Graduate Student Awards
Important Dates
Applications open: December 15, 2025Application deadline: February 16, 2026
Nomination deadline: February 16, 2026
Deadline for letters of recommendation: February 16, 2026
Award decisions and notifications will be completed by May 1, 2026
Eric and Louise Conn Graduate Student Award in Plant Biochemistry
The Eric and Louise Conn Graduate Student Award in Plant Biochemistry was endowed through a generous gift from Eric and Louise Conn. This award supports outstanding graduate students performing research in the field of plant biochemistry. be eligible, applicants must be full-time registered graduate students in good academic standing in the Plant Biology or the Biochemistry and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Graduate Groups, and working with faculty mentors in the College of Biological Sciences.
Anticipated award(s): 1-2
Maximum award amount: $2,000
Anticipated award(s): 1-2
Maximum award amount: $2,000
Barbara Horwitz & John Horowitz Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology Award
The Barbara Horwitz & John Horowitz Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology Award was endowed through a generous gift from Barbara Horwitz & John Horowitz. This award recognizes an outstanding graduate student in the Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology Graduate Group, and is applied towards travel and/or supplies. To be eligible, applicants must be full-time registered graduate students in good academic standing in the MCIP graduate group, in their second year or beyond, with a minimum GPA of 3.5.
Anticipated award(s): 2-4
Maximum award amount: $2,000
Anticipated award(s): 2-4
Maximum award amount: $2,000
Monsanto Fellowship in Agricultural Biotechnology
The Monsanto Fellowship was endowed through a generous gift from the Monsanto Corporation. This fellowship is available to outstanding UC Davis College of Biological Sciences graduate students preparing for careers in agricultural biotechnology. To be eligible, applicants shall have declared the intention to pursue a career in agricultural biotechnology. Students must be in good academic standing and are required to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0. Applicants must be full-time registered graduate students in one of the eight Biological Sciences graduate groups.
Anticipated award(s): 1-2
Maximum award amount: $3,000
Anticipated award(s): 1-2
Maximum award amount: $3,000
Loren D. Carlson Prize in Physiology
The Loren D. Carlson Prize in Physiology honors the contributions of Loren D. Carlson, former Chair of the Physiology Graduate Group. The annual prize honors one student in the Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology Graduate Group who has demonstrated "scholarly achievement and promise for teaching and research." To be eligible, students must have advanced to candidacy, or completed their Ph.D. the year prior. Please submit a nomination letter and a copy of the candidate’s dissertation or other evidence of scholarly achievement, such as pdfs of published papers.
Anticipated award(s): 1
Maximum award amount: $3,000
Anticipated award(s): 1
Maximum award amount: $3,000
*This award is by faculty nomination only
Dean's Mentorship Award
The Dean’s Mentorship Award was created by the Dean of Biological Sciences and made possible through donations to the Dean’s Innovation Fund, to recognize graduate students who have demonstrated excellence in the mentorship of undergraduate students. This award provides funding to the selected graduate students and an additional funding to the graduate student’s laboratory to support the research experience of undergraduates being mentored by that graduate student. To be eligible, applicants must be full-time registered graduate students in good academic standing in one of the eight graduate groups in the College of Biological Sciences:
Maximum award amount: $5,000 (split between graduate student and undergraduate mentor)
- Animal Behavior
- Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
- Biophysics
- Integrative genetics and genomics
- Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology
- Neuroscience
- Plant Biology
- Population Biology
Maximum award amount: $5,000 (split between graduate student and undergraduate mentor)
*This award is by faculty nomination only
Irving I. Hertzendorf Memorial Award
The Irving I. Hertzendorf Memorial Award was created to honor the life of Irving I. Hertzendorf, a graduate student in Physiology. This award is presented annually to an exceptional Ph.D. student in the Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology Graduate Group, to recognize the full range of scholarly attributes, including completion of a significant research project. Nominees must fulfill the following criteria:
Anticipated award(s): 1
Maximum award amount: $500
- advancement to candidacy
- excellence in physiology research
- leadership, professional competence, and an interest in the welfare of others
- demonstrated in-depth interest in the life sciences
Anticipated award(s): 1
Maximum award amount: $500
*This award is by faculty nomination only