best thesis award iu

• Skip to Content
• Skip to Main Navigation
• Skip to Search

Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington IU Bloomington

The College of Arts & Sciences

• College Arts and Humanities Institute
• Funding Opportunities
• Graduate Student Funding

Graduate Capstone Research Awards

The Graduate Capstone Research Award for dissertation or M.F.A. thesis research is a competitive award for IU Ph.D. or M.F.A. students in the arts and humanities. The award can be used either for traveling (to visit archives, for fieldwork, etc.) or for materials and other assistance to help further their research and creative activity agendas. Awards may be up to $2,000.

Please note: The Spring deadline has been extended to Friday, February 9, 2024.

In the interest of supporting as many graduate student scholars and artists as possible, applicants are eligible to receive only one CAHI Graduate Capstone Research Award. Previous recipients will not be considered. If a student does not receive the full amount of the request or the full amount of $2,000, eligibility is still limited to one successful application.

In addition to travel costs, examples of what may be requested for these awards include (but are not limited to): fees associated with locating, accessing, and reproducing materials; research supplies (archival scans, difficult-to-access books, computer programs, equipment); art supplies; technical assistance; and support for digital projects, among others. Proposals and expenses must be oriented toward the completion of a specific project.

Expenses that are not supported include (but are not limited to) typing and duplicating of dissertations, tuition, normal living expenses, and computers, travel to or costs associated with attending conferences.

In the case of requests for equipment, the letter writer must verify that neither the equipment requested nor the funds received are otherwise available to the student in a timely manner. At the completion of the project, any equipment purchased must remain with the department and be made available for future research projects by other graduate students.

Please be specific about the needs and timetable for your research. If you have questions about whether your request is feasible, please contact us.

All awards are subject to university restrictions and regulations.

The Graduate Capstone Research Awards is handled via reimbursement. In the case of travel, expenses are reimbursed only after travel is completed. Award recipients will need to submit itemized receipts showing method of payment for expenses related to the CAHI grant (up to the award amount) and will need to meet with CAHI Operations Assistant Shaina Sanders to process reimbursement requests. Expenditures must follow normal IU policies. Travel expenditures must follow IU Travel Management policies , and per diem is calculated at a set rate ( see Travel Management guidelines ).

Applications should include the following materials:

• 1-page cover letter outlining the research to be done—travel requests should discuss the necessity of the travel; other requests should identify the materials requested, as well as how they are useful to the research
• Short curriculum vitae (no more than 3 pages)
• Brief abstract of the dissertation or thesis project (no more than 200 words)
• Detailed budget showing estimated travel expenses and/or materials requested, showing itemized costs
• Letter of support from a faculty advisor, outlining the student’s progress toward the degree and the significance of the research trip and/or materials in relation to the applicant’s work

* Note: It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the letter of support is submitted to CAHI by the application deadline. Applications that are missing a letter of support will not be reviewed.

Late applications will not be considered for funding.

Eligibility:

Who may apply: IU Ph.D. or M.F.A. students in the arts and humanities. Students must be enrolled in the College of Arts + Sciences at Indiana University Bloomington in order to apply for and receive award funding.

Applicants need to have completed all coursework and qualifying exams, been advanced to candidacy, and be at work on the dissertation. M.F.A. applicants must be within one year of completing their thesis work. M.Arch applicants must have successfully completed their third semester of course work signaling the end of the Core Curriculum. Those students must be beginning work on a faculty approved independent study and/or a final or capstone project in the last three semesters of the program.

If other internal or external funding is received for the same project, CAHI requires notification and reserves the right to adjust or reassign awards in light of this information.

