PhD Awards

With the help of generous donors, we award outstanding graduate students in research and teaching.

Browse opportunities to donate to the department.

Our students also win awards across campus (like Winemiller and Dissertation Year Fellowship) and beyond.

2021 winners with Dr. Kaplan at the picnic

For excellent graduate students, this award has recently gone to Rachel Volmert (2023), JR Funk (2023), Nabi Arjmandi (2022), Wei Zhao (2022), Duan Zhang (2021), and Tabitha Chikhladze (2020).

Read more & donate online

For excellence in graduate study, this award has recently gone to Brendan Cirillo (2023), Tabitha Chikhladze (2022) and Moenes Mellouli (2021).

Read more & donate online

For academic merit of students fluent in Korean and/or studying the Korean economy, this award has recently gone to Jeonghyun Kim (2022), Seonyong Kim (2021), Joonhong Ahn (2019) and Kyungsik Nam (2017).

Read more & donate online

For policy-relevant empirical work in labor economics, this award has recently gone to Fangda Wang (2021), Cheng Qian (2020), Yang An (2019), Zixin (Silvia) Liu (2019), Xiqian (Cecilia) Wang (2018), Wei Kong (2017), Diyi Li (2017), Li Tan (2016), and Weiwei Wu (2016).

Read more & donate online

For excellence in graduate study, this award has recently gone to Tabitha Chikhladze (2023), Brookelyn Adams (2021).

Read more & donate online

For excellence in graduate study, this award has recently gone to Wei Zhao (2023), Yong Feng (2023), William Park (2021).

Read more & donate online

For strong progress toward significant research contributions, this award has recently gone to Xin Liu (2019), Sanha Noh (2018), Li Tan (2017), Xingpeng (Catherine) Wei (2017), and Taehwan Kim (2016).

Read more & donate online

For excellence in teaching, this award has recently gone to Zhiyang (David) You (2019), Lonnie Hofmann (2018), Taehwan Kim (2017), and Xueli Cao (2016).

Read more & donate online

For performance in first-year courses and qualifying exams, this award has recently gone to Qian (Joe) Wu (2019), Fangda Wang (2018), Xin Liu (2017), Cheng Qian (2017), and Heon Lee (2016).

Read more & donate online