Awards

Tom L. Popejoy Dissertation Prize

Application Deadline: March 5, 2027

Purpose

The Tom L. Popejoy Dissertation Prize was established as a permanent memorial to the late Tom L. Popejoy, President of the University of New Mexico from 1948 to 1968. The award recognizes and encourages the highest level of academic excellence. Competition for the prize is structured on a three-year rotation, so that in one year, the departments of Art and Art History (including MFA) and Humanities are asked to submit their best dissertations; in the next, Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, Engineering and Mathematics & Statistics; and last, Social Sciences and Education (including EdD). See below for a 3-year rotation schedule.

Nomination Procedures:

The departments eligible for submitting nominations for Spring 2027:

•  Category 2:

  • Biology
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Chemical & Biological Engineering
  • Chemical & Nuclear Engineering
  • Chemistry & Chemical Biology
  • Civil, Construction & Environmental Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Electrical & Computer Engineering
  • Earth & Planetary Sciences
  • Health Equity Sciences
  • Math & Statistics
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Nano Science & Microsystems Engineering
  • Nuclear Engineering
  • Nursing
  • Optical Science & Engineering
  • Pharmaceutical Sciences
  • Physics & Astronomy
  • Psychology

Each of these departments or programs may nominate one dissertation from a student that graduated any time between the Spring 2024 semester through the end of the Fall 2026 semester. A jury of two tenured faculty members and the Dean of Graduate Studies will select the award-winning dissertation. The original dissertation readers’ reports will be made available to the jury, whose deliberations will be confidential. If no dissertation is found worthy of the prize in a given year, no award will be made and the rotation will continue the following year.

Summer Research Supplement Award

Application Deadline: April 24, 2026

Please note: Department chairs or designated graduate directors or graduate advisors submit nominations for this award, not students.

Apply here

The Summer Research Supplement Award provides funding of up to $3,000.00 to support completing an MFA or PhD dissertation. These awards support direct expenses (e.g. research costs) for students conducting research, regardless of whether the research takes place on-campus or in a field/archival research location. This award may not be used for stipends, books, travel to conferences, or to purchase computers. It is intended to support direct costs related to conducting the student’s research.

Awards are based on major accomplishments since entering graduate school, a well-defined and successful program of research, a timeline for completion of the dissertation, a 500-word personal statement, two letters of recommendation, and approval by the graduate unit. Each department may submit one nomination for this award.

Eligibility

• Eligible graduate students must be in good academic standing and be post comprehensive exams at the time of application.
• Eligible graduate students include 2nd year MFA Art students who are on track to complete Advancement/Comprehensive Exams in their 5th semester.
• Eligibile graduate students must be pursuing advanced research and writing on a dissertation or creative/professional project in their discipline.
• Graduate students must be registered as full-time in the spring semester of application.

No student will be awarded the Clarence & Emily Rogers Research Scholarship, Summer Research Supplement Award, Summer Writing Supplement Award or Doctoral Conference Grant in the same funding semester.

Application Materials

Submit the nominee and all accompanying application documents addressed to the Graduate Studies Awards Committee by April 25, 2026 in InfoReady.

Department chairs or designated graduate directors or graduate advisors will submit nominations. Nomination packets includes:

**Please note number 8 - Export Control takes 1 week to get reviewed and approved.

1. A 500- to 750-word statement of purpose describing the nominee’s academic goals and accomplishments, as well as explaining how the award will be used and how it will facilitate completion of the dissertation.
2. A current C.V.
3. A detailed budget.
4. A timeline for completing the proposed work and for completing the dissertation.
5. A letter of support from the nominee’s dissertation director.
6. A letter of support from the department chair or program director.
7. An IRB approval form (if applicable).
8. International Travel. Policy 4030 Export Control Compliance states travelers are required to comply with all export control laws and regulations while traveling internationally. When traveling internationally with UNM-owned equipment or UNM-owned information, please contact Export Control at export@unm.edu. If you have additional questions about international travel, please contact the Education Abroad Office at 505-277-4032 or StudyAbd@unm.edu.

If you have any questions, please contact grad@unm.edu.

Summer Writing Supplement Award

Application Deadline: April 24, 2026

Please note: Department chairs or designated graduate directors or graduate advisors submit nominations for this award, not students.

Apply here

The Summer Writing Supplement Award provides funding of up to $2,000.00 to support completing an MFA or PhD dissertation. These awards provide indirect support (e.g. living expenses) for students in the writing phase.

Awards are based on major accomplishments since entering graduate school, like a well-defined dissertation prospectus. Please include information about your dissertation prospectus in your 500-750 word personal statement. Additional application materials include a CV, budget, timeline for completion of the dissertation, one letter of support from the dissertation advisor, and a letter of support from the department chair or program director. Each department may submit one nomination for this award.

Eligibility

Eligible graduate students must be in good academic standing and ABD (All But Dissertation) at the time of application, actively engaged in advanced research, writing of the dissertation, and/or creative/professional project in their discipline. Students must be registered as full-time in the spring semester of application and must be returning full-time the following fall, with an expected graduate date of that fall or the following spring semester.

No student will be awarded the Clarence & Emily Rogers Research Scholarship, Summer Research Supplement Award, Summer Writing Supplement Award or Doctoral Conference Grant in the same funding semester.