Apply for the award Upload a letter of recommendation

College Arts and Humanities Institute social media channels

• College of Arts & Sciences

• Skip to Content
• Skip to Main Navigation
• Skip to Search

Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington IU Bloomington

• Office Directory
• Add or Edit Profile
• Financial Management Practices
• Development and Alumni Relations
• Benefits and Services
• Employee Appreciation Programs
• The Five Functions of DEI
• Communication
• Recruitment
• DEI Dashboard
• 2020 Report
• 2019 Report
• Student Ambassadors
• Education Library
• Education Technology Services
• Graduate Studies
• Courses and Workshops
• Video Production Guidelines
• Promotional Posting Guidelines
• Research and Development
• Records and Reporting
• Dean's Advisory Board
• Service, Leadership, and Outreach
• Student Success
• Diversity Plan
• 100th Anniversary Book
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Targeted Engagements
• Global Gateway for Teachers
• Overseas Short-Term Study Experiences
• External Grant Opportunities
• Our Global Reach
• Faculty and Student Int'l Engagement
• IU Global Gateways
• Indiana Global Education Outreach
• Int'l Partnerships
• Visiting Int'l Scholars
• Int'l Student Ambassadors
• Academic Programs
• International Journals
• News & Events
• Int'l Student Resources
• CAEP Annual Reporting Measures
• CAEP Accreditation Visit Call for Third-Party Comments
• SoE Data Dashboards (Faculty)
• Licensure Requirements
• Employment Outcomes
• Employer Evaluations
• Student Teaching Survey Reports
• Attrition & Completion Rates
• Graduate Survey Results
• Indiana Teachers of the Year
• Emergency Action Plan
• SoE Emergency Information
• School Violence
• Report Facility Issue
• Direct Admit Scholars
• TEP Application Guidelines
• Accessible Virtual Tour
• Field Trips
• Non-School of Education Scholarships
• Graduate Student Funding
• Student Emergency Fund
• Campus Financial Aid Resources
• INSPIRE Living-Learning Center
• All Programs
• License Additions
• Master's Programs
• Doctoral Programs FAQ
• Specialist Programs
• Certificate Programs
• Doctoral Minors
• Licensure Programs
• Transition to Teaching
• New Zealand
• Northern Ireland
• Navajo Nation Program
• Urban Program
• IU Bloomington Students
• Guest Campus Students
• Partner Campus Students
• Student Spotlights
• Teacher Spotlights
• Cost & Financial Aid
• Online Learning
• Tuition and Fees
• Registration
• Block Enrollment Course Information
• Student Teaching Registration Information
• Program Sheets
• Forms & Publications
• Credit Overload Request
• Four Year Plan
• Academic Calendar
• Undergraduate Bulletin
• Background Check
• Early Field Experiences
• Student Teaching Forms
• Preparation
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Student Organizations
• Counseling and Student Services
• Dean's List
• Report Your Concerns
• Scholarships
• Career Coaching
• Student Teaching Fair
• Health and Human Services Career Day
• Explore Possibilities
• Get Experience
• Stay Connected
• Professional Distinction
• Educator Wellbeing Distinction
• Workshops and Training
• Recruiting Policies
• Classroom Presentations
• Graduation Deadlines
• Leave Policy
• Online Students
• Graduation Application
• Guidelines for Multi-Article Dissertations
• G901 Permission Request
• Qualifying Examinations
• 2022 Scholars
• 2021 Scholars
• 2020 Scholars
• 2023 Scholars
• Program-Specific Information
• International Student Ambassadors
• Student Affiliates in School Psychology
• Dissertation & Thesis Announcements
• Approved Core Inquiry Courses
• Holmes Scholars Program
• Initial Licensure
• License Renewal
• Licensing Outside Indiana
• Knowledge Base
• Graduate Bulletin
• Teaching with Technology Lab
• Support Services
• Volunteering Opportunities
• Faculty Directory
• Counseling and Educational Psychology
• Curriculum and Instruction
• Chair's Welcome
• IST Conference
• Faculty Bookshelf
• Faculty Meetings
• Policies and Procedures
• Instructional Consulting
• In Memoriam
• Office of Research and Development
• 2023 Highlights
• Research Centers
• Funded Research
• Research Findings
• Translation to Practice
• Equity in Action
• Overview and Project Timeline
• Analysis in Progress
• Presentations
• Accomplishments
• Teacher Study Group
• "Creative Paths to Peace" Grant
• Proffitt Internal Grant Competition
• Proffitt Summer Faculty Fellowship Program
• Tilaar Faculty Support Fund
• Cost-Share and Matching Funds on External Grant Proposals
• Current Visiting Scholars
• Become a Visiting Scholar
• Visiting Scholar Policies
• COVID-19 Entry Updates
• Flexible Workspace
• Faculty & Staff Giving Campaign
• Donor Spotlights
• Get Involved
• Submit a Nomination
• Alumni Magazine
• Alumni Board of Directors
• Counseling and Wellness Clinic
• Learning and Developmental Evaluation Clinic
• Current Cohort
• Past Cohorts
• Nominate a Teacher
• How to Apply
• Armstrong Teacher Panel Archive
• Current Jacobs Educators
• Past Winners
• Advisory Board
• Teachers' Examples
• Research-to-Practice Briefs
• Speaker Series
• Baxter Online STEM Student Challenges
• Educating for Environmental Change (EfEC)
• Dual Language Immersion (DLI)
• Global Learning for Pre-Service Teachers Workshops
• Global Literacy Invitation Project
• Global STEAM
• In-Service Teachers Workshops
• Principals’ Academy on Internationalizing K-12 Schools
• School of Education Curriculum Internationalization
• Medical Research Education Project
• Project LIFT
• Saturday Art School
• Past Lesson Plans
• Partners in Education (PIE)
• Maker Mobile
• Past Mentors
• Apply to Be a Mentor
• HOPE Training Modules
• HOPE for Cadets
• AAC in Action
• Celebration of Excellence
• C&I Graduate Research Symposium
• Invited Sessions
• Visiting Bloomington
• Science Education Research Symposium
• Convocation
• Diggs Symposium
• Virtual Events
• Advisory Committee
• Education Law Resources

School of Education

Lachheb wins dissertation award.

By Scott Witzke

Thursday, June 09, 2022

IU School of Education alum Ahmed Lachheb has won the University Graduate School Distinguished Ph.D. Dissertation Award in the Mathematics, Physical Sciences, and Engineering category for 2022. This is the highest honor for research that Indiana University bestows upon graduate students. Lachhed graduated in August 2020 with a Ph.D. in Instructional Systems Technology and a Minor in Human-Computer Interaction and Design.

“I feel proud, humble, and grateful for this recognition,” said Lachheb. “I’ve been honored to receive other national research awards in the past, but this one award tops them all.”

Lachheb’s dissertation, Design Failure in Instructional Design Practice: Practitioners’ Perspective, identifies that the stories we hear the least, are actually the stories we need to hear the most. The dissertation investigated the phenomenon of design failure in professional instructional/learning design practice from the designers' perspective.

I feel proud, humble, and grateful for this recognition. I’ve been honored to receive other national research awards in the past, but this one award tops them all. Ahmed Lachheb

“Through analyzing their stories,” said Lachheb, “I was able to come to a rich understanding of the phenomenon, by highlighting the multiple ways design failure could be defined, and to what it could be attributed.” Because of the lack of explicit attention to this topic and the absence of theoretical work that approaches this topic, he drew upon literature and theories from other design disciplines—architecture and engineering design disciplines. The design theory generated is applicable to other design disciplines and professions because of its holistic nature.

“Ahmed conducted detailed and in-depth interviews that delved into the respondents' practice, providing an extensive body of original data for his analysis,” said Professor Elizabeth Boling. “His critical analysis of the data, and respect for the voices of practitioners mark this study as consistent with our best aspirational standards for this form of research, and outstanding in the degree to which it reaches that standard.”

The award, which includes a $5,000 scholarship, is given to two Ph.D. dissertations in two categories that demonstrate originality, documentation, significance, accuracy, organization and style.

