Purpose:
The CAST Outstanding Graduate Student Researcher Award recognizes theses or other significant research conducted by CAST graduate students and annually identifies one exemplary thesis for submission to the Graduate Student Thesis Competition sponsored by the Graduate School.
Time Lines:
Send entries to the CAST Research Office. Three (3) copies of the complete research work must be submitted along with two letters of support, one of which should likely be from the major thesis or research advisor. These letters must address the following issues:
Please note: two letters of recommendation should be submitted.
Eligibility:
Any current or former CAST graduate student who has not completed a dissertation or equivalent research activity is eligible.
Number of Entries:
Each department may submit one (1) entry. The use of department guidelines in determining the entry from each respective department is encouraged.
CAST Review:
Entries will be reviewed by the CAST Research Committee (CRC). The research will be evaluated using the following criteria:
The review will be completed and announced on or before November 1 each year. All entries will be ranked. The highest ranking research project, whether it is a thesis or other style of research report, will receive the CAST Outstanding Graduate Student Researcher Award. The CRC may chose not to make the award in a given year.
Thesis Competition:
The highest ranking thesis will be submitted to the Graduate School Thesis Competition. The Graduate School will select thesis as winner and runner-up for the University Competition and a thesis for submission to the Midwest Association of Graduate Schools (MAGS) Competition.
Awards:
The author of the research project that is chosen for the CAST Outstanding Graduate Student Researcher Award will receive a monetary award*, a plaque acknowledging the award and his/her name will be inscribed on a permanent plaque in the Office of the Dean. The faculty advisor for the winning project will receive a $250 monetary award supplemental to be used for scholarly activity (e.g., travel, books, research materials, equipment). The student and advisor will also be recognized in newsCAST and at the CAST December Holiday Banquet or the Spring CAST faculty Meeting.
*If the winning project is a thesis, the student will receive a $200 award made up of a $100 contribution from each College and a $100 contribution from the Graduate School. A non-thesis winning project will receive a $100 award from the College only.
