phd dissertation umich

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Writing Your Paper - CECS and Mathematics

• Theses and Dissertations
• Before Writing Your Paper
• Developing a Research Question
• Selecting Your Sources
• Database Searching
• Evaluate Your Sources
• Citations and IEEE Style
• Annotated Research Notes
• Creating a Literature Review
• Persuasive Writing
• Getting Published

Using LaTeX for your writing

LaTeX for Students, Engineers, and Scientists  - edX course on using LaTeX

LaTeX Project - Home page for the LaTeX project

Current LPPL -  Download LaTeX for free

LaTeX Core Documentation   - View LaTeX documentation

Overleaf - free online LaTex editor

LaTeX syntax cheat sheets:

• Overview of Writing in LaTeX  
• Formatting overview  
• Short list of controlled vocabulary terms  
• Mathematical Symbols  
• Symbol commands  

New Procedure for Thesis and Dissertation Format Checking

Beginning fall of 2024 the library's role in the thesis and dissertation process will be the same as with any other papers which you write during your time as a student here. we can help you find background research, develop your research question, organize your writing, and publish your completed work., all the specific requirements, deadlines, defense, and any format checks will be done within your department and/or the graduate studies office ., introduction.

The first step to any research is to find out what questions remain to be answered.

We have all heard the quote from Isaac Newton about standing on the shoulders of giants. It really is true!  This really is the goal of academic research. We want to be able to take in what has already happened and then go farther.  To do that you have to find the existent research. Good research will always spark more questions and the process will start all over again. 

Thesis or Dissertation writing can seem like a very daunting task but we are here to help.

Your librarian is available to help you find the background research needed to determine areas where you can contribute to your field. The questions you form while conducting background research on your topic can spark the curiosity that will carry you through your capstone and into your career as a researcher.

Here in the library we can help you to find the background information in your area so you can learn what research has already been done and find where you fit in to the academic conversation. Your instructors and research committee will help you with the process of conducting your research and your defense. The library will also be where you will archive your thesis or dissertation. We will work with you to ensure that it is cataloged and deposited properly into Deep Blue Documents (our institutional repository.)

Please see the side navigation bar for information on specific steps in the research and writing process. feel free to reach out to your departmental librarian for any further assistance you may need.

Using Microsoft Word to write your thesis or dissertation

This guide can help you to make certain formatting changes in Microsoft Word. For questions about the specific requirements of thesis or dissertation formatting talk to your program administrator.

• Word for Theses

The  Master's Thesis Page from CECS   - contains the policies, procedures, and formatting guidelines you will need to refer to based on your specific degree.

Before submitting your thesis for your format check you will need to have created your ORCID  account. You will need to include this ID number on the copyright page of your work as well as on the submission form so that it can populate the metadata in our institutional repository Deep Blue , where your final approved document will be stored. 

If you would like to request an embargo to delay the release of your thesis to public searching, you will need to indicate that on your submission form and also complete and attach the proper form. The form and other information can be found on the  Thesis Release and Embargo Procedures   page.

This link is for the Thesis Formatting Guidelines last updated in 2016. Check the Graduate Studies webpage to ensure you are using the most current guidelines.   

This is the checklist we will use to review your thesis to ensure proper formatting before it is accepted for deposit in Deep Blue.

Dissertations

The  Doctorial Dissertations Page from CECS  - contains the policies, procedures, and formatting guidelines you will need to refer to based on your specific degree.

This is the link to the Dissertation Handbook . It includes a list of all the guidelines for formatting your dissertation near the end.

This is the checklist we will use to review your dissertation to ensure proper formatting before it is accepted for deposit in Deep Blue.

Deadlines for defense and submission of the written final draft can be found HERE .

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University of Michigan School of Information

PhD in Information

At UMSI, the PhD program allows you to deep-dive into research methods and topics you’ll use throughout your scholarly career. You’ll receive individual attention from our world-class faculty members as part of the application process. Working closely with them, you’ll learn a wide variety of research methods and conduct your own scholarly inquiry.

Learn more about prospective faculty advisors for PhD students .

The PhD is the highest degree awarded by the University of Michigan. It signifies that you have successfully mastered a body of skills and knowledge in preparation for a career as an independent scholar. Our doctoral training involves working closely with faculty on projects of mutual interest, since mastery of research methods requires hands-on experience.

Our multidisciplinary research approach offers a number of advantages, including exposure to a wider variety of methods and the ability to custom-tailor your scholarly work to your interests. Our PhD students place in tenure track faculty positions, post doctoral research and industry positions.

We invite you to learn more about our program and the incredible work our PhD students are doing .

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The Doctoral Degree in ECE

The doctoral degree, i.e. the Ph.D., is primarily intended for students desiring a career in research and/or collegiate teaching.  The focus is on advanced EECS topics, on learning to perform research and to write research papers, and on making fundamental new contributions to an EECS topic. Students take advanced course work and write a doctoral dissertation , also called a thesis .

Overview of the Department

With two doctoral programs offered within one department, students enroll in a degree program tailored to their interests, while having access to, and the benefits of, the full breadth of the EECS Department. For example, EECS faculty research advisors are equally available to students in both graduate programs, while the degree requirements and qualifying examinations are tailored to the specific program.

The faculty of the EECS Department are organized in two divisions: Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), and Computer Science and Engineering (CSE). The ECE faculty have the primary responsibility for the ECE Graduate Programs. The CSE faculty have the primary responsibility for the CSE Graduate Program.

Program Overview

Students newly admitted to a doctoral program are classified as precandidates . Upon entering a doctoral program, there is a Ph.D. qualifying process, normally completed during the first two years. After all requirements except the dissertation are completed, students become candidates . Students entering an EECS doctoral program with a bachelor's degree typically become candidates in the third year and and are strongly encouraged to complete the degree within five years. Such students ordinarily complete the requirements for a master's degree along the way and receive this degree in addition to the Ph.D. A masters thesis is optional. Students who enter an EECS doctoral program with a master's in the field of their program typically become candidates in their second year and are strongly encouraged to complete the degree within four years. Such students are not ordinarily eligible to receive an EECS master's degree.

The complete doctoral requirements can be found in the program guide .

Continuous Enrollment

In order to encourage timely completion of the degree, University policy requires doctoral students to register every Fall and Winter term until their degree is completed, with very few exceptions. That is, doctoral students cannot take time off from their studies, or pursue the later stages of their degree without registering, except in special circumstances.

Transferring Credits

A limited number of graduate credits earned elsewhere can be transferred to meet the coursework requirements for the doctoral degree. In addition, a course taken elsewhere that is equivalent to a course satisfying a degree requirement here can be used to satisfy the requirement, even if course credits are not transferred. However, such equivalancy does not not reduce the total number of credit hours required, unless the course is transferred.

Apply to a PhD Program

Information about applying to the doctoral program .

Financial Aid Information

The EECS doctoral programs admit only those students for whom financial aid can be guaranteed for the anticipated duration of studies (five years for students entering with a BS, four years for students entering with an MS), assuming satisfactory progress is made.

Most commonly, this financial aid consists of a fellowship, a research assistantship, or a teaching assistantship offered by the program, or a fellowship from outside the university, or a combination of these.

See an overview of Financial Aid Resources .