Lachheb is currently working as a Learning Experience Designer (LXD) in the University of Michigan's Center for Academic Innovation where he uses his design and scholarly expertise to design learner-centered learning experiences for diverse audiences of global learners. “Central to my design work is a commitment to employing rigorous design methods,” said Lachheb. “I learned at IU to create designs that value both diversity and inclusiveness. My design work is inspired by design precedents from different design disciplines, such as architecture and human-computer interaction, and informed by general design theories, learning theories, and instructional design theories. His current research focus is research on and for design practice, where he studies designers’ design knowledge, design theory, and design pedagogy.

Start your life-changing journey

Additional links and resources.

• From the Dean
• Annual Report
• International Engagement
• Accreditation
• Measures of Success
• Emergency Preparedness
• Departments
• Instructor Resources
• Undergraduate
• Community of Teachers
• Research Initiatives
• Funding Opportunities
• Visiting International Scholars
• Undergraduate Portal
• Graduate Portal
• Academic Resources
• Career Connections
• Research Help
• Maker Education
• Youth Programs
• Award Programs
• CHG Counseling Services
• Staff Council
• Visit the School
• Alumni Spotlights
• Distinguished Alumni Award

Indiana University Bloomington School of Education

SOE Knowledge Base

SOE Intranet (Legacy)

Research at IU

As a state-accredited university and pioneer in vocational education, IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU) is committed to lifelong application-oriented research, discovery, and innovation.

IU is home to a thriving academic community with expertise across diverse disciplines , including IT & engineering, business, human resources, logistics and hospitality. Our professors actively embark on cooperative projects with the federal government, practice partners, and companies in diverse industries to meet research challenges and the needs of society.

Our research reinforces our teaching and learning, shaping our degree programmes and strengthening our partnerships . This enables us to continually deliver top-quality, industry-relevant education that empowers students from all around the world.

IU Publications

Trend Studies What does the future of learning look like? How does IU keep up with global changes and the increasingly digitised world? And how does that impact the learning and the education that you’ll receive as a student at IU?

The IU Trend Studies are self-published publications of IU. These studies include qualitative and quantitative surveys among students, practice partners, and IU professors.

• STEM Education: What Young Women Think About It
• Digital Education in Germany
• The Future of Upskilling 2021

Discussion Papers As the main online university publication, the IU Discussion Papers provide our professors with the opportunity to share current research results or discuss theses across diverse subject areas.

Subject areas

Marketing & communications.

• Will clearer messages close the Green Gap? An Examination of Attitude Formation in Organic Produce Buying ( C. Fox, 2020)

Social Sciences

• The Impact of Personality on Timing and Dynamics of Partnership Formation. A Longitudinal Approach (O. Zimmermann, 2022)

Business & Management

• Exploring Markets – Non-Fungible Token (D. Weber, 2022)
• Assessment and Analysis of Accounting and Finance apps in Start-ups in Germany: an explorative study (S. GOEL, C.N. BERRONES-FLEMMIG, 2022)
• Exploring Markets: Magic the Gathering - a Trading Card Game (D. Weber, 2021)
• Risk-Adjusted Return in Sustainable Finance (J. Gardenier, V. Lac, M. Ashfaq, 2021)
• Peculiarities of Services –a Critical Reflection (C. B. Welker, 2020)
• The Balanced Scorecard – Dinosaur or Giant? (A. Schulke, 2020)

Tourism & Hospitality

• Holidays at home –Camping and Glamping as a part of domestic tourism (K. Sommer, 2020)
• The individual monetary valuation of online hotel ratings (C. Evangelinos, A. Obermeyer, A. Bartel, 2020)
• An initial assessment of economic impacts and operational challenges for the tourism & hospitality industry due to COVID-19 (A. Thams (IU) N. Zech (IU) D. Rempel (IU) A. Ayia-Koi ( Cape Coast Technical University, Hospitality Management), 2020)

Transportation & Logistics

• Lessons from the COVID-19 Situation: Rethinking Global Supply Chain Networks and Strengthening Supply Management in Public Procurement in Germany (M. Helmold, M. Einmahl, K. Rassmann, L. N. Carvalho, 2020)
• Regional Air Traffic in Germany( C. Brützel, 2020)
• A look at Airline Management as Event Management (C. Brützel, A. Schulke, 2019)
• Cost Benchmarking Long Distance Train vs. Aircraft (C. Brützel, 2019)
• Had it with Meetings? In Aviation, more gets done with four Team Facilitations. (R. Eckhardt, A. Schulke, 2019)

Human Resources

• Transforming Organizational Culture Amidst a Diverse Workforce: A Qualitative Study in the Service Industry (G. Weber, M. Martensen, 2021)
• Skilled Migration: Bridging the Conceptual Gap Between Friendship, Social Capital, and Employability (D. Potts, M. Martensen, 2020)
• Handling the Shortage of Nurses in Germany: Opportunities and Challenges of recruiting nursing staff from abroad (E. Reiff, C. Gade, S. Böhlich, 2020)
• GenerationZ: A comparative study ofthe expectations of Gen Z and the perception of employers (S. Böhlich, R. Axmann, 2020)

IT & Engineering

• Strategic Planning of Public Charging Infrastructure (M. Günther, M. Fallahnejad, 2021)

Young Talents @ IU

At IU, we recognise, promote, and award outstanding students who have produced remarkable work during their time at IU. In addition to the Best Thesis Award , the Diversity Award also honours student theses that deal particularly with the topic of diversity.

Graduates whose Bachelor’s or Master’s theses are published in scientific or specialist media will also receive a publication grant of €500 in recognition of this achievement.

Research Projects

As a state-accredited university, IU actively undertakes research projects through third-party funding partnerships and co-ops, as well as IU start up-funding initiatives and incubator projects.

Some of our ongoing projects are funded by:

• European Union
• German Federal Ministry of Research and Development (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung)
• The European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESA - ESTEC)
• Stifterverband der Deutschen Wirtschaft – Innovation in Higher Education Teaching

To foster a research environment that develops and drives ideas forward, IU has also built a research structure comprising of three pillars: IU Research Incubator, IU Research Centre, and IU Research Institute.

