-specialists.
- An abstract of the nominee’s research (not to exceed ten double-spaced pages). Appendices containing nontextual materials, 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.
- Two nomination letters (not to exceed one page per letter): One letter from the department hear or major professor and one additional faculty member. The letters should include information regarding the significance of the study to the program of the degree granting unit, and the broader impact of the innovation on the knowledge base of the discipline.
- The nominee’s CV or resume (not to exceed five pages).
Step 3
The department chair, Graduate Program Advisor, or the Graduate Program Coordinator should submit the complete nomination file to graddean@uw.edu 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. Additionally, hard copy nominations will not be accepted.
Please save your file in this format:
NOMINEE_NAME – Nominating Department – Innovation in Tech Award – 2024.pdf
Ex: SONG, River – Astrobiology – Innovation in Tech Award – 2024.pdf
Criteria for selection
Initial screening will be based on:
- Originality of the study
- Scope and significance of the study
- Contribution to the discipline and/or profession
- Overall quality of the summary and abstract of the thesis or dissertation.
Note: Finalists may be asked to provide three complete copies of the thesis or dissertation.
Address nomination materials to:
Joy Williamson-Lott
Dean of The Graduate School
Questions?
Jerry Pangilinan, graddean@uw.edu
Executive Assistant to the Dean of The Graduate School