WAGS/ProQuest Awards Call for Nominations

WAGS opens in August 2026.

UNM Internal Deadline: September 14, 2026

Graduate Studies announces its call for nominations for the Western Association of Graduate Schools (WAGS)/ProQuest awards for theses, dissertations, or eligible creative final products written or completed between July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026. There are four different award categories:

• The Innovation in Technology Award, which recognizes the innovative use of technology in a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation
• The Distinguished Master’s Thesis Award in STEM disciplines, including the biological sciences, mathematical sciences, physical sciences, life sciences, and engineering
• The Distinguished Master’s Thesis Award in humanities, social sciences, education, and business disciplines
• The Distinguished Master’s Thesis and/or Final Master’s Capstone Project Award in the creative, visual, and performing arts

Click the relevant award category to review the specific eligibility and evaluation criteria.

UNM may nominate one student per category, whose application materials will then be advanced to the regional selection competition. Recipients will receive a $1,000.00 award, a Certificate of the Award, and recognition at the WAGS Annual Conference and Awards luncheon.

Nomination Packet (Review specific details for each award)

Students may self-nominate, or departments can nominate students. In either case, nominees are required to submit the following materials in InfoReady.

1. A 1000–1500-word non-technical summary prepared by the nominee describing the research or, where applicable, the artistic approach and its significance. The summary should be written for a general academic audience of non-specialists.
2. An abstract of the research project (not to exceed 10 double-spaced pages). Appendices with chart or tables may be included as additional pages. All pages should be numbered and should have the nominee’s name.
3. Two nomination letters (not to exceed 1 page per letter). One letter from the department head or major professor and one letter from an additional faculty member. The letters should address the significance of the thesis or dissertation, its contribution to the program, and its impact on the knowledge base of the discipline.
4. The nominee’s curriculum vitae or résumé (not to exceed five pages).

An awards committee will review nominations and select one nominee for each category. Applications accepted through InfoReady.

If a nominee is selected as a finalist in any of the award categories, the nominee must upload their thesis, dissertation, or project to the PQDT Global database to be eligible for an award.

If you have questions please email grad@unm.edu.