• Young Women in STEM - What are the barriers for female students and young women to enter STEM fields and which tools are suitable to reduce these barriers? Read more here.

Unfortunately your form could not be sent. Please try again.

Hang tight… We’re preparing your brochure and you’ll receive it in your email inbox soon.

We’re excited to help you make the right choice for your future. The brochure will give you more information on our study models and degree programmes, how to apply at IU, scholarship information, and more.

While you’re waiting, don’t forget to sign up for our free webinars and get your questions answered in real time by our Study Advisors.

Please enter just a few more details to complete your application today.

You can reach out to our Student Advisors simply by e-mail.

We will also be glad to help you on WhatsApp

You can reach our Student Advisory Service for free

Rated 5 stars for our online learning, among the best in the world

WES Canada U.S. recognised: our grads can work/study in both countries

Globally recognised for our quality-assured digital education

Enhanced research opportunities help IU provide the very best to you

Our teaching and faculty meet European educational standards

Academically top ranked in Germany with 6 out of 25 categories won

Reaccredited until 2026 for our competency in teaching and research

Visit our FAQ page or get in touch with our Study Advisors. You can also find information about the application process under our Become a Student page.

• message us on WhatsApp now
• +49 30 311 987 20 *Available Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM CEST
• Write an e-mail
• Chat with our students
• Our study advisors speak:

Visit our  FAQ page  or get in touch with our Study Advisors.

• +49 30 311 937 71 *Available Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM CEST
• +49 30 311 987 20
• WhatsApp chat
• +49 30 311 937 71

Unfortunately, our services are not available in your country. For more information, please contact us via: [email protected]

Unfortunately, your search did not return any results

Try another search term, check the spelling or get in touch with our Study Advisory Team

• Skip to Content
• Skip to Main Navigation
• Skip to Search

IUPUI IUPUI IUPUI

• Attendee Information
• Exhibitor Information
• Getting You Into IU Indianapolis
• Student Awards
• Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Doctoral Scholars
• Commitment to Diversity
• IUPUI Graduate Emissaries for Student Diversity
• Measures of Quality
• Doctoral - Research Student Data
• Accelerated Degrees
• Graduate Non-Degree Program
• Future Student FAQs
• About IUPUI
• Visit IUPUI
• How to Apply
• Tuition & Fees
• Indiana Partner Tuition Participating Programs
• Fellowships & Awards
• Travel Fellowships
• Student Loans
• Tax Information
• IU Graduate Bulletin
• Responsible Conduct and Ethics
• Timeline for Graduation
• IU Degree, Transcript, Diploma/Certificate
• IU Dissertation Defense Announcements
• Getting Oriented
• Events and Resources
• 3MT and 3MP Competitions
• IUPUI Graduate Mentoring Center
• IUPUI Graduate Commons
• Grad Parent Network
• CIRTL at IUPUI
• Research Funding
• Campus Transportation
• Campus Safety
• Health & Wellness
• Health Insurance
• IUPUI Dining Services
• Disability Services
• Virtual Resources for Current Students
• Virtual Resources for Prospective Students
• Fellowship Subcommittee
• Curriculum Subcommittee
• Graduate or Professional Degree Program
• Graduate or Professional Degree Certificate
• Graduate or Professional Degree Sub Plans (tracks, transcripts)
• Propose Accelerated or Dual Degree
• Graduate or Professional Degree Minor
• Changes to Existing Degrees
• Add or Change Courses to Curriculum
• Academic Reviews
• Graduate Recruitment Council
• Graduate Faculty Council
• Membership to Graduate Faculty
• Mentor Graduate Students
• School of Science Realignment FAQ for Graduate Students

Indiana University Graduate School Indianapolis

• Purdue Graduate Students
• Application & Admissions
• Financial Support
• Fellowships & Awards

The University Graduate School Distinguished Master's Thesis Award

Each degree granting program of The University Graduate School nominates one truly outstanding Master’s thesis from each category* for consideration by a committee of faculty reviewers for The University Graduate School Distinguished Master’s Thesis Award. The Awards Committee of the Graduate Faculty Council considers such criteria as originality, documentation, significance, accuracy, organization, and style. Awards are provided to students at $1,500 each, with one recipient at Indiana University Bloomington and two for IUPUI this year.

*2023 categories are: 1) Humanities, 2) Biological/Life Sciences

2023 Award Recipients

Madeline Hellmich and Kayleigh Jennings were recently recognized with the 2023 award for IUPUI. Hellmich won in the humanities category (School of Liberal Arts, Public History) and Jennings (School of Medicine, Medical and Molecular Genetics) won in the Biological/Life Sciences category (School of Science, clinical psychology).

Madeline Hellmich

Years of research and study led Hellmich, a public history master’s student, to her thesis, “Systemic Anti-Black Violence in Indiana: A Digital Public History Wikipedia Project.” In a nomination letter by Rebecca Shrum, Ph.D., director of public history, Shrum indicated Hellmich’s project has “the potential to make a difference in our country’s ongoing struggle for racial justice.”

Shrum continued with, “The significance of truth and reconciliation movements around the globe motivated Ms. Hellmich’s works as she uncovered the centuries of white silence surrounding the atrocities committed against Black citizens in Indiana.”

Hellmich, originally from Greensburg, Indiana, states, “I knew the racism and racist violence that Hoosiers were experiencing and combatting in the present was connected to Indiana’s racist past, including the racist violence and lynchings that took place in sundown towns like the one I grew up in.”

Hellmich started graduate school in the fall of 2020 and was inspired by the racial justice movement that emerged in the U.S. in the summer of 2020. With that in mind, her advice to graduate students is: “If there is a current issue that you feel passionate about and you want to help respond to it, listen to community members, civic leaders, and faculty and staff who are already working on solutions. Then, see if there is a way you can work together.”

Beyond the important findings of her research, Hellmich took her thesis one step further. With a desire to share her research broadly, she turned to Wikipedia, acknowledging in a blog entitled, Practicing public history on Wikipedia “historians have a long and complicated relationship with it.” Though not an easy endeavor, Hellmich wrote in her blog, that the space allowed her and other professional historians the opportunity to “interact, debate, evaluate, and change the historical record in real time.”

