The Graduate School has announced the 2026 winners of its professional and student awards. The awards recognize excellence in graduate academics, teaching and professional services.
The winners represent a dynamic community of students, scholars, teachers and administrators at the University.
“The winners are a testament to the quality of teaching, research and support in graduate education that transpires on the Forty Acres,” said Sarah Ades, senior vice provost for Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and dean of the Graduate School. “Each winner has done something extraordinary—the winners have conducted groundbreaking research and inspired others to discover their potential and enabled them to succeed.”
Candidates for the awards are nominated by individuals across campus, and winners are determined by selection committees composed of faculty and staff members and students.
These awards are generously underwritten by the University Co-op, and are presented at the annual Graduate School/University Co-op Awards Banquet each spring.
STUDENT AWARDS
Outstanding Dissertation Awards
The Outstanding Dissertation Awards were established in 1979 to recognize exceptional work and to encourage the highest levels of scholarship, research and writing. The Michael H. Granof Awards represent the university's top dissertations and are given in three categories: Humanities and Fine Arts, Mathematics, Engineering, Phsyical Sciences and Biological Life Sciences, and Social Sciences, Business and Education. The winners receive $10,000.
| Dylan Gilbert On Radioactivity: (lm)materiality in the Work of Alberto Burri and Yves Klein Italian Studies, College of Liberal Arts Supervisors Circe Sturm, Daniela Bini | |
| Ariel Chasen Centering Disability in Postsecondary STEM Education: Intersecting Identities, Divergent Perspectives, and Transformative Methodologies Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education, College of Education Supervisor Maura Borrego | |
| Dongseob Kim |
Outstanding Master’s Thesis/Report Award
The Outstanding Master’s Thesis/Report Award was established in 2003 by the Graduate School to recognize exceptional work by master’s students and to encourage the highest levels of scholarship, research and writing. The winner receives $5,000.
| Dalia Vazquez Mirando a Través de los Ojitos: Rural Communal Water Governance and Gendered Adaptations to Water Scarcity in San Isidro Canoas Altas, Estado de Puebla, Mexicos Geography and the Environment, College of Liberal Arts Supervisors Laurel Mei-Singh, Carlos E. Ramos Scharron |
Outstanding Graduate Student Academic Employee Award
The William S. Livingston Outstanding Graduate Student Academic Employee Awards honor outstanding performance by graduate student academic employees. The winners receive $5,000.
| Elise Brod | |
| Whitney Mosery |
PROFESSIONAL AWARDS
Outstanding Graduate Coordinator
Graduate coordinators are instrumental to the success of graduate students enrolled at the university. The Outstanding Graduate Coordinator Award recognizes the exemplary service of one coordinator each year. The winner receives $2,000.
| Jennifer Porras |
Outstanding Graduate Teacher
The Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award recognizes one faculty member for distinguished graduate teaching—including demonstrated excellence in the classroom or laboratory, mentorship of students and service to students’ thesis and dissertation committees. The winner receives $2,000.
| Allen MacDuffie |
Outstanding Graduate Adviser
Graduate advisers provide invaluable services to the university and its community of students, faculty and staff members. The Outstanding Graduate Adviser Award recognizes the exemplary service of one adviser each year. The winner receives $2,000.
| Laura Murphy |
Outstanding Mentoring Awards
The Graduate Student Mentoring and Postdoctoral Scholar Mentoring Awards honor and celebrate faculty members (tenure track, tenure, and professional track) who demonstrate outstanding mentorship of graduate students and/or postdoctoral scholars. The winners receive $2,000.
Graduate Student Mentoring Award
| Amelia Wolf |
Postdoctoral Scholar Mentoring Award
| Johann (Hans) Hofmann |