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Doctoral Dissertation Policies and Procedures

• Master’s Thesis Policies and Procedures
• Thesis and Dissertation Release and Embargo Options
• Thesis and Dissertation Formatting Guidelines & Deep Blue Archiving
• Graduate Studies Forms
• Three Minute Thesis Competition
• Graduate Student Appreciation Week

Doctoral students on the University of Michigan-Dearborn campus should follow their individual program policies and procedures in order to successfully complete their program in a timely manner. It is the student's responsibility to be aware of all relevant  deadlines  and to plan accordingly.  Frequent communication with your committee members is essential to ensure that all requirements are met/scheduled in a timely manner to ensure timely completion of all necessary steps.  Deadlines cannot be altered and missing one will delay your graduation. 

• Automotive Systems and Mobility (D.Eng.)
• Computer and Information Science (Ph.D.)
• Education (Ed.D.)
• Electrical and Computer Engineering (D.Eng.)
• Electrical, Electronics, and Computer Engineering (Ph.D.)
• Industrial and Systems Engineering (Ph.D.)
• Mechanical Sciences and Engineering (Ph.D.)

Certification of Completion of Dissertation and Formatting Requirements for Doctoral Degree form

Helpful guides when researching/writing the dissertation.

• Formatting Guidelines
• Consult Your Mardigian Librarian
• Graduate Student Research and Travel Grants
• Obtaining Copyright Permission
• Using Microsoft Word for Your Dissertation
• Writing Center Assistance
• Style and Citation Guides

Preparing to Graduate

Commencement and regalia information.

The University of Michigan-Dearborn holds a commencement ceremony in December and April/May. Students who have completed a Degree/Diploma application for the term of the ceremony, or the Summer term before or after the ceremony are eligible to participate in commencement.

If you have not completed a Degree/Diploma Application, please visit  Applying to Graduate  for more information.

If you plan to participate in commencement, you must order your regalia (hood, gown, and tam) from the  bookstore  at least six weeks before the ceremony. The hood and gown can be rented or purchased. The tam must be purchased. 

Dissertation Defense Deadlines and Completion of Degree Requirements

Deadlines by which a candidate must defend a dissertation and complete all degree requirements are published for each term. The deadline to have the degree conferred in the same term as a final term of enrollment is approximately six weeks before the end of a semester.  All students who wish to be considered for graduation and commencement participation must complete a Degree/Diploma application.

For complete information and deadline dates, please see  Applying to Graduate/Doctoral Students .

The Certification of Completion of Dissertation and Formatting Requirements for Doctoral Degree form needs to be completed and signatures gathered and submitted to your program as the student’s final step.

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Do you need help with one of your classes?

If you are struggling in one of your classes and are looking for help, please reach out to the ME ASO staff! We can work with you to discuss options for support, including identifying potential peer tutors who have previously completed the class you are in. 

The goal of the PhD program is to create a culture of scholarship and high impact research that produces articulate researchers who are called upon first to hold leadership positions in society and academia.

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Degree is the highest degree awarded by the Mechanical Engineering Department and is recommended for students who are interested in leadership careers in academia (e.g. as a faculty member of a university), industry, or government.

Sections of this Page:

Milestones to the Ph.D.

Research and coursework, qualifying examinations.

Dissertation Proposal Exam

Dissertation

Ph.d. research at the university of michigan.

Research involves active, student-directed inquiry into an engineering topic. A student’s research experience forms the core of the PhD program. There are two goals for conducting research: 1) to learn the general skills to conduct independent research and 2) to develop new knowledge in mechanical engineering.

Conducting research requires combining knowledge gained in the classroom with the ability to read the scientific literature, identify critical knowledge gaps, structure complex problems, formulate and test hypotheses, analyze and interpret data, and present and discuss technical results. Engineering research also requires significant experimental, computational, and analytical skills. A student learns these core skills as she pursues her research topic.

Many of these skills cannot be learned in the classroom setting, but instead must be developed in the laboratory, library, and conference room as the student actively interacts with faulty, other students, and researchers around the world. Independent, non-classroom based learning and problem solving is a core aspect of the PhD degree. Upon completion of his dissertation the student should be an international expert in a technical area. Dissemination of new knowledge at technical conferences and in peer-reviewed archival publications is an important part of research.

There are three student profiles in the ME PhD program: (1) Direct PhD students that are admitted without a relevant Master’s degree, (2) students who enter the PhD program with a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a relevant field, and (3) students who enter the PhD program with a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a relevant field from the University of Michigan. The differences in the three tracks toward the PhD vary at the coursework level. Please be mindful of the requirements listed below. A student should always discuss academic plans with his research advisor.

The major ME program milestones all PhD students complete:

• Qualifying Examination (RCC & RFE)
• Advancement to Candidacy
• Dissertation Proposal Examination
• Thesis Dissertation (written) and Defense (oral)

In addition to the academic component of the PhD, students are encouraged to participate in professional development. The Rackham Graduate School has partnered with divisions around campus to develop a central location to promote workshops, training sessions, forums, and talks relevant to graduate students. It is recommended that students visit the Professional and Academic Development  website on a regular basis to stay informed about the activities on campus.

Timeline & Satisfactory Progress

The ME department will adhere to all Rackham policies regarding academic progress, probation, dismissal and appeals as outlined here in the Rackham Academic Policies (Section 3.5).

The timeline for completing these milestones and other program requirements and expectations.

To continue in the Ph.D. Program and remain fully funded, you must maintain satisfactory progress in the following ways:

• Maintain Cum. GPA of 3.5 or higher
• Engage in research with faculty by the end of 1st semester.
• Solidify faculty advisor by the end of 1st semester.
• Identify thesis topic by the end of 2nd semester.
• International students must take and pass the GSI OET by the end of the 3rd semester.
• Pass the RCC by the end of 2nd semester (an extra semester may be granted via petition if necessary, but no more).
• Complete ME 500: Professional Skills for Graduate Student Success prior to advancement to candidacy (Fall 2021 and later cohorts).
• Demonstrate preliminary results in research by the end of the summer term after the first year (in preparation for the RFE). If you have concerns about your progress, email the Grad Coordinator to schedule a meeting with Grad Chair.
• Direct PhD students should take the RFE in their 3rd semester (after RCC completion) and are expected to pass the RFE by the end of 4th semester. Change-of-Program students pass the RFE within two semesters of beginning the Ph.D. Program. An extra semester may be granted in either case via petition if necessary, but no more.
• Complete Dissertation Proposal Exam (DPE) and form dissertation committee within one year of passing the RFE. (For students who take the RFE in their 3rd semester, it is desirable to complete the DPE by the end of the 2nd year in the PhD program.)
• Maintain progress toward publications and dissertation completion with the guidance of advisors. If you have concerns about your progress, email the Grad Coordinator to schedule a meeting with Grad Chair.

You are welcome and encouraged to speak to the Graduate Coordinator and Chair at anytime.  You and your advisor both have opportunities to confirm progress or express concerns regarding your progress via the Annual Progress Update.

Probation : If a student is not making satisfactory progress in one or more of the areas outlined above, the student will be put on probation.  The terms of probation will be individually designed based on the student’s situation and as agreed upon by the Graduate Chair, the faculty advisor, and the student. The ME Graduate Program Committee will also review and approve all probation agreements.  When a the terms of probation are agreed upon, a probation agreement will be completed and enforced by the Graduate Chair.

Length of the Probationary Period : The probationary period will be no shorter than two months and, unless otherwise stated, conclude at the end of that term. If a student is placed on probation within two months of the end of the term, the probationary period will extend into the following term for at least two months.

Funding During the Probationary Period : Doctoral students will continue to receive funding during the probationary period.