Kayleigh Jennings

Jenning’s research for her thesis, “FGF23 Control of HOX Expression and Function and Implications for CKD,” is designed to improve outcomes for people with chronic kidney disease, which affects about 10% of the population worldwide.

Kenneth White, PhD., professor in the department of medical and molecular genetics of the IU School of Medicine, explains in his nomination letter, the significance of FGF23: “FGF23 is a hormone secreted from bone that controls metabolic phosphate and vitamin D synthesis in the mammalian kidney. FGF23 dysregulation can lead to sever metabolic disorders, and its overexpression is a common characteristic of CKD.”

Erica Clinkenbeard, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the department of medical and molecular genetics, explained in her nomination letter: “Kayleigh’s studies focused on FGF23-mediated gene and chromatin accessibility changes, specifically investigating the genes elucidated from the single cell datasets. An ultimate goal of these studies is to identify new targets for the control of phosphate metabolism that may be beneficial for patients with CKD.”

Clinkenbeard states, from early interactions with Jennings, “Kayleigh exuded an enthusiasm for research and was highly engaged in lab meetings… she was inquisitive, absorbing the information allowing her to quickly acquire the background knowledge of the lab.”

Jennings offers the following advice to students: “Join a lab as an undergraduate researcher in your chosen field, if possible. I found working in a lab allowed for better hands-on application of classroom lessons and it has greatly improved my education.”

Jennings is a central Indiana native and works as a research assistant in Dr. White’s lab.

Congratulations to our 2023 Distinguished Master's Award Winners!

Previous Award Winners

2022 award recipients.

2022 Award Recipients Sheetal Prasanna and Danielle Abel were recently recognized with the 2022 award for IUPUI. Prasanna won in the mathematics, physical sciences, and engineering category (School of Engineering, electric and computer engineering) and Abel won in the Social Sciences category (School of Science, clinical psychology).

Sheetal Prasanna

Prasanna’s thesis, “Sensor Fusion in Neural Networks for Object Detection,” focuses on machine learning for object detection using automotive images, radar and lidar data.

According to one of Prasanna’s reviewers, Maher Rizkalla, Ph.D., “Her contribution to novel approaches, leading to compensating for the lack of data from camera and radar fusion network is significant…Her presentation was among the best I have seen. Her contribution has been pending the publication in a high impact factor journal.”

Rizkalla also wrote, “[Prasanna] achieved a perfect cumulative GPA, and was among the Top 100 Award and Elite 50 at IUPUI. She [also] received a number of awards, including Chancellors’ Scholarship, University Fellowship, and Tau Beta Pi Scholarship.”

Mohammed El-Sharkawy, Ph.D., Prasanna’s major research advisor for her master’s Thesis wrote, “By assisting the team to develop an android application to alert drivers of traffic slowdowns, Sheetal proved herself to be a skilled engineer as well as a team player.”

After interning for three summers with Aptiv, a global automotive company that aims to develop safer, greener, and more connected solutions for mobility, Prassana was hired as a full-time engineer by Aptiv after her graduation in May 2022.

Danielle Abel

One of Abel’s reviewers, Michelle Salyer, Ph.D., described Abel’s thesis, “Investigation of Social Dysfunction and Affect in Schizophrenia,” as truly outstanding. “Danielle sought to answer two important research questions regarding the nature of social functioning in people with schizophrenia…The study was well-designed and innovative. Danielle used a multimethod assessment of social behavior to produce high quality data.”

In describing the construction of Abel’s study, Salyer added, “She begins with a broad overview to engage the reader to understand the big picture of what the study is addressing and why we should care. This is followed by a detailed and directed literature review to lead the reader to the study design and how she is addressing clear gaps in the literature.”

Abel’s primary research mentor since she joined IUPUI clinical psychology doctoral program in 2018, Kyle Minor, Ph.D., wrote, “During her time at IUPUI, Danielle has excelled: she has demonstrated impressive conceptual skills and ranks at the very top of doctoral students who have come through our program – a particularly high bar given the excellent credentials of this comparison group.” Minor continues with, “Danielle’s dissertation is an innovative real-world study that explores how different aspects of social interactions are related to predicted and experienced pleasure of those interactions in schizophrenia.”

Perhaps the basis of awarding Abel this prestigious award is best summed up by Minor’s statement: “At this early stage, Danielle is already laying a solid foundation for a career as an independent scientist.”

2021 Award Recipients

2021 Award Recipients Ivette Muzquiz and Jill Weiss Simins were recognized with the 2021 award for IUPUI. Muzquiz won in the biological/life sciences category (School of Engineering, Biomedical) and Weiss won in the humanities category (School of Liberal Arts, History).

Ivette Muzquiz

Muzquiz’s thesis, “Reversible Nerve Conduction Block Using Low Frequency Alternating Currents,” focused on the exploration of a phenomenon discovered in Dr. Ken Yoshida’s lab involving nerve conduction block elicited using direct nerve electrical stimulation using a novel stimulation waveform.

As Muzquiz’s thesis advisor, Dr. Yoshida wrote, “Ivette’s research involved the translation of Low Frequency Alternating Current Block to live animals, and determining whether the nerve block was capable of eliciting a measureable change in organ function. In her work, she demonstrated that the waveforms functionally blocked neural signals that slowed heart rate and reduced breathing rate in anaesthetized rats and pigs respectively.”

Dr. Yoshida also wrote, “Extraordinarily, Ivette managed to complete this technically challenging experimental work and MS degree during the time of virtual learning, and campus closures due to the Global Pandemic. Beyond being exceptionally organized in planning her research time and course time, Ivette is exceptionally bright and talented.”

Muzquiz is now an R&D Engineer at Procter & Gamble.

