Chancellor's Dissertation Medal

The Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA) is seeking outstanding graduate students who have recently completed their thesis work at UC San Diego to be honored with the 2026 Chancellor’s Dissertation Medal. Recipients of this award are chosen based upon the quality and creativity of the research as well as the clarity of the dissertation.

Award

Up to eight awards are presented annually based upon a review of faculty committees in the School of Arts and Humanities, School of Biological Sciences including Health Sciences, Jacobs School of Engineering; School of Physical Sciences, School of Social Sciences, including Rady School of Management and the School of Global Policy and Strategy, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science.

In accordance with applicable Federal and State law and University policy, the University of California does not discriminate, or grant preferences, on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, and/or other protected categories. More information about Proposition 209 can be found here. More information about the University of California Anti-Discrimination Policy can be found here.

• PhD students from each department will be considered for the School-level award. (Award numbers per School/grouping of Schools is based on the average number of eligible PhD graduates each year.)

  • School of Arts and Humanities: 1 awardee

  • School of Biological Sciences: 1 awardee

  • School of Medicine and Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences: 1 awardee

  • Jacobs School of Engineering (including School of Computing, Information, and Data Sciences): 2 awardees

  • School of Physical Sciences: 1 awardee

  • School of Social Sciences (including Rady School of Management and the School of Global Policy and Strategy): 1 awardee

  • Scripps Institution of Oceanography: 1 awardee

  • Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science: 1 awardee

• PhD students must have defended their PhD dissertation and completed their paperwork with GEPA between April 1st of 2025 through March 31st of 2026, to be eligible for the award.

• 2 letters of recommendation from committee members, one of which must come from the committee chair or co-chair

• Summary (1000 word maximum) of the dissertation research, including project background and rationale, an explanation of research design (e.g., methods, procedure, analysis plans), outcomes, and implications of the research outside the field. An optional page of references may be included; the references do not count towards the 1000-word maximum.

• A copy of the nominee’s dissertation

• Nominee’s current contact information including a non-UCSD email address

Deans should submit their school nomination to GEPAfellowshipnoms@ucsd.edu

If you have any questions about the nomination process please email GEPAfellowshipnoms@ucsd.edu, which will open a Services and Support ticket with the Graduate Fellowships Team.

Nominations are now open.

• Nominees are responsible for sending their completed applications to their Department Chair by Tuesday, March 31st. 

• Department Chairs are responsible for collecting nominations and selecting ONE to send to their Dean by Tuesday, April 14th. In addition to your nominee’s application materials, please include a letter of support when sending to your Dean. 

• Deans or their designee are responsible for collecting nominations from Department Chairs and selecting their School-level winner(s). Please submit selections to GEPAfellowshipnoms@ucsd.edu by Friday, May 8th. In addition to your selection’s application materials, please include the nominee’s name and a non-UCSD email address, which can be used to reach them after graduation.

• Award winners will be notified of their selection by May 29, 2026. Departments and schools are invited to share the information widely only after the official campus notice is released by GEPA shortly thereafter.