The Michael K. O'Rourke Best Publication Awards

Who can make a nomination?

• Nominations can be made by a PGR’s lead or co-supervisor.

What are the criteria for the award?

• The PGR must be the major contributor (first or only author) to the publication.
• The PGR must be a registered student at the University in June 2025.
• The paper must have been accepted for publication to be eligible for nomination. However, it does not need to have been published at the time of nomination. In this case, supervisors should mark it as being ‘in press’ on the nomination form.
• The date of submission (online, in print or in press) must be after 01 January 2024.
• The date of submission (online, in print or in press) must be before the PGRs final examination.

The nominations will be judged based on:

• The significance of the PGR’s contribution to the paper.
• Where similar levels of PGR contribution exist, the next criteria should be the extent of original research contribution of the paper. The extent of PGR contribution and the originality of the research should be made clear in the supervisor’s statement of support.
• Published software and software routines will be considered for the award.

• College of Arts and Law - Yordanka Dimcheva 
• College of Social Sciences - Ioana Cerasella Chis 
• College of Engineering and Physical Sciences - Kieran Clark 
• College of Life and Environmental Sciences - Oddny Ragnarsdottir 

• College of Medicine and Health - Olivia Grech 

The forms will be judged by College panels before being forwarded to the University Doctoral School, where a University-level judging panel will agree one winner from each College. Nominees will be invited to the University Doctoral School Awards Ceremony, taking place during the Postgraduate Research Festival in June, where the winners will be announced and presented with their certificates.