Jill Weiss Simins

According to Weiss Simins’ thesis committee chair, Dr. Nancy Robertson, Weiss Simins’ thesis, “’A Little Deviltry’: Gilded Age Celebrity and William Merritt Chase’s Tenth Street Studio as Advertisement,” blended painstaking research into primary sources, a mastery of the relevant scholarly literature from several disciplines, and an innovative “reading” of Chase’s artwork to analyze his rise to prominence against the backdrop of the literal life-and-death struggles of artists of his day.

Another member of her thesis committee, Dr. Robert Patrick Kinsman, wrote, “The thesis is well-written, easy to read, well-footnoted, and combines a broader range of research than most M.A. theses focused on a singular course topic. It adeptly combines historical discourse, art historical analysis, and a more theoretical discussion of celebrity.”

Weiss Simins is a historian at the Indiana Historical Bureau, a division of the Indiana State Library, where she has worked since 2008. Recently, she was recognized with the Dorothy Riker Historian Award, named for Riker, who was a 50-year employee and editor for the Indiana Historical Society and the Indiana Historical Bureau from 1929 to 1979. This award is made annually to a historian who has made distinguished contributions to the field of historical scholarship, including presentation, use of materials and preservation.

2020 Award Recipients

2020 Award Recipients Kelsey Binion and John Burns were recently recognized with the 2020 award for IUPUI. Binion won in the social sciences category (School of Liberal Arts, Communication) and Burns won in the mathematics/physical sciences/engineering category (School of Informatics and Computing, Health Informatics).

Kelsey Binion

Binion’s thesis, “Assessing Communication Effectiveness in Interprofessional Healthcare Teams,” focused on assessing communication among health professionals and students in training. Binion’s thesis adviser, Dr. Maria Brann, wrote “Ms. Binion’s thesis is of extremely high quality. [Her] thesis addressed the important trend of interprofessional teamwork in health care interactions… Kelsey’s unique approach allowed her to gather data from standardized patients during a simulation training experience of health care trainees… She recognized how important and valuable interprofessional communication is to the physical and mental health of patients and explored this topic with professionalism and respect for all participants involved.”

Dr. Kristine Karnick, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication Studies wrote in her letter of nomination, “This thesis is highly original and brings forward a communication perspective, which is often overlooked in the literature, especially in interprofessional practice and education. The thesis focused on an interprofessional simulation, and Ms. Binion analyzed feedback from standardized patients after they engaged with a group of health profession learners. Often, communication in this area is measured by students’ and faculty members’ perceptions and feedback; however, Ms. Binion used a different approach, because she wanted to understand whether communication competencies could be demonstrated and visible to the standardized patients.”

Ms. Binion is currently pursuing a PhD in Health Communication at IUPUI.

Burns’ thesis, “Instant Messaging Supporting Decision Support Interventions – a Radiologist Centric Study,” was chosen based on the importance of the research, scope and translation, the strength of his data and analysis, as well as his skills in communication and writing.

One of Burns’ thesis committee members and an Assistant Professor in Health Informatics, Saptarshi Purkayastha, PhD., wrote, “[His thesis] contributes greatly to the fields of health informatics and human computer interaction. John identified a clinical problem – humans dislike of current decision support interfaces – and a novel solution in a conversational agent that would work with clinicians as a trusted team member… After an exhaustive literature and patent search, John has filed for design patent for this thesis, and is currently negotiating with clinical software companies to implement this within hospitals. This technology will be a major game changer in how clinicians interact with computers.”

Another thesis committee member, Judy Gichoya, PhD from Emory University, wrote, “The writing is phenomenal. John has made this interesting for radiologists and developers. It is easy to read, organized well, and communicates clearly to the reader. Throughout each step of the scientific process, John kept detailed notes. Every section is thorough without being overwhelming, and every potential finding is explored to its fullest extent.”

Mr. Burns is currently pursuing a PhD in Health and Biomedical Informatics at IUPUI.

2019 Award Recipients

Landon Crouse and Kyle Haas were recently recognized with the 2019 award for IUPUI. Crouse won in the humanities category (History) and Haas won in the biological/life sciences category (Electrical and Computer Engineering).

Landon Crouse

Crouse’s thesis is entitled, “Engelbert of Admont's De Regimine Principum and Lex Animata: A study in the Eclecticism of the Medieval Aristotelian Political Tradition” which is based on his analysis of the eighteenth-century printed edition of the Latin text of Engelbert of Admont’s De Regimine Principum. Crouse’s mentor, Eric L. Saak, Ph.D., wrote “Mr. Crouse’s [thesis] stands out above all the others with respect to scholarly erudition and sophistication, independence of research, requisite scholarly skills, and contribution to scholarship… In other words, Mr. Crouse’s thesis is in extremely rare company indeed. It is a very impressive piece of work.”

Another faculty member, Elizabeth Thill, Ph.D., wrote in her letter of nomination, “Classical studies is by its nature an interdisciplinary field, combining numerous methodological means of analysis (historical, linguistics, translation, archaeology) within a complex field of evidence…Given that Mr. Crouse selected as his subject a Latinist writing on Ancient Greek philosophy, he took up the mantle of a Classicist, as well as a historian. I can attest he wore the mantle ably.”

Crouse has applied to both Notre Dame’s History Graduate Program and their Medieval Institute in order to pursue a PhD in Medieval Studies. Upon acceptance to and completion of either program, he would like to continue researching and writing about medieval intellectual history, teach it at the university level, and achieve a full professorship.

Haas’ thesis is entitled, “Transfer Learning for Medication Adherence Prediction from Social Forums Self-Reported Data” and was selected for the award by a panel of faculty from the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department using criteria based on the scope and importance of the research, the strength of his data and statistical analysis, and excellence in writing. Haas’ thesis focused on a machine learning model which uses social media data to predict a patient’s medication adherence.

According to his advisor, Zina Ben Miled, Ph.D., Haas had two summer and one fall internship at Eli Lilly & Company. As part of his research work at Lilly, Haas published two conference papers: one was published in the 2018 ACM International Conference on Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, and Health Informatics; and the other was published in the 2019 AMIA Summits on Translational Science.