End of the Probationary Period : At the end of the probationary period the student will either be returned to good academic standing or dismissed from the program.

Appeals Process for Probation and Dismissal : Students may appeal academic probation or dismissal decisions. Appeals pertaining to a students’ academic performance or progress in the program will be overseen by the Graduate Program Committee. The Rackham Graduate School will handle appeals relating to procedural issues of fair and equal treatment by the program.

Finding a Research Advisor:

To select a research advisor, the student should talk to faculty members in potential areas of research interest. If the research topic is of an interdisciplinary nature, the student can choose to have two research advisors as long as at least one advisor is from Mechanical Engineering. 

It is expected that the faculty advisor will have research support or other available funding in order to finance tuition, stipend and benefits costs of the degree.

Recommendations and tips for finding a research advisor:

• Talk to senior graduate students about their advisors. Share your interests and ask them for suggestions about whom you should meet.
• Familiarize yourself with various research groups.
• Make a list of faculty to contact who are involved in research areas that interest you. A list of faculty by research areas can be found here .
• Read about faculty research in journals, conference proceedings, or on their website.
• Visit their labs. A list of labs can be found here .
• Schedule meetings with faculty members. Typically this is done via email which includes an introduction and requests time to meet with them. Be knowledgeable about their work in order to have an active discussion about their previous and ongoing research.
• Sometimes working in their lab for academic reasons only (not as a Graduate Student Research Assistant (GSRA) ) will provide you with the opportunity to prove your researching capabilities and may lead to a GSRA with that faculty.
• If possible, enroll in classes being taught by faculty whose work interests you.
• Do well in classes relevant to your research interest and get to know the faculty.
• Consider doing a small project supported intellectually by a faculty member. ME 590 research credits are taken.
• If you are unsuccessful with securing a research advisor, it is recommended that you meet with the Graduate Program Chair immediately to discuss the situation.

Research Requirements

Regardless of whether or not the Ph.D. student has a Master’s prior to attending U-M or not, all students should take at least 6 credits of research ( ME 590 ) in the first two-three terms of the PhD program.  This will help ensure that the student meets Rackham’s requirements to candidacy upon successfully passing of the qualifying exams.  Change of Program students are not required to enroll in addition ME 590 credits after matriculating to Ph.D. as they have already completing the credit requirement for advancing to candidacy.

Students should complete 8 hours of  responsible conduct of research and scholarship  (RCRS) training by the end of their 3rd term of enrollment. 

Once a student has completed 6 credits of ME 590, they should take 8 credits of ME 990 per term.

Once a student reaches Candidacy, 8 credits of ME 995 research credits are taken every term until the student defends their dissertation.

Coursework Requirements

For Direct PhD students (i.e. students admitted without a relevant Master’s degree):

• It is necessary to complete all of the academic requirements for the Master’s degree which includes 30 credits . Please visit the Master’s Degree page for specific degree requirements. This type of Master’s degree is referred to as an “embedded” master’s, a master’s degree awarded “on-the-way” to the PhD. In addition to their MSE degree, direct PhD students must complete:
• At least 6 credits of letter-graded (including the grade S – Satisfactory) graduate coursework registered as a Rackham student while in residence on the Ann Arbor campus. Courses elected as visit (audit) do not meet this requirement, nor do ME590, ME695, ME990 and ME995.
• (Fall 2021 cohort and later) ME 500: Professional Skills for Graduate Student Success. This class should ideally be taken in the first year but may also be taken in the second year if needed. This 1 credit course may be counted towards the additional 6 credits of letter graded coursework.

For PhD students entering with a relevant Master’s Degree :

• At least 18 credits of letter-graded (including the grade S – Satisfactory) graduate coursework registered as a Rackham student while in residence on the Ann Arbor campus. Courses elected as visit (audit) do not meet this requirement, nor do ME590, ME695, ME990, and ME995.
• Of the 18 letter-graded credits, 3  credits must be cognates . The cognate requirement may be satisfied by having completed a UM Master’s degree which included a cognate component.
• (Fall 2021 cohort and later) ME 500: Professional Skills for Graduate Student Success. This class should ideally be taken in the first year but may also be taken in the second year if needed. This 1 credit course may be counted towards the 18 credits of letter graded coursework.
• A PhD student entering with a relevant Master’s degree that decides to pursue an additional master’s degree at the University of Michigan may apply the 18 credits required for the PhD to the master’s degree in another department. The student’s advisor should approve of the second degree.

For PhD students entering with a Master’s Degree from the UM ME Department (i.e. change of program students) :

• At least 6 credits of letter-graded (including the grade S- Satisfactory) graduate coursework registered as a Rackham student while in residence on the Ann Arbor campus. Courses elected as visit (audit) do not meet this requirement, nor do ME590, ME695, ME990, and ME995.

For students who completed the SUGS program :

• Additional credits of letter-graded graduate coursework equal to or greater than the number of credits double counted in the SUGS program.

The PhD Qualifying Examination (QE) consists of two components: the Research Core Curriculum (RCC) (formerly GCC) and the Research Fundamentals Exam (RFE).

Research Core Curriculum (RCC) Exam

The goal of the RCC is to ensure proficiency in technical topics both within and outside of the student’s primary research area.

Students can submit their RCC plan here.

All PhD students must take four Research Core Curriculum (RCC) courses in the first two semesters. Typically students will enroll in two Research Core Curriculum courses in the first term, however some exceptions exist where students will only enroll in one or will opt to take three. During the second term of study, the remaining Research Core Curriculum courses are taken. Change-of-program students should refer below.

The RCC consists of four 500+ level graduate courses that satisfy the following course distribution requirements:

• At most, three may be in the student’s research area
• At least one must be outside of the student’s research area
• At most, one may be from a department other than Mechanical Engineering. Note: Multiple cross-listed courses in the RCC plan will prompt additional consideration by the Graduate Program Committee (GPC)

In consultation with their research advisor a student should develop and submit a RCC plan . If a student does not have a research advisor, the student should submit a preliminary RCC plan by the Friday before the first day of classes. The ME Graduate Chair will then work with the student (if necessary) to arrive at a satisfactory plan.

The RCC Plan should include a list with each course and detail on how it is/is not related to the student’s research area. courses on which the RCC will be based (a list of all ME graduate-level courses scheduled for the Fall and Winter terms is located here ).

The GPC will review and (if appropriate) approve RCC course plans based on their accordance with the course distribution requirements specified above and their academic rigor. The GPC will monitor the historical record of GPAs for courses selected on the RCC, and may ask a student to revise the student’s RCC plan if the plan is judged to be insufficiently rigorous.

RCC plans may need to change after the start of the semester or between the first and second semester of the RCC. Typical circumstances that may necessitate a revision include course cancellations and a change in the student’s research area and/or research advisor. Revised RCC plans require GPC approval. Requests for modifications to RCC plans should be submitted via the RCC form prior to the add/drop deadline for the term..

GPC approval is required for dropping a course after the above dates and will only be given in rare circumstances. Changes in research area and/or research advisor are not sufficient reasons for dropping an RCC course.

Evaluation of the RCC (for those who entered the PhD program after Winter 2014):  The grades students receive in RCC courses will be averaged to determine an RCC GPA. The GPA is based on Rackham’s 4.0 scale where A+ = 4.3 , A = 4.0, A- = 3.7, and B+ = 3.3. The RCC GPA will be used to determine the outcome of the RCC and will follow these guidelines:

*Note: A student must demonstrate proficiency by performing very well on the RFE (as judged by the RFE examiners) to pass the PhD qualifying examination. The student has two tries on the RFE to perform very well.

