The Graham Foundation offers two Carter Manny Awards: a research award for a student at the research stage of the doctoral dissertation and a writing award for a student at the writing stage of the doctoral dissertation. The research award is acknowledged with up to $15,000 and the writing award is acknowledged with up to $20,000.

The Carter Manny Award applications are reviewed by a diverse panel of recognized scholars in the fields of inquiry represented by the award.

The Graham Foundation offers this prestigious annual award in honor of Carter H. Manny (1918–2017) and his long and distinguished service to the Graham Foundation. Manny served the Foundation since its inception in 1956, first as a trustee, then as the director from 1971, and after his retirement in 1993, as director emeritus.

Criteria

We are primarily interested in projects that are original and have the potential to impact the field of architecture:

• Originality: the dissertation demonstrates an innovative, challenging idea; critical, independent thinking; advanced scholarship; a new approach or methodology
• Potential for impact: the dissertation makes a meaningful contribution to discourse and/or to the field; expands knowledge; is a catalyst for future inquiry; raises awareness of an understudied issue

We also look for the project’s feasibility and the applicant’s capacity:

• Feasibility: the dissertation project has a sound methodology and clear, realistic goals; a reasonable timeframe for research or writing; available and accessible sources
• Capacity: applicant possesses strong qualifications and/or knowledge and demonstrates ability to complete the dissertation successfully

Eligibility

PhD students who are presently candidates for a doctoral degree are eligible to apply.

• Students must be nominated by their department to apply for the Carter Manny Award.
• A department may nominate up to two candidates: one for the research award and one for the writing award.
• At the time of application, students must have completed all requirements for the PhD except the dissertation and have had their dissertation proposals formally approved by their academic departments.
• A student may reapply for the Carter Manny Award if a previous application was not successful. Due to limited funds, a student who received a research award or a writing award is not eligible to apply for another Carter Manny Award in subsequent years.
• The award is open to students officially enrolled in schools in the United States and Canada, regardless of citizenship.

Work being undertaken in pursuit of an academic degree is not otherwise eligible for Graham Foundation support.

 Calendar for the 2020 Carter Manny Award

Application available online: September 15, 2019

Application deadline: November 15, 2019

Award decision notification: April 2020

Award period: The one-year award period begins between June 1 and September 1, 2020 for the 2020–21 academic year