Interdisciplinary Research Awards

9th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Awards

Congratulations to the 2020 winners!

• Jessica Sandoval, Engineering + Biology
• Luke Sanford, Political Science + Environmental
• Mayra Puente, Education + Anthropology + Geography

If you are interested in applying for the 9th Annual Award cycle, see the below details from the 2021 cycle call for applications for a sense of the requirements:

Applications for the 9th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Awards are now open to all UCSD graduate and professional students. Students currently engaged in innovative, interdisciplinary research should consider applying!

Four students whose research represents a unique and impactful synthesis of theory and methodology from multiple disciplines of study at UCSD will be selected to receive the award. Each recipient will be awarded $500 and a certificate from the Graduate Division. Historically, recipients have also had the opportunity to present their research at an annual Interdisciplinary Research Awards Ceremony.

Application Deadline

Students must submit all application materials by email to vpacademic@gsa.ucsd.edu by Friday May 7, 2021.

Required Application Materials:

• A student-written research statement of 750-1000 words describing the research project, what it draws from each of its disciplines, and how it contributes to each. This statement should be written for a lay audience. Discussion of how the interdisciplinary approach enabled novel findings will be given special attention.
• A curriculum vitae or academic resume.
• Two letters of recommendation from faculty members, preferably thesis advisors or dissertation committee members. Each letter must be written by a faculty member in a different department.

Professors can email their letters of recommendation directly to vpacademic@gsa.ucsd.edu with the applicant’s name clearly featured in both the letter and the subject line of the email.

Criteria

Winning research will be selected on the basis of:

1. Interdisciplinarity: The extent to which the research synthesizes theory and methodology from more than one distinct traditional field of study
2. Novelty: The extent to which the research produces new insights not formerly produced in one or more of the fields from which it draws
3. Impact: The importance of the research to each of its supporting fields of study
4. Communication: The clarity with which the details of the research and the relevance of its content are explained to a lay audience

Notification of award

Award recipients will be notified of their selection by Friday, May 28, 2021.

Questions? Contact the GSA VP Academic at vpacademic@gsa.ucsd.edu.