Departmental Awards
PBS recognizes outstanding student work each year through departmental awards. Unlike fellowships (which students apply for), awards are nominated by faculty - students do not submit anything themselves. This page explains how nominations work for students who are nominated and for faculty who nominate.
The Awards
Undergraduate Awards
| Award | Recognizes |
|---|---|
| Benjamin G. Benner 1969 Award for Excellence in Research in Psychology | Outstanding undergraduate research in psychology (first, second, and third place) |
| Robert N. Leaton Best Neuroscience Thesis | The best neuroscience honors thesis |
| Lt. William Brewster Nickerson 1964 Psychology Award | Outstanding achievement in psychology by an undergraduate |
Graduate Awards
| Award | Recognizes |
|---|---|
| William M. Smith Promise Award in Brain Science Research | A graduate student showing exceptional promise in brain science research |
| Marie A. Center 1982 Award for Excellence in Research | Outstanding research contributions by a graduate student |
| Marie A. Center 1982 Award for Excellence in Teaching | Outstanding teaching contributions by a graduate student |
Who Nominates
Nominations are submitted by faculty (department staff can also submit). If you are a student who believes your work qualifies, talk with your advisor or a faculty member who knows your work - they decide whether to nominate you.
The Nomination Form (Faculty)
Faculty open Award Nomination from the faculty dashboard (the form lives at /award-nomination). The nomination is a step-by-step wizard:
- Award - select the award, its category (undergraduate or graduate), and the academic year.
- Nominee - search for and select the student being nominated.
- Details:
- Nomination statement (at least 100 characters) - why this student deserves the award, with specific achievements and contributions
- Research summary - the student's research contributions relevant to the award
- Supporting materials link - thesis, publications, or other documents
- Review & Submit - confirm the nomination is accurate and submit it to the awards committee.
Drafts are saved automatically, and faculty can see all of their own nominations with statuses on the same page.
The Review Flow
Nominations go directly to the awards committee - there is a single review stage:
- The faculty member submits the nomination.
- The awards committee reviews it from their pending queue and either:
- Approves it - the student is selected for the award (for the Benner research award, a placement of first, second, or third may be recorded)
- Requests revisions - the nomination is returned to the nominator with comments, so they can edit and resubmit
- Declines it - the student is not selected this cycle
Nomination Statuses
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Draft | Saved but not yet submitted (also where a nomination returns after a revision request) |
| Submitted | With the awards committee for review |
| Revisions Requested | Sent back with committee comments - Edit & Resubmit |
| Approved | The nomination was selected |
| Not Selected | The nomination was not selected |
When the committee requests revisions, the reviewer's comments appear on the nomination card on the faculty member's nominations page.
For Nominated Students
- You do not need to do anything in the system - the nomination is handled entirely by the nominating faculty member and the committee.
- Award decisions are communicated by the department.
Tracking a Nomination (Faculty)
Return to the Award Nomination page at any time to see all of your nominations:
- Each card shows the award, the nominee, the status, and the submission date
- Approved Benner research nominations also show the placement (first, second, or third)
- Nominations sent back for revision show the committee's comments directly on the card, with an Edit & Resubmit button
Tips for Nominators
- Be specific in the nomination statement: concrete accomplishments (thesis quality, publications, presentations, contributions to a lab) are far more persuasive than general praise.
- Link supporting materials - a thesis draft or publication makes the committee's review easier.
- Pick the right category and academic year; the committee reviews nominations by award cycle.