2025 NRAO Doctoral Dissertation Award

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) and the Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI) are pleased to announce the availability of the 2025 NRAO Doctoral Dissertation Award based on new radio astronomy data obtained at any facility operated or jointly operated by a US-based institution. The award is available to any recent recipient, of any nationality, who has received a doctoral degree from any recognized degree-granting institution in the United States. To be eligible, the applicant must have successfully defended their dissertation during the calendar year 2025. Applications will be evaluated on the importance of the dissertation, the contribution to science, the originality of the investigation, and the independence of the dissertation research.

Candidates should apply for the award by 15 December 2025. Applicants should submit their application by email, briefly describing their dissertation, the date of their successful dissertation defense, the date of degree award, and the name and contact information of their primary dissertation supervisor, all to the email account [email protected]. A copy of the dissertation, in PDF format, should be sent by email to the same address or made available via a link provided in the application email. Published papers, papers in press, or portions thereof, based on the dissertation research, may accompany the application. Verification of the successful dissertation defense and statement that the applicant has successfully completed all university requirements for the PhD should be sent directly by the appropriate university authority to [email protected]. No other reference letters will be accepted.

The NRAO Dissertation Award consists of $1,500, a framed certificate, a dinner with NRAO scientific staff, and an invitation to give a colloquium at the NRAO offices located in Charlottesville, Virginia. The 2025 award winner will be announced in March 2026.