Innovation in Technology Award

Innovation in Technology Award

The Western Association of Graduate Schools (WAGS) and ProQuest are pleased to announce the 2023-2024 WAGS ProQuest 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. This award recognizes distinguished scholarly achievement at the master’s or doctoral level.

Award Details

The 2023-2024 recipient will receive $1,000, a Certificate of Award, and travel expenses for the recipient to attend the WAGS Annual Conference and Awards luncheon to be held in (TBD).

Eligibility

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, 2022, through June 30, 2023.

Nominees must be from a WAGS member institution.

Evaluation Criteria

  • 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

Nomination Period

The nomination period begins on July 24, 2023. All nominations must be submitted by October 6, 2023 by 5 p.m. PST. Awards will be determined by December 2023.

Nomination Procedure

Each WAGS member institution may submit one nomination through the online nomination form for this award.

Appropriate institutional staff, as determined by each member institution, will establish an internal selection process, and are ultimately responsible for ensuring that the internal selection process is systematic and inclusive.

Nomination Packet

In the online nomination form, nominators will be required to prepare/upload the following materials as one PDF document using the following file name convention and upload it through the nomination form:
"Nominee’s last name_Nominee’s institution_WAGSInnovation.pdf"

  1. A non-technical summary prepared by the nominee (1000-1500 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 to a general academic audience of non-specialists.
  2. An abstract of the nominee’s research (not to exceed 10 double-spaced pages). Appendices containing nontextual material, 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.
  3. Two nomination letters (not to exceed 1 page per letter). One letter from the department head or major professor and one letter from 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.
  4. The nominee’s curriculum vitae or resume (not to exceed five pages).

Nomination Form

Submit a nomination

Questions

If you have any questions about the WAGS award processes, please contact the WAGS Board at WAGSOfficer@gmail.com.

s2Member®