A new $1 million endowment, the Robin and Roger Best Fund for Doctoral Research and Teaching, will distribute approximately $35,000 to PhD students each year for research, publishing, and great teaching. PhD students can apply for up to $500 per year for costs associated with their research, such as travel, software, data, and conferences. But the rewards don't stop there. Present a paper at a conference? Receive $500 or $1,000 (selected major conferences qualify for the higher award). Submit an article for the first time to a peer-reviewed journal? That's $1,000. If it's accepted, that's another $1,000 or $1,500. The incentives also apply to articles coauthored with faculty members, who share the awards with their students.
The endowment will also fund two annual $2,500 awards for doctoral students who demonstrate excellence in teaching. To celebrate all these teaching and research accomplishments, the Bests' gift will also support an annual event in which award recipients will be honored by faculty members and fellow graduate students.
