Call for Internal Nominations
The Western Association of Graduate Schools (WAGS) and University Microfilms International (UMI) are pleased to announce the 2025 WAGS/UMI Outstanding Innovation in Technology award.
This award is given for the development of innovative technology in a thesis or dissertation and its utilization for the creative solution of a major problem.
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 1, 2025.
Eligibility Requirements
This award recognizes distinguished scholarly achievement at the master’s or doctoral level.
Nominees must have successfully defended and submitted the final copy of their thesis or dissertation towards the master’s or doctoral degree within the period of July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025.
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 (no more than 1,000-1,500 words) describing the research and how it demonstrates or resulted in the development of innovative technology in the conduct of scholarship. This summary should be directed at a general academic audience of non-specialists. For more guidance, consult the Graduate School’s guide to “elevator speeches.”
- An abstract of the nominee’s research (not to exceed a maximum of ten double-spaced pages). Appendices containing nontextual materials (such as charts or tables) can be included as optional, 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, the contribution 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
Degree-granting units (as classified by MyGrad) are limited to only one nomination per award category. We will only accept nominations submitted by the department chair, Graduate Program Advisor or Graduate Program Coordinator. Please send nominations to graddean@uw.edu by 5 p.m. PST, May 1, 2025. This is a firm deadline; in fairness to all nominators, no exceptions or extensions will be granted. No incomplete nominations will be considered.
Please save your file in this format:
NOMINEE_NAME – Nominating Department – Innovation in Tech Award – 2025.pdf
Ex: SONG, River – Astrobiology – Innovation in Tech Award – 2025.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