Application Materials

Department chairs or designated graduate directors or graduate advisors will submit nominations. Only one submission per department will be considered. The department must submit the application documents and materials addressed to the Graduate Review Committee in InfoReady by April 24, 2026.

Nomination packets includes:

**Please note number 8 - Export Control takes 1 week to get reviewed and approved.

1. A 500- to 750-word statement of purpose describing the nominee’s academic goals and accomplishments, as well as explaining how the award will be used and how it will facilitate completion of the dissertation.
2. A current CV.
3. A timeline for completing the proposed work and for completing the dissertation.
4. A letter of support from the nominee’s dissertation director.
5. A letter of support from the department chair or program director.
6. An IRB approval form (if applicable).
7. International Travel. Policy 4030 Export Control Compliance states travelers are required to comply with all export control laws and regulations while traveling internationally. When traveling internationally with UNM-owned equipment or UNM-owned information, please contact Export Control at export@unm.edu. If you have additional questions about international travel, please contact the Education Abroad Office at 505-277-4032 or StudyAbd@unm.edu.

Doctoral Conference Presentation Award

The Doctoral Conference Presentation Award provides up to $1200 (maximum award amount may be less depending on the number of eligible applications received) to fund travel for doctoral students (MFA included) to give oral presentations or posters at national or international, professional conferences. Funds may only be used for travel expenses, lodging, meals, and conference application fees. Applications will not be accepted for research travel. Travel must be outside of Albuquerque. If you are traveling internationally, you must get approval from the Office of Export Control and submit with your application.

**Please note Export Control takes 1 week to get reviewed and approved.

Additionally, students traveling internationally will need to register their travel here. This form does not have to be turned in with the application submission but must be submitted and approved before travel to be eligible for the award. If you have any questions about completing this requirement, please contact the Education Abroad Office at 505-277-4032 or StudyAbd@unm.edu. The representative will send confirmation you have completed this step.

Eligibility

To be eligible, students must be the first author of the abstract or presentation at the conference—only one award will be granted per abstract (no co-first authors).

Eligible students must be in good academic standing and enrolled in a doctoral or MFA program at the time of application. Post-comprehensive exam students will be given priority. Students must be registered full-time the semester preceding their application.

For a Fall 2026 award, the student must be registered full time for the Spring 2025 semester.

For a Spring 2027 award, the student must be registered full time for the Fall 2025 semester.

For a Summer 2027 or Fall 2027 award, the student must be registered full time for the Spring 2026 semester.

Full time is six (6) graduate credit hours with an assistantship or nine (9) credit hours without an assistantship.

No student will be awarded the Graduate Research Supplement, the Doctoral Conference Presentation Grant, or the Clarence & Emily Rogers Research Scholarship in the same funding semester.

Note: You may receive only one (1) grant per academic year.

Deadlines

Cycle 1 - Fall
Applications Due August 31
Funds must be used between September and February
For conferences held between September 1, 2026 - February 28, 2027

Cycle 2 - Spring
Applications Due November 30
Funds must be used between January and June
For conferences held between January 1, 2027 - June 30, 2027

Cycle 3 - Summer
Applications Due April 30
Funds must be used between May and October
For conferences held between May 1, 2027 - October 31, 2027

Materials to be included in the application:

1. 1. Letter of intent.
      • Include a short one page explanation of how and why this conference is important to your research project.
   2. The name, date, and website for the conference.
   3. Include the abstract of the paper or poster to be presented. It should be no more than 250 words.
   4. Presentation acceptance confirmation.
      • Please include a copy of the email or letter accepting your paper and/or poster to the conference.
      • Note: If you have not yet received an acceptance letter, please indicate the expected date of notification for your abstract acceptance.
   5. A budget for travel expenses (e.g. airfare, hotel, conference registration etc.) and a budget justification.
      • This justification should provide an explanation of your financial need. Please include any other institutional support for travel available to you, or other travel awards you have applied to.
      • Note: this is an award and you will not be reimbursed for individual expenses.
   6. One letter of support from Ph.D. or MFA advisor/committee chair.
   7. **International Travel – Approved Export Control Review:Click here for form
      • Export Control Guidance
      • Foreign Travel Vulnerability
      • If you have any questions, please contact Jessica Villescas-Hermosillo (jhermosillo@unm.edu) or Patrick Bourgoyne (pbourgoyne@unm.edu) at the Export Control Office.
   8. **International Travel – Independent Academic Travel Registration:Independent Academic Travel Registration: This form does not have to be turned in at time of application submission, but must be submitted and approved before travel to be eligible for reimbursement if awarded. If you have any questions about completing this requirement, please contact the Education Abroad Office at 505-277-4032 or StudyAbd@unm.edu. The representative will send confirmation you have completed this step.

**Only if international travel is involved

Notice:

Notifications will be made through InfoReady. If you have questions please email grad@unm.edu.

Awarded student can download the Doctoral Conference Presentation Award Form to request their award after travel here.

Graduate Studies is not responsible for informing applicants of incomplete/incorrect applications. If an application is incomplete or incorrect it will not be reviewed for funding.

Requests must take place during the time specified for fall, spring and summer. Retroactive conferences expenses are not allowed.

Graduate Studies will not reimburse for cancelled travel costs (airfare, hotel, conference registration etc.).

For additional information email grad@unm.edu