Graduate School

Joukowsky Outstanding Dissertation Prize

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Joukowsky Outstanding Dissertation Prize

The Joukowsky Family Foundation Outstanding Dissertation Award is an annual prize awarded by the Graduate School for superior achievements in research by students who are completing their Ph.Ds.

A graduate stands smiling beside a podium holding a black case with the Brown logo, while a presenter in academic regalia addresses the audience from a Brown University podium.Supported through the generosity of the Joukowsky Family Foundation, the awards are usually given to four students per year, one from each of the four main areas: the humanities, the life sciences, the physical sciences, and the social sciences. The award and an honorarium are given out at the Graduate School Commencement ceremony.

All dissertations nominated for the Dissertation Award are reviewed by the Graduate Council, which also makes final determinations regarding the winners.

Nomination Process and Requirements

  • Nominations should be made through UFunds, found under the Graduate Student and Alumni Awards button.
  • The award is open to completing doctoral candidates from all programs.
  • Each candidate must be nominated by his or her program, and each doctoral program may submit only one nomination.
  • Each program must submit:
    a) the student's abstract of the dissertation (which should not exceed 4,000 words, or 10 pages single spaced);
    b) detailed letters of nomination from the student's advisor, a member of the dissertation committee, and a third reader, which should address the student's achievement and the potential impact on the scholarship or research of his or her field; and
    c) an electronic copy of the student's dissertation, including the signature page.
  • It is possible to nominate someone who has not defended the dissertation by the deadline. To be considered, the candidate must defend and submit the dissertation by May 1, 2025 

Open: January 27, 2026
Deadline: April 1, 2026

Winners of the Outstanding Dissertation Award

Sponsored by the Joukowsky Family Foundation