Miled also wrote in a letter of nomination, “The approach he proposed allows the cost-effective identification of patients at-risk of medication non-adherence in a general population. His approach can extend health forums such as Patients-Like-Me with predictive services for medication adherence. He demonstrated and validated his approach for fibromyalgia and diabetes.”

After graduation, Haas joined Eli Lilly and Company as a senior analyist in research data sciences and engineering.

2018 Award Recipients

Miji Um, a PhD student in the Clinical Psychology program, was one of two students recently recognized with The University Distinguished Master’s Thesis Award. Mawla Boaks, a former student in the Electrical and Computer Engineering program, was the other recipient.

Um’s thesis is entitled “Resting-state neural circuit correlates of negative urgency: A comparison between tobacco users and non-tobacco users.” Negative urgency is an impulsivity trait describing a tendency to act rashly under extreme negative emotions and is strongly related to tobacco use. However, smoking cessation strategies have been unsuccessful in initial quitting and continued abstinence. Given the strong association between negative urgency and tobacco use, she chose this topic to identify preliminary brain-based targets for negative urgency that may provide a novel avenue to design and test innovative pharmacological or physiological interventions to assist tobacco cessation efforts.

IUPUI faculty who reviewed Um’s thesis commented on sophistication of the writing, quality of work, her attention to detail on par with a more advanced doctoral student, her extraordinary efforts in gaining proficiency in MRI analysis, and her independence in reviewing the literature and data analysis. Um’s work has been presented at 17 meetings and conferences including state and national meetings focus on tobacco use and smoking. She is also a co-author on 12 published manuscripts including a first author book chapter related to her thesis.

Um’s mentor wrote: “Sometimes I had to remind myself that this was Ms. Um’s thesis and not her dissertation! She completed this study in less than a year, which is quite impressive, given the amount of work the project required and the sophisticated nature of the analyses and interpretation of the data.”

Um’s career goal is to become an independent academic researcher, investigating the behavioral and neuroscientific evidence underlying emotion-based impulsivity, and leveraging this evidence to develop intervention strategies for substance use disorders that directly target emotion-based impulsivity. Um has received a competitive F31 predoctoral research training fellowship from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to support her dissertation research that examines the relationship between positive urgency and alcohol-related risk-taking using alcohol administration and emotion induction methods as well as complex whole-brain connectomic analyses using resting-state fMRI data.

Mawla Boaks

Boaks' thesis is entitled “Density Functional Theory (DFT) Study of Hydrogen Storage in Porous Silicon.” Boaks' research and thesis focus on the movement of hydrogen from a gas phase to a solid on catalytically modified porous silicon as a means of energy storage and transmission. Boaks discovered that a small cluster of palladium atoms applied to a nano-scale silicon matrix, can mediate hydrogen phase transition and storage. His laboratory work was dependent on many hours of computational analysis using our institutional Big Red II computer, but as pointed out by his thesis mentor – time well spent given the magnitude of his discoveries. Boaks' thesis studies have led to 3 patents and a grant to his mentor from the National Science Foundation. His mentor and several of his committee commented in their nomination on the clarity of his thesis and that the thesis is currently being avidly read by other students and scholars working to extend this novel technology.

IUPUI faculty who reviewed Boaks' thesis commented on the importance of his laboratory studies as well as his unique application of computational analysis using Density Functional Theory to examine a 3D structure. They noted the high quality of his work, the clarity of explanations allowing easy interpretation by others, and real world applications of his discoveries documented in the thesis. A faculty member commented that “This research is vitally important to the next generation of solid state devices and energy storage systems.”

After graduating, Boaks moved to Utah to pursue a PhD at Brigham Young University. His current research focus is on 3D printed microfluidics. After obtaining his PhD, he intends to do research as his full-time job and will look for a job in R&D as a research scientist.

2017 Award Recipient

Janice Miller

Janice Miller, a former IUPUI graduate student from the Department of History in the School of Liberal Arts was recently recognized with The University Graduate School Distinguished Master’s Thesis Award. Every year, each degree granting program of The University Graduate School may nominate one “truly outstanding” Master’s thesis for consideration by a committee of faculty reviewers. Annually, only two recipients are selected for this prestigious award from among the many IU and IUPUI students nominated.

Miller completed her MA in History at IUPUI in September 2016 with her thesis entitled “In Brighter Colors: Fauvist Influences and Gender Politics in the Art of Gabriele Münter.” She chose this topic “to highlight the career of a female German Expressionist artist, Gabriele Münter (1877-1962), who has been largely underrepresented in art historical discourse. As is so often the case with women artists, Münter's artistic endeavors had remained eclipsed by those of her companion, Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky,” said Miller.

IUPUI faculty who reviewed Miller’s thesis commented on the excellent organization, syntax, grammar and spelling within the document. One noted that: [The thesis] “is interdisciplinary in focus, equally a work of art history as well as cultural and intellectual history.” A member of Miller’s research advisory committee commented, “Ms. Miller dedicated herself to her Master’s research with an extraordinary level of commitment - a dedication that one would expect more of a doctoral candidate than a Master’s student.” One of Miller’s committee members is encouraging Janice to write a book based on sections of her thesis and indicates in a letter that this will require little revision. This faculty member also writes: “I truly believe this research merits a wider audience and would attract a readership.”

Miller said her research changed drastically when she made the crucial observation that Gabriele Münter's Expressionist work aligns very closely with the style of the French Fauves, a concurrent artistic movement led by Henri Matisse.

“This stylistic plurality demonstrates Münter's skillful judgment and reinterpretation of artistic movements beyond Germany. Together with my thesis advisor, Dr. Kevin C. Robbins, I embarked on an ambitious project to prove that Münter was not only an exceptional German Expressionist, but also the finest female German Fauve operating in early twentieth-century Europe. It is my hope that this reinvestigation of Münter's extensive oeuvre will prompt scholars to revisit the creative output of twentieth-century female artists,” Miller stated.