**Note: The student may petition the GPC to take an additional course in the third semester if that course grade could increase the overall GPA (of all five courses) to at least a 3.5.

Petitions for a deviation from the above guidelines due to rare and extenuating circumstances can be made to the GPC. There are no course retakes in the RCC.

Change-of-Program Students. The GPC will evaluate the prior courses taken by a change-of-program (i.e. MSE to PhD) student to determine which (if any) courses may be eligible to include in an RCC plan, thus reducing the total number of RCC courses required to be taken after the student enters the PhD program. In some cases, a student’s previously completed coursework may satisfy the RCC entirely; thus, the student would not be required to take any additional coursework.

Research Fundamentals Exam (RFE)

The RFE is an oral examination to test the student’s potential to conduct independent research at the PhD level along with her written and oral communication skills. There are four primary objectives:

• Assess the depth of knowledge in the area of research specialization and the ability to relate this to research, 
• Assess the ability of the student to propose an interesting and relevant problem for PhD research
• Test ingenuity, creativity, and problem-solving skills, and 
• Assess written and oral communication skills and the ability to respond to questions.

Students who have a research advisor and have successfully completed the RCC coursework or who have successfully petitioned are eligible to apply for the RFE. Students must have a 3.5 GPA or higher to take the RFE. If a student does not have this GPA, they are required to submit a petition  form to the graduate chair for consideration to take the RFE.

PhD students who successfully complete the RCC coursework must take the RFE the following semester. Change of Program students must take the RFE within one year. It is not mandatory for Change of Program students to take the RFE in their first semester as a PhD student.

Exams are held in the last two weeks of October and last two weeks of March (winter).   The RFE is an oral exam lasting for 45 minutes which is structured with a 15 minute presentation followed by 30 minutes of question and answer with two faculty members.

Sample RFE Presentation

The RFE is organized by research subject areas as listed below:

Registration. Eligible students must register their intent to take the RFE to the Academic Services Office. The online registration form is announced to students via email in the first two weeks of each Fall and Winter semester. In addition, students are responsible for submitting an electronic document with the following elements:

• Bio-sketch using NSF fellowship application format , 
• Research abstract describing research: the purpose of the research being examined, key related research, research hypotheses, research methodology, and results to date. The abstract should be formatted with 11 point font, single spacing, one-inch margins, and be a maximum of 2 pages. These two pages include title, citations, and bibliography.
• A list of RCC courses with discussion of how the RCC courses match the RFE topic and future research plans (less than 200 words).

If you have an approved testing accommodation or SSD-VISA and would like to have similar accommodations for the RFE, please let us know below. We will work with you and SSD to make sure that appropriate accommodations are made for your RFE.

Examiners. Two faculty are selected by the Graduate Program Committee to act as examiners for each RFE thematic area. A student’s research advisor cannot be an examiner. The research advisor is not allowed to be present during the RFE.

Grading.  Students are evaluated on a scale ranging from excellent to poor in each of the following areas:

• Synthesis of course material in research problem context.
• Input to research project.
• Research conduct and methodology.
• Research outcomes.
• Communication.

A sample grade sheet with more information about grading criteria can be found here .

All areas are considered when determining the student’s examination outcome (pass/fail). The two examiners will produce a written report to the Academic Services Office indicating if the student has passed or failed the RFE with specific reasons for their decision.

Communication of Results. The result of the RFE is communicated by the Academic Services Office to the student by way of individual email. Successfully completing the RFE does not mean a student passes the RCC.

Retaking the RFE. Only one repeat is permitted and must be taken no later than the next offering of the RFE after the original RFE. Students will automatically be sent a registration email for the next available RFE session.

Advancing to Candidacy is a prestigious milestone on the way to the PhD. Rackham stipulates that from the time of initial enrollment, Candidacy should be achieved within 3 years. There is reduced tuition associated with candidacy as well as registration constraints. 

Semester deadlines for completing the requirements to advance to candidacy are found  here .

Requirements to advance to candidacy:

• Pass the Qualifying Examination (RCC and RFE)
• Complete ME 500: Professional Skills for Graduate Student Success
• Completed at least 18 credits of letter-graded (including the grade S – Satisfactory) graduate coursework registered as a Rackham student while in residence on the Ann Arbor campus. Credits elected as visit (audit) do not meet this requirement, nor do any ME990 or ME995 credits.
• Of the 18 credits, 3 must be cognates .
• Completed RCRS training requirement.  Workshop Schedule can be found here .

Upon successful completion of the RFE, students will automatically be advanced to candidacy if they have met all of the requirements listed above.  If a student does not wish to advance to candidacy, they should note that on the RFE registration form or notify the Graduate Coordinator in advance ( [email protected] ). 

Rackham’s Free Course Policy:

“Ph.D. candidates register in the fall and winter terms for 995, “Dissertation/candidate,” which consists of 8 credit hours for a full term or 4 credit hours for a half term. No part-time enrollment is possible. A student who defends in the spring/summer term must register for 8 credit hours of 995 for the spring/summer full term.

Candidates who register for a course should seek prior approval from their faculty advisors. Candidates may elect either one course per term or more than one course for a total of no more than four credits without paying additional tuition beyond candidacy tuition. Courses may be taken for credit or as a visit (audit).

A candidate who does not elect a course during a term of 995 enrollment may, in the next term, either register for courses for no more than 8 credits or register for no more than two courses that total more than 8 credits. An additional course may not be taken in anticipation of taking none in a future term of 995 enrollment.

Candidates who choose to take more courses than those for which they are eligible will be assessed additional tuition per credit hour. ” The additional tuition will be charged to the student’s funding source for that term. Students are not to cover any additional tuition charges.  Original Source .

GSI Oral English Test (OET) Requirements for International PhD Students

GSI Oral English Test (OET) is used to review the English proficiency of international students.  Passing the exam is a requirement for international PhD students and is necessary to ensure satisfactory progress while simultaneously confirming the ability of that student to be an effective GSI. All international students must pass the OET by the end of their 3rd academic term after admission (e.g., by the end of F12 for students who entered in F11) in order to be considered making satisfactory progress toward their degree. International students whose undergraduate education was taught exclusively in English may be exempt from the OET. Additional exemption criteria can be found  here .

• Upon successful completion of this requirement, the student will then be eligible to hold a  GSI position  (see the  English Language Proficiency Requirements  section).
• If the student does not hold a GSI position within the next 18 months after passing the exam, the student must check in with the  English Language Institute (ELI)  to extend or renew their exam results. In order to continue making satisfactory progress, a PhD student must maintain valid exam results throughout their academic tenure. Please  contact  the English Language Institute to schedule a renewal interview.
• The ELI will evaluate the student’s English skills and determine if the student is qualified to extend the exam results or is required to retake the exam. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the ELI to maintain valid exam results.

Dissertation Proposal Exam (DPE)

The DPE is an oral exam that provides an early assessment of the feasibility of a student’s proposed research topic for his/her dissertation. In particular, the exam is intended to assess the suitability of the topic and the student’s academic background for carrying out the proposed research. The exam is administered by a student’s Dissertation Committee. The DPE should be completed within one year of passing the RFE.

