The NRAO Doctoral Dissertation Award

ALMA_Milky-Way_Less-Green_r6.jpgNRAO/AUI has established “The NRAO Doctoral Dissertation Award” to be given each year to a recent recipient of a doctoral degree from any recognized degree granting institution in the United States.

The NRAO Award, which will be based on new radio astronomy data obtained at any facility operated or jointly operated by a U.S. based institution, will be given each year. To be eligible, the applicant must have successfully defended their dissertation during the calendar year of the Award. Applications will be evaluated on the importance of the dissertation contribution to science, originality of the investigation, and independence of the dissertation research. If, in the opinion of the committee, in any given year, none of the dissertations are sufficiently meritorious, the award will not be given in that year.

Candidates will be expected to apply for the award no later than December 15 of the year in question. Applicants should apply by e-mail briefly describing their dissertation, the date of their successful dissertation defense, the date of the degree award, and the name and contact information of their primary dissertation supervisor, all sent to the email account NRAOPhdAward@nrao.edu. A copy of the dissertation as a PDF file should be sent by e-mail to the same address or made available via a link given in the application e-mail. Published papers, papers in press, or portions thereof, based on the dissertation research, may accompany the application. Verification of the successful dissertation defense and statement that the applicant has successfully completed all university requirements for the Ph.D. should be sent directly by the appropriate university authority to NRAOPhdAward@nrao.edu. No other reference letters will be accepted.

The Doctoral Dissertation Award will be available to degree recipients of any nationality and will consist of $1,500, a framed certificate, a dinner with NRAO scientific staff, and an invitation to give a colloquium at the NRAO offices located in Charlottesville, VA. The Award winner will be announced in March following the year of the award.

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The NSF National Radio Astronomy Observatory and NSF Green Bank Observatory are facilities of the U.S. National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

Founded in 1956, the NSF NRAO provides state-of-the-art radio telescope facilities for use by the international scientific community. NSF NRAO telescopes are open to all astronomers regardless of institutional or national affiliation. Observing time on NSF NRAO telescopes is available on a competitive basis to qualified scientists after evaluation of research proposals on the basis of scientific merit, the capability of the instruments to do the work, and the availability of the telescope during the requested time. NSF NRAO also provides both formal and informal programs in education and public outreach for teachers, students, the general public, and the media.

The U.S. National Science Foundation (U.S. NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense..."

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