As a result of the award, Miller was chosen as The University Graduate School’s nominee from IUPUI for the Midwest Association of Graduate Schools 2018 Distinguished Master’s Thesis Awards. The 74th annual conference will be held from April 4-6 in Grand Rapids, Michigan next year. Miller will also present her research on Gabriele Münter at the 2018 American Historical Association Annual Meeting in Washington, DC.

Miller received her bachelor’s degree from IUPUI within the Herron School of Art and Design. She is currently teaching German Expressionism and Art History courses as an adjunct faculty member in the Herron School. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. but will first take a break from student life to pursue research and professional opportunities.

2016 Award Recipients

Abby Curtin Teare

Curtin Teare’s thesis, “Rethinking Landscape Interpretation: Form, Function, and Meaning of the Garfield Farm, 1876-1905”, stood out for its “depth of research, creativity, and sophistication,” according to one of her thesis committee reviewers.

Another reviewer wrote, “Abby Curtin has demonstrated how a thorough collection of historic documents related to the political, social, and agricultural history of one Midwestern farm and its family presents an opportunity to share with the general public... an important chapter in American history when farms become suburbs.”

Curtin Teare said the history program prepared her well for her current role as Grants Manager at the Cleveland History Center. “IUPUI's public history program gave me rigorous training in academic history as well as practical experience working for two public history institutions in Indianapolis. I've found that the research, writing, and project management skills I used to balance my studies and my internship schedule has prepared me for my current position, which requires me to manage the museum's grants calendar and write proposals and reports.”

Karim (right) with Nobel Prize Winner Mohammed Yunus at an International Poverty Conference in Washington D.C. Karim received a travel grant to speak about his work in Indonesia, as well as about his research on homelessness in Indianapolis.

Karim’s thesis, “Leaving the Bridge, Passing the Shelters: Understanding Homeless Activism Through Utilization of Spaces with the Central Public Library and the IUPUI Library in Indianapolis”, ranks as “among the best I have read, and in most respects, it rises to the level of a doctoral dissertation,” according to Karim’s thesis committee chair.

Another member of Karin’s thesis committee wrote, “As an applied anthropologist Karim has provided a rich body of ethnographic data that can be used by a wide range of professionals, such as policy-makers and non-governmental organizations, as they move forward to create more relevant and sensitive programs for homeless populations at the local, regional and national levels.”

Karim explained his work on the thesis “equipped me with valuable experience doing ethnographic research about homeless activism in the City of Indianapolis; this experience has given me a new perspective on poverty and inequality in a more global context.”

Karim is currently an associate planner in the Directorate of Poverty Reduction, the Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas) in the Republic of Indonesia.

In choosing winners, the committee considers such criteria as originality, documentation, significance, accuracy, organization and style. To be eligible for the award, nominees must have received their master’s degree between July 1, 2014 and June 30, 2015. Each winner received a $1,500 stipend and will be recognized at an April 11, 2016 awards reception.

Indiana University Graduate School Indianapolis resources and social media channels

• Give Now - support graduate students

• Skip to Content
• Skip to Main Navigation
• Skip to Search

Indiana University Indiana University IU

• Honorary Degrees
• University Medal
• Bicentennial Medal
• President’s Medal for Excellence
• Thomas Hart Benton Mural Medallion
• Distinguished Service Medal
• Nobel Prize
• National Academies
• International Academies
• MacArthur Fellowship
• Pulitzer Prize
• Guggenheim Fellowship
• Fulbright Award
• Andrew Carnegie Fellowship
• Distinguished Professors
• Titled Professors
• Wylie Innovation Catalyst Medal
• The Humboldt Fellowship for Experienced Researchers
• Frederic Bachman Lieber Memorial Award
• Herman Frederic Lieber Memorial Award
• President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching
• Sylvia E. Bowman Award
• Thomas Ehrlich Civically Engaged Faculty Award
• President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Technology
• Part-Time Teaching Award
• Lieber Memorial Associate Instructor Award
• Chancellor and Provost Medallion
• Distinguished International Service Award
• John W. Ryan Award for Distinguished Contributions to International Programs and Studies
• E. Ross Bartley Award
• W. George Pinnell Award for Outstanding Service
• Bridging the Visibility Gap Initiative
• IU Historical Marker Program
• Rhodes Scholarship
• Marshall Scholarship
• Mitchell Scholarship
• Churchill Scholarship
• Gates Cambridge Scholarship
• Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad
• Fulbright IIE
• Goldwater Scholarship
• Truman Scholarship
• Boren Scholarship and Fellowship
• Beinecke Scholarship
• Udall Scholarship
• Wells Senior Recognition Award
• Stahr Distinguished Senior Award
• Kate Hevner Mueller Outstanding Senior Award
• IU Bloomington Athletics Hall of Fame
• IUPUI Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame
• Z.G. Clevenger Award
• Leanne Grotke Award
• Bill Orwig Award
• University Alumni Awards
• Campus Alumni Awards
• School Alumni Awards
• Partners in Philanthropy Award
• Presidents Circle Laurel Pin
• Indiana University Indianapolis Spirit of Philanthropy Award
• IU Foundation President’s Medallion
• Nominations
• Distinguished Professors Symposium
• National Academies Events
• Guggenheim Fellowship Events
• Celebration of Teaching and Service Events
• Search Awards

University Honors & Awards

Remarkable successes, great potential

There is great potential in all students, and it is our job to recognize and cultivate that potential in all who study at IU. For some scholars, that potential is realized early by the remarkable talent and dedication they display as students. These awardees have shown outstanding academic accomplishment and commitment in numerous fields of exploration and study.

The recipients of these awards and scholarships are current or previous students at Indiana University. Of the awards listed, the Wells Senior Recognition Award, the Stahr Senior Award, and the Kate Hevner Mueller Award are given by IU; all others are awarded by national scholarship programs.

Filter selections

1467 results found

*denotes a deceased honoree

• Next  › Page
• Office of the President