The Dissertation Committee

Students will assemble their dissertation committee prior to taking the DPE. The Dissertation Committee oversees the student’s research outcomes. Through the dissertation proposal exam, committee meetings, and the thesis defense, the committee tracks the student’s progress and provides feedback and guidance. At each of these meetings, the student presents his research and responds to the committee members’ questions. The purpose of the committee is to provide an outside perspective on the student’s research, helping the student to structure his/her work and identify opportunities. The committee is responsible for approving the student’s research plan via the DPE and signing off on the final dissertation and defense.

Dissertation Committee Requirements: 

A committee must have a minimum of 4 members:

• The chair or one of the co-chairs should be a member of the faculty in the Mechanical Engineering department.
• Three members must be from a Rackham Doctoral Program and be considered a member of “ The Graduate Faculty “, this generally means a Professor at the University of Michigan.
• Two members must be from the Mechanical Engineering department.
• One member must have a 50% appointment in a Rackham doctoral program, other than the Mechanical Engineering department (except Interdisciplinary programs) – otherwise known as your cognate member.

The committee may include a University faculty member who is not a member of “The Graduate Faculty”, a University staff member, or a qualified individual outside the University who to provide expertise in the candidate’s discipline. Any non-faculty member must be approved by the Graduate Program.  These special members require additional documentation to be submitted, ideally prior to the DPE.

The Rackham Graduate School has also developed a Quick Reference Chart for Eligibility to Serve on Dissertation Committees .

Once the committee is formed, the DPE is scheduled as the first meeting of this committee. The student will prepare a written thesis proposal for the committee to review and give an oral presentation to the committee. The format of the written thesis proposal as well as the timing of the exam is at the discretion of the committee chair.

Upon completion of the DPE, the committee chair prepares a memorandum addressed to the ME Graduate Program Chair. The memo should state the outcome of the DPE and list the dissertation committee members. ( Example memo here ) The signed memo is submitted to the Graduate Coordinator ( [email protected] ). This information will be used to formally process the student’s dissertation committee with the Rackham Graduate School.

After the Graduate Coordinator has submitted the dissertation committee to Rackham Graduate School:

• The student and committee chair will receive automatically generated emails to approve of the committee submission.  
• Rackham will then approve of the dissertation committee ensuring that all requirements are met.
• Once approved by Rackham, the student and the Graduate Coordinator will receive confirmation that it has been approved.  At this time the committee information will be visible in the student’s record in Wolverine Access.

The official guidelines for the dissertation and defense are established by the Rackham Graduate School. In addition, the Rackham Graduate School publishes annual deadlines by which a candidate must defend a dissertation and complete all degree requirements as set forth by Rackham. Doctoral students are expected to complete the degree within 5 years of achieving candidacy, but no more than 7 years from first enrollment.

Dissertation (Written). The dissertation is the most important aspect of the students PhD program experience, since it documents the original contributions made by the candidate as a result of independent research. In advance of graduation, the dissertation must be approved by all the members of the student’s dissertation committee. The student will prepare a rough draft of the dissertation and provide it for all the committee members for their comments before preparing the final draft. Students must provide the rough draft to the committee at least 10 days before the Defense.

Defense (Oral). The defense examination will be given after the thesis has been formally completed. This examination will be a defense of the doctoral thesis and a test of the candidate’s knowledge in the specialized field of research. The format of the examination will be a public seminar presented by the candidate, with an open question period, followed by a private examination by the Dissertation Committee.

Thesis Dissertation and Defense Timeline:

After the dissertation committee gives preliminary approval to the final draft of the dissertation, it must be formatted to meet the standards of Rackham Academic Records and Dissertations (OARD) found here . Support for thesis formatting is available from the Knowledge Navigation Center in the Graduate Library, which offers tutorials, template assistance, guides, and resources for dissertation preparation.

Before the oral defense, students are required to set up a pre-defense meeting with the Rackham Graduate School. In this meeting, students will be instructed on the process and be given Dissertation Evaluation Forms. When the final draft is distributed to the committee members together with Dissertation Evaluation Forms, a defense (oral) is scheduled for a date approximately two weeks later. Dissertation Evaluation Forms must be completed by all Dissertation Committee members at least three working days prior to the oral defense. The defense is public, and a notice is posted on the Rackham Graduate School website, and the Academic Services Office will send an email announcement to the ME students and faculty. After the oral defense, the student or committee chair should submit the Final Oral Examination Report within 48 hours of the defense. The student should then attend the post-defense meeting with the Rackham Graduate School. 

Helpful links related to the dissertation process:

• Rackham Dissertation Handbook – A thorough explanation of the dissertation procedure.
• Dissertation Timeline – Step-by-step timeline of the dissertation and defense.
• Completing the Doctoral Degree Requirements – Important information for before and after the oral defense.
• Doctoral Degree Deadlines – List of deadlines for final term of enrollment, including grace period deadlines.
• Submitting the Dissertation – How to electronically submit your dissertation.

PhD grad Michael Lerner wins APSA dissertation award

Ford School PhD graduate Michael Lerner (Political Science, 2021) has been chosen to receive the Virginia Walsh Dissertation Award for his dissertation, " Green Catalysts? The Impact of Transnational Advocacy on Environmental Policy Leadership. “ This award is given out annually by the American Political Science Association and its Science, Technology & Environmental Politics section to recognize the best dissertation in those fields. 

The dissertation examines the impact of transnational advocacy on the development of national environmental policy. Through this project, he aimed to understand the circumstances under which interactions between policymakers and transnational advocates systematically lead to increased government leadership in the adoption and spread of new environmental policies.

He studied comparative environmental politics with a broad interest in questions related to challenges and strategies for adopting timely policy responses to environmental change. The research focused in particular on policy advocacy, including corporate lobbying on climate change and the effects of transnational advocacy networks on the innovation and diffusion of environmental policy. 

Before returning to Ann Arbor for his PhD, he  worked as a research associate at the Environmental Law Institute in Washington D.C. He received his B.A. from the U-M in Political Science and French with a minor in Earth and Environmental Studies.

• Michael Lerner
• energy and environment
• energy and environmental policy
• International policy and diplomacy
• Diplomacy and foreign affairs
• American Political Science Association

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ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards

The ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards recognize highly accomplished graduate students who have produced exceptional dissertations of outstanding scholarly quality in any field of study.

General Information

Guidelines for preparing nominations, distinguished dissertation award winners.

The nomination form will be live in early September.

Eligibility

Nominees must be awarded the doctoral degree during the 2024 calendar year, which includes commencements held in May, August, or December. Students who defended the dissertation in 2023 but received the degree in 2024 are eligible to be nominated.

Students who defend the dissertation in fall 2024 but do not receive the degree until May 2025 are ineligible for the current year, but may be nominated for the 2025 competition. An exception is allowed for students in the dual M.D./Ph.D. Medical Science Training Program who have completed, defended, and submitted the final copy of the dissertation in 2024 . These students are eligible to be nominated even though the awarding of the doctoral degree is deferred until completion of the M.D.

Nominations of outstanding women, minorities, and members of other groups historically underrepresented in their disciplines are encouraged.

Number of Awards

Ten awards in the amount of $1,000.

Source of Nominations

Nominations must be submitted by the chair of the student’s department or program, who may submit only one nomination per year.

Selection Process

A faculty committee reviews nominations and selects finalists which are forwarded to the Michigan Society of Fellows. Members of the Society of Fellows make the final selection, including those designated for honorable mention.

The nomination deadline is Monday, November 4, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. EST.

