Remarkable students and faculty make up our innovative programs at Iowa. To recognize their contributions to the University of Iowa and beyond, the Graduate College presents dissertation and thesis awards to doctoral and master’s students and a mentoring award to faculty.

D.C. Spriesterbach Dissertation Prize

The D.C. Spriestersbach Dissertation Prize was established to recognize excellence in doctoral research.

Prizes are awarded annually in two of four broad disciplinary areas-Humanities and the Fine Arts, Mathematical and Physical Sciences and Engineering, Biological and Life Sciences, and Social Sciences. The Graduate College, in turn, holds two D.C. Spriestersbach Prize competitions in the areas specified by the Council of Graduate Schools.

Rex Montgomery Dissertation Prize

The Rex Montgomery Dissertation Prize is endowed by a generous gift from Dr. Rex Montgomery, and recognizes the most meritorious dissertation by a doctoral student conducting research in prevention of disease and/or the translation of research into clinical practice.

Students from a variety of graduate programs are eligible, including the biomedical and health sciences, as well as related social sciences.

L.B. Sims Outstanding Master’s Thesis

The L. B. Sims Outstanding Master's Thesis Award is awarded annually to recognize the excellent scholarship and research that is carried out by University of Iowa graduate students pursuing Master's degrees—a group with fewer opportunities for such recognition than for students pursuing doctoral degrees.

Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award

The Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award recognizes exemplary mentoring of doctoral and/or masters' students by members of the UI graduate faculty.

To be eligible, a mentor must have been a member of the UI graduate faculty for at least 5 years and have a record of mentoring students to completion.