Winners of 2022 CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards Announced
CGS Contact: Kelley Karnes
602-791-8278 / kkarnes@cgs.nche.edu
Awards recognize outstanding research by graduates in the fields of Mathematics,
Physical Sciences and Engineering & Social Sciences.
Washington, DC – Today the Council of Graduate Schools and ProQuest, part of ClarivateTM, presented the Distinguished Dissertation Awards to Dr. CharMaine Hines and Dr. Brian Leigh Collister during an award ceremony held at the CGS 62nd Annual Meeting in San Franciso. Since 1982, the awards recognize recent doctoral recipients who have made significant and original contributions to their fields.
Dr. Hines received the 2022 award in Social Sciences for her dissertation, Minority community college CEOs perceptions of underrepresentation, preparation and ascension to the presidency, which she completed at Kansas State University. After analyzing the perceptions of 34 CEOs of color, she found significant themes that illustrate leaders’ perceptions of challenges, barriers, and biases that contribute to the underrepresentation of minorities serving in presidential roles in community colleges. Dr. Hines’ research identified recommendations that included university-based leadership preparation programs; a call to action for regional, state, and national associations and affiliate councils; and examining the role of boards of trustees and governing boards in leading the charge for diverse leadership.
The 2022 Award in Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Engineering was presented to Dr. Collister for his dissertation, Shipboard lidar as a tool for measuring the distribution and bulk characteristics of marine particles, which he completed at Old Dominion University. Dr. Collister developed a shipboard oceanographic light detection and ranging (lidar) that effectively measures attenuation and linear depolarization at scales identical to those of in-water optical and biogeochemical measurements. This tool estimates the vertical distribution of optical properties in the ocean to characterize the spatial structure of upper ocean ecosystems.
CGS President Suzanne T. Ortega stated that the work of Dr. Hines and Dr. Collister represents the best of graduate education and research and merits recognition.
“The CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award recognizes the innovative research of young scholars and their momentous impact on their disciplines and the broader graduate education community,” said Ortega. “The significant contributions Dr. Hines and Dr. Collister have made in their respective fields continue the tradition of excellence.”
Angela D’Agostino, Vice President, Product Management at ProQuest, part of Clarivate, said: “We believe human ingenuity can transform the world and improve our future. We are proud to honor Dr. Hine and Dr. Collister with the 2022 Distinguished Dissertation Award and for the awardees to be included in The ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global (PQDT) ™ database, as their impactful research will further innovation and the understanding of the world around us.”
ProQuest, part of Clarivate – whose ProQuest® Dissertations & Theses GlobalTM database (PQDT) features the world’s most comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses – sponsors the awards, and an independent committee from the Council of Graduate Schools selects the winners. Two awards are given each year, rotating among four general areas of scholarship. The winners receive a certificate of recognition, a $2,000 honorarium, and a travel stipend to attend the awards ceremony.
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About CGS
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) is an organization of approximately 500 institutions of higher education in the United States and Canada engaged in graduate education, research, and the preparation of candidates for advanced degrees. The organization’s mission is to improve and advance graduate education, which it accomplishes through advocacy in the federal policy arena, research, and the development and dissemination of best practices.