For more information contact:

Honors and Awards Rackham Graduate School Telephone: (734) 615-0255 Email: [email protected]

A nomination dossier must include:

• Cover sheet with contact information
• A letter of nomination
• Up to three letters of support submitted directly by the letter writers
• Dissertation abstract
• Academic transcript (unofficial copy)

Curriculum Vitae

Incomplete dossiers cannot be reviewed.

The online nomination dossier may be set up by a faculty or staff member. Others may be given login access to the site as needed. The nomination system may be accessed as often as needed in order to complete the nomination dossier. All materials must be uploaded in Adobe PDF format.

Cover Sheet

Complete the online cover sheet with all information requested for both the nominee and the nominator—not the administrator who may have initiated the dossier—and the contact information for the graduate coordinator.

Letter of Nomination

The nominating letter should include the nominee’s name, department or program, and the title of the dissertation. As committee members represent a range of disciplines and may not be familiar with the nominee’s field, describe the quality and significance of the nominee’s dissertation in a way that conveys its significance to those not acquainted with the field.

The nominating letter may be no longer than 1,350 words and should address the areas below; those that do not will disadvantage the nominee:

• A concise description of the dissertation topic
• General comments about the nominee, including overall scholarly credentials
• The degree of innovation, creativity, and insight shown by the author
• The scope and importance of the work to the department and to the field
• The effectiveness of the writing (including whether it is reasonably understandable to faculty in related disciplines)

Letters of Support

Up to three additional letters of up to 1,000 words each may be provided by faculty or others who have worked with the nominee and can comment on the merits of the dissertation. The letter writers must submit be instructed to submit letters in PDF format directly to the online nomination dossier. The link for letter writers to submit letters of support will be available when nominations open in early September.

Dissertation Abstract

Provide the nominee’s dissertation abstract.

Academic Transcript

Provide a current unofficial transcript of the nominee’s graduate work.

Provide the nominee’s current c.v., including full details of all publications and presentations.

2022 ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award Winners

• Harsh Agarwal , Chemical Engineering, “Charge Transfer of Transitional Metal Ions for Flow Battery Applications”
• Freida Blostein , Epidemiologic Science, “Salivary Omics Measurements as Biomarkers in Epidemiological Analyses”
• Tyler Gardner , Astronomy and Astrophysics, “Probing Unique Regimes of Exoplanet Science with Long Baseline Interferometry”
• Robert Graham , Biomedical Engineering, “Mechanisms of Action and Sources of Variability in Neurostimulation for Chronic Pain”
• Youngrim Kim , Communication and Media, “Pandemic Data Publics: Surveillance Culture and Civic Action in Times of Public Health Emergencies”
• Özge Korkmaz , Anthropology, “Politics, Ethics, and Complicity in Turkey’s Kurdistan: Anxieties of an Era”
• Vincent Longo , Film, Television, and Media, “A Hard Act to Follow: Live Performance in the Age of the Hollywood Studio System (1920-1950)”
• Andrew McInnerney , Linguistics, “The Argument/Adjunct Distinction and the Structure of Prepositional Phrases”
• Weijing Tang , Statistics, “Statistical Learning for Large-Scale and Complex-Structured Data”
• Weichao Zhang , Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, “Mechanisms of Lysosome Biogenesis and Regulation”

2021 ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award Winners

• Mikel Haggadone , Immunology, “Mechanistic Insights into Regulation of Vesicular SOCS3 Secretion by Alveolar Macrophages: Interplay Between Cell Stress and Metabolic Remodeling “
• Yinqiu He , Statistics, “High-Dimensional Statistical Inference: Phase Transition, Power Enhancement, and Sampling”
• Eshita Khera , Chemical Engineering, “Engineering Tumor Distribution of Antibody-Drug Conjugates”
• Cindy Lin Kaiying , Information, “Afterlives of Authority: An Ethnography of Fire Prediction, Social Order, and Technocracy in Indonesia”
• Rebecca Marks , Educations and Psychology, “From Talkers to Readers: Neural and Behavioral Foundations of Emerging Literacy”
• Michelle May-Curry , American Culture, “Scenes from the Cutting Room Floor: Black Womanhood and the Visual Politics of Mixed Race Family Albums, 1918 to 2020″
• Zhijie Qu , Astronomy, “The Warm-Hot Circumgalactic Medium and Its Co-Evolution with the Galaxy Disk”
• Akshitha Sriraman , Computer Science and Engineering, “Enabling Hyperscale Web Services”
• Mei Ling Meilina Tsui , Music Composition, “Nomadic Trails for Chamber Orchestra”
• Erica Twardzik , Movement Science, “Optimizing Post-Stroke Functioning: Using Mixed Methods to Understand the Role of Built and Social Environments for Physical Activity, Quality of Life, and Lived Experience”

2020 ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award Winners

• Devika Bagchi , Molecular and Integrative Physiology, “Investigating the Roles of Wnt Signaling in Mature Adipocyte Function”
• Molly Brookfield , History and Women’s and Gender Studies, “Watching the Girls Go By: Sexual Harassment in the American Street, 1850-1980”
• Lu Chen , Physics, “Study of Thermal and Magnetic Properties in Strongly Correlated Materials”
• Adrian Deoancă , Anthropology, “End of the Line: State Infrastructure, Material Ruin, and Precarious Labor Along Romanian Railroads”
• Adi Foord , Astronomy and Astrophysics, “Discovering the Missing Population of AGN Pairs with Chandra”
• Kathryn Holihan , Germanic Languages and Literatures, “Staging the Hygienic Subject: Anatomy, Bodies, and the Public Health Exhibition in Germany, 1911-1931”
• Dominic Liao-McPherson , Aerospace Engineering and Scientific Computing, “Variational and Time-Distributed Methods for Real-time Model Predictive Control”
• Christina May , Neuroscience, “How Sweet It Is: The Role of Taste Perception in Diet-Induced Obesity”
• Anne Menefee , Environmental Engineering, “Carbon Mineralization in Fractured Basalt”
• Vivian Truong , American Culture, “‘Whose City? Our City!’: Asian American and Multiracial Movements Against Police Violence in New York”

2019 ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award Winners

• Yassel Acosta Matutes , Applied Physics, Spatially-Resolved Fluorescence-Detected Two-Dimensional Electronic Spectroscopy to Probe Excitonic Structure in Purple Photosynthetic Bacteria
• Juliette Becker , Astronomy, Emergent Properties in Exoplanetary Systems
• Kaitlin Cassady , Psychology, Age-Related Neural De-Differentiation in the Sensorimotor System
• Christina Cross , Public Policy and Sociology, The Color, Class, and Context of Family Structure and Its Association with Children’s Educational Performance
• Joseph Gamble , English and Women’s Studies, Sex Before Sex Ed: Sexual Practice, Pedagogy, and Affect in Early Modern England
• Ximena Gomez , History of Art, Nuestra Señora:Confraternal Art and Identity in Early Colonial Lima
• Crystal Green , Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, Automated Deformable Mapping Methods to Relate Corresponding Lesions in 3D X-ray and 3D Ultrasound Breast Images
• Nicole Michmerhuizen , Pharmacology, Examining Mechanisms of Sensitivity and Resistance to Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase Inhibitors in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
• Olivia Palmer , Biomedical Engineering, Non-Invasive Venous Thrombus Composition and Therapeutic Response by Multiparametric MRI
• Andrew Schwartz , Molecular and Integrative Physiology, Hepcidin/ferroportin/HIF-2α regulation of iron metabolism at the systems and cellular level

ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards of 2018

• Charlotte Chan , Mathematics, Period Identities of CM Forms on Quaternion Algebras
• Qi Chen , Computer Science, Proactive Vulnerability Discovery and Assessment in Smart, Connected Systems Through Systematic Problem Analysis
• Traci Johnson , Astronomy, Focusing Cosmic Telescopes: Quantifying the Systematics of Strong Lensing Mass Models in the Era of Precision Lensing
• Jessica Moorman , Communication Studies, Being Single Is…: A Study of Black Love Media and Single Black Women’s Sexual Socialization
• David Morphew , Classical Studies, Passionate Platonism: Plutarch on the Positive Role of Non-Rational Affects in the Good Life /li>
• Cyrus O’Brien , Anthropology and History, Redeeming Imprisonment: Religion and the Development of Mass Incarceration in Florida
• Meredith Skiba , Biological Chemistry, Structural and Biochemical Investigation of Methylation and Elucidation of t-Butyl Formation in Polyketide Biosynthesis
• William Stroebel , Mechanical Engineering, Comparative Literature, Fluid Books, Fluid Borders Modern Greek and Turkish Book Networks in a Shifting Sea
• Dakotah Thompson , Exploration of Radiative Thermal Transport at the Nanoscale Using High-Resolution Calorimetry
• Michael Won , Chemical Biology, Structure, Function, and Inhibition of Protein Depalmitoylases

ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards of 2017

• Kevin Golovin , Materials Science and Engineering, Design and Application of Surfaces with Tunable Adhesion of Liquids and Solids
• Kyle Grady , English Language and Literature, Moors, Mulattos, and Post-Racial Problems: Rethinking Racialization in Early Modern England
• Wendy Gu , Environmental Engineering, Metals and Methanotrophs: 1. Genetic and Biochemical Characterization of the Uptake and Synthesis of Methanobactin; 2. Bioinformatic Analyses of the Effect of Rare Earth Elements on Gene Expression
• Jordan Harrison , Nursing, Functional Status, Quality of Life, and Long-term Survival in a Cohort of Women with Breast Cancer and Heart Failure: Results of the Medicare Health Outcomes Survey
• Jeremy Hoskins , Applied Mathematics, Diffuse Scattering and Diffuse Optical Tomography on Graphs
• Jenny Kreiger , Classical Art and Archaeology, The Business of Commemoration: A Comparative Study of Italian Catacombs
• Oana Mateescu , Anthropology and History, Serial Anachronism: Re-assembling Romanian Forest Commons
• Sara Meerow , Natural Resources and Environment, The Contested Nature of Urban Resilience: Meaning and Models for Green Infrastructure and Climate Change Adaptation Planning
• Steven Roberts , Psychology, So It Is, So It Shall Be: Group Regularities and Prescriptive Judgments
• Yue Shao , Mechanical Engineering, Bioengineered in vitro Model for Peri-implantation Human Embryogenesis

ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards of 2016

• Azadeh Ansari , Electrical Engineering, GaN Integrated Microsystems for RF Applications
• Nielson T. Baxter , Microbiology and Immunology, Microbiota-based Models Enhance Detection of Colorectal Cancer
• Yoonseob Kim , Chemical Engineering, Stretchable Electronic and Photonic Materials from Self-Organized Nanoparticles
• Emily Maclary , Human Genetics, Evaluating the Role of Long Non-coding RNAs in X-chromosome Inactivation
• Elizabeth Mann , Political Science, Presidential Policymaking at the State Level: Revision through Waivers
• Austin McCoy , History, No Radical Hangover: Black Power, New Left, and Progressive Politics in the Midwest, 1967-1989
• Cassie Miura , Comparative Literature, Humor of Skepticism: Therapeutic Laughter in Early Modern Literature
• Naveen Narisetty , Statistics, Statistical Analysis of Complex Data: Bayesian Model Selection and Functional Data Depth
• Sara Rimer , Environmental Engineering, Controlling Hazardous Releases While Protecting Passengers in Civil Infrastructure Systems
• Emily Waples , English Language and Literature, Self-Health: The Politics of Care in American Literature, 1793-1873

ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards of 2015

• Lauren Cleeves , Astronomy, Molecular Signposts of the Physics and Chemistry of Star Formation
• Lauren Cline , Natural Resources and Environment, The Ecological Factors that Structure the Composition and Function of Saprotrophic Fungi: Observational and Experimental Approaches
• Alix Gould-Werth , Social Work and Sociology, Public Benefits and Private Safety Nets: Demographic Disparities in Resources Following Job Loss
• Konstantina Karageorgos , English Language and Literature, Beyond the Blueprint: Black Literary Radicalism and the Making of a Cold War Avant-Garde
• Brian Metzger , Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Disentangling the Effects of Mutation and Selection on the Evolution of Gene Expression
• Davide Orsini , Anthropology and History, Life in the Nuclear Archipelago: Cold War Technopolitics and the U.S. Nuclear Submarines in Italy
• Maxwell Radin , Physics, First-principles and Continuum Modeling of Charge Transport in Li-O 2 Batteries
• Charles Sebens , Philosophy, Locating Oneself in a Quantum World
• Brandon Seward , Mathematics, Krieger’s Finite Generator Theorem for Ergodic Actions of Countable Groups
• Bai Song , Mechanical Engineering,, Probing Radiative Thermal Transport at the Nanoscale

ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards of 2014

• Xiao Che , Astronomy and Astrophysics, Near Infrared View of Stellar Surfaces and Circumstellar Disks with an Upgraded Optical Interferometer
• Weiqiang Chen , Mechanical Engineering, Microengineered Biomaterials and Biosystems for Systems Immunology, Cancer Biology, and Stem Cell-based Regenerative Medicine
• Henry Colburn , Classical Art and Architecture, The Archaeology of Achaemenid Rule in Egypt
• June Huh , Mathematics, Rota’s Conjecture and Positivity of Algebraic Cycles in Permutohedral Varieties
• David Lai , Biomedical Engineering, Microfluidic Reduction of Osmotic Stress in Oocyte and Zygote Vitrification
• Kai Mao , Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Molecular Mechanisms of Autophagy Induction and Mitochondrial Degradation in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae
• Michael Pifer , Comparative Literature, The Stranger’s Voice: Integrated Literary Cultures in Anatolia and the Premodern World
• Atef Said , Sociology, The Tahrir Effect: History, Space, and Protest in the Egyptian Revolution of 2011
• Ronit Stahl , History, God, War, and Politics: The American Military Chaplaincy and the Making of a Multireligious Nation
• Yi-Chin Wu , Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Verification and Enforcement of Opacity Security Properties in Discrete Event Systems

ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards of 2013

• Michael Anderson , Astronomy and Astrophysics, Hot Gaseous Halos Around Galaxies
• Kerry Ard , Natural Resources and Environment, Changes in Exposure to Industrial Air Pollution Across the United States from 1995 to 2004: The Role of Race, Income, and Segregation
• Aaron Armbruster , Physics, Discovery of a Higgs Boson with the ATLAS Detector
• Matthew Cohn , Classical Studies, The Admonishing Muse: Ancient Interpretations of Personal Abuse in Old Comedy
• Brian DeVree , Chemical Biology, Activation of G Protein-Coupled Receptors and Heterotrimeric G Proteins
• Federico Helfgott , Anthropology and History, Transformations in Labor, Land and Community: Mining and Society in Pasco, Peru, 20th Century to the Present
• Sara Jackson , Germanic Languages and Literatures, Staging the Deadlier Sex: Dangerous Women in German Text and Performance at the Fin de Siècle
• Jongho Kim , Civil and Environmental Engineering, A Holistic Approach to Multi-Scale, Coupled Modeling of Hydrologic Processes, Flow Dynamics, Erosion, and Sediment Transport
• Dongyoon Lee , Computer Science and Engineering, Holistic System Design for Deterministic Replay
• Yan Long , Women’s Studies and Sociology, Constructing Political Actorhood: The Emergence and Transformation of AIDS Advocacy in China, 1989-2012

ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards of 2012

• Ellen Block , Social Work and Anthropology, Infected Kin: AIDS, Orphan Care, and the Family in Lesotho
• Joseph Braymer , Chemistry, Understanding the Roles of Metal Ions in the Fate of Reactive Oxygen Species and in Alzheimer’s Disease
• Dae-Hyun Kim , Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, Design Loads Generator: Estimation of Extreme Environmental Loadings for Ship and Offshore Applications
• Alwyn Lim , Sociology, The Global Expansion of Corporate Social Responsibility: Emergence, Diffusion, and Reception of Global Corporate Governance Frameworks
• Jinjin Ma , Mechanical Engineering, Experimental and Computational Characterizations of Native Ligaments, Tendons, and Engineered 3-D Bone-Ligament-Bone Constructs in the Knee
• Sven Nyholm , Philosophy, On the Universal Law and Humanity Formulas
• John Prensner , Molecular and Cellular Pathology, Discovery and Characterization of Long Noncoding RNAs in Prostate Cancer
• Rebecca Sears , Classical Studies, The Practical Muse: Reconstructing the Contexts of a Greek Musical Papyrus
• Laura Sherman , Earth and Environmental Sciences, Understanding Sources and Cycling of Mercury Using Mercury Stable Isotopes
• Yizao Wang , Statistics, Topics on Max-Stable Processes and the Central Limit Theorem

ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards of 2011

• Remy Brim , Pharmacology, Investigations Into the Therapeutic Potential of a Bacterial Cocaine Esterase for the Treatment of Cocaine Toxicity and Cocaine Abuse
• Ksenya Gurshtein , History of Art, TransStates: Conceptual Art in Eastern Europe and the Limits of Utopia
• Daniel E. Horton , Earth and Environmental Sciences, Climate Dynamics of the Late Paleozoic Ice Age
• Kathryn Howell , Psychology, Assessing Resilience in Preschool Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence: Utilizing Multiple Informants and Evaluating the Impact of the Preschool Kids’ Club Intervention
• Bin Hu , Operations, Technology, and Innovation Management, Essays on Procurement with Information Asymmetry
• Nathaniel Mills , English Language and Literature, Ragged Figures: The Lumpenproletariat in Nelson Algren and Ralph Ellison
• Christopher T. Nelson , Materials Science and Engineering, The Nanoscale Structure and Dynamic Properties of Ferroelectric Films
• Yi Xiang , Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, Analysis of the Molecular Mechanism and Physiological Role of Golgi Stack Formation and Golgi Biogenesis

ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards of 2010

• Alyson Jones , Musicology, Playing Out: Women Instrumentalists and Women’s Ensembles in Contemporary Tunisia
• Casie LeGette , English Language & Literature, The Past Jumps Up: British Radicals and the Remaking of Literary History 1790-1870
• Jamaal Matthews , Education and Psychology, Toward a Holistic Understanding of Academic Identification in Ethnic Minority Boys at Risk for Academic Failure
• Bobak Mosadegh , Biomedical Engineering, Design and Fabrication of Integrated Microfluidic Circuits Using Normally-Closed Elastomeric Valves
• Gustavo Patino , Neuroscience, Who moved my protein? Mechanisms of Epileptogenesis due to Mutations of Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel SCN1B
• Christopher Roberts , Public Policy and Sociology, Exploring the Fractures within Human Rights: An Empirical Study of Resistance
• Kevin Tucker , Mathematics, Jumping Numbers and Multiplier Ideals on Algebraic Surfaces
• Feng Wang , Biological Chemistry, Structural Analyses of Telomere Associated Proteins

ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards of 2009

• Eric W. Groenendyk , Political Science, The Motivated Partisan: A Dual Motivations Theory of Partisan Change and Stability
• Blair Allen Johnston , Music Theory, Harmony and Climax in the Late Works of Sergei Rachmaninoff
• Jasper F. Kok , Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Science, Understanding Wind-Blown Sand and the Electrification of Granular Systems
• Eranda Nikolla , Chemical Engineering, Combined Experimental/Theoretical Approach Toward the Development of Carbon Tolerant Electrocatalysts for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Anodes
• Howard L. M. Nye , Philosophy, Ethics, Fitting Attitudes, and Practical Reason: A Theory of Normative Facts
• Robert Grant Rowe , Cellular and Molecular Biology, Differential Regulation of Two- and Three-Dimensional Cell Function
• Nathalie E. Williams , Sociology, Living With Conflict: The Effect of Community Organizations, Economic Assets, and Mass Media Consumption on Migration During Armed Conflict
• Ruth E. Zielinski , Nursing, Private Places – Private Shame: Women’s Genital Body Image and Sexual Health

ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards of 2008

• Elizabeth Ben-Ishai , Political Science, The Autonomy-Fostering State: Citizenship and Social Service Delivery
• Todd Bryan , Natural Resources and Environment, Aligning Identity: Social Identity and Changing Context in Community-Based Environmental Conflict
• Kimberly Clum , Social Work and Anthropology, The Shadows of Immobility: Low-Wage Work, Single Mothers’ Lives, and Workplace Culture
• Lori Khatchadourian , Classical Art and Archaeology, Social Logics Under Empire: The Armenian ‘Highland Satrapy’ and Achaemenid Rule, CA. 600-300 BC
• Mark Kiel , Cell & Developmental Biology, Identification, Localization and Characterization of Hematopoietic Stem Cells and Their Niche
• Michelle Miller , Romance Languages and Literatures, Material Friendship: Service and Amity in Early Modern French Literature
• Matthew Schulmerich , Chemistry, Subsurface and Transcutaneous Raman Spectroscopy, Imaging, and Tomography
• Susan Sierra , Mathematics, The Geometry of Birationally Commutative Graded Domains

Distinguished Dissertation Awards of 2007

• Xiaoyun Chen , Chemistry, Investigating Biointerfaces Using Sum Frequency Generation Vibrational Spectroscopy
• Francis Cody , Anthropology, Literacy as Enlightenment: Written Language, Activist Mediation, and the State in Rural Tomilnadu, India
• Catherine Rose Fortin , Linguistics, Indonesian Sluicing and Verb Phrase Ellipsis: Description and Explanation in a Minimalist Framework
• Emily Greenman , Public Policy, Intersecting Inequalities: Four Essays on Race, Immigration and Gender in the Contemporary United States
• Rebecca A. Haeusler , Biological Chemistry, tRNA Genes as Organizers of Genetic Information
• Hoyt J. Long , Asian Languages and Cultures: Japanese, On Uneven Ground: Provincializing Cultural Production in Interwar Japan
• David Lynn Moehring , Physics, Remote Entanglement of Trapped Atomic Ions
• Scott A. Tomlins , Pathology, Discovery and Characterization of Recurrent Gene Fusions in Prostate Cancer