The Beyond Meat Dissertation Award recognizes innovative dissertation research in natural science fields related to sustainable plant-based food.

One to two $5000 awards may be granted each year. Awardees will be selected by a faculty committee based on exceptional innovation in sustainable plant-based food and significant contributions of the dissertation research.

About the Award

The Beyond Meat Dissertation Award recognizes innovative dissertation research in natural science fields related to sustainable plant-based food. One $5000 award may be granted each year. Nominations are due February 16, 2024. Awardees will be selected by a faculty committee based on exceptional innovation in sustainable plant-based food and significant contributions of the dissertation research.

Students who graduated from doctoral programs in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR), College of Arts and Science, and College of Engineering are eligible for nomination. The effective date of the doctoral degree award or the completion of doctoral degree requirements and dissertation must be within the fall, spring, and summer semesters of the prior academic year. For example, students nominated in Spring 2024 must have completed their degree and dissertation in fall 2022, spring 2023, or summer 2023. Nominees must demonstrate exceptional innovation related to sustainable plant-based food.

Department/program may nominate doctoral alumni from the previous academic year with Department Chair/Head or Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) endorsement. There is no limit on the number of nominations that a department/program may submit for this award. Please note that self-nominations are not accepted for the Beyond Meat Dissertation Award.

All nominations will be made through MU Graduate School’s InfoReady site.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility

Nominees for the Beyond Meat Dissertation Award may be any MU doctoral alum for whom the effective date of the conferral of the doctoral degree or the completion of doctoral degree requirements and dissertation is within the fall, spring, and summer semesters of the prior academic year.

Candidates will be evaluated on:

• Innovation in sustainable plant-based food
• Contributions of the dissertation research

Timeline

Call For Nominations Goes Out: December 1
Nominations Due: February 16

Minimum Requirements for Nominations

Nomination packets must be submitted through MU Graduate School’s InfoReady site. Departments/Programs must submit nominations for this award; self-nominations not accepted.

Nomination Materials:

1. Nomination form completed in InfoReady.

2. Nominee’s brief CV or resume (2-page limit; upload as a PDF)

3. Nominee’s dissertation abstract (not to exceed 3 pages, single-spaced, 12 pt font, 1-inch margins; upload as single PDF):

• The abstract should clearly articulate the contributions of the research to innovation in sustainable plant-based food.

• References and appendices containing non-textual material, such as charts, figures, or tables, may be included as additional pages.

4. Three letters of recommendation evaluating the significance and quality of the nominee’s dissertation work. (Upload all 3 letters as a single PDF in the order below)

• One letter from the Department Chair/Head or Director of Graduate Studies (DGS)

• One letter from the nominee’s dissertation supervisor

• One letter from a person who has appropriate expertise to comment on innovation and contribution to the field (from within or outside the university)

No additional materials may be submitted.