Annual Awards

The Dorothy S. Thomas Award

The Dorothy S. Thomas Award has been established by the Population Association of America (PAA) in honor of Dorothy S. Thomas and is presented annually for the best graduate student paper on the interrelationships among social, economic and demographic variables. The Award consists of a cash prize and a certificate to be presented during the PAA Annual Meeting.

Eligibility
The research must be undertaken while the author is a pre-doctoral student in an accredited graduate program. The paper must have both theoretical and empirical aspects. Two or more students may share the award for a collaborative study, but a paper jointly authored by a student and a member of the faculty is not eligible. An individual is eligible for one year following completion of the study. Published papers are acceptable. Recipients of the Ph.D. prior to January 1, 2023 and previous winners of the award are not eligible. Nominees should exemplify the highest standards of professional conduct. 

Nominations Now Open

Submission Procedures

The deadline for receipt of submission is January 31, 2025. Upload the paper and a letter from the student's research advisor confirming eligibility using this form.  Please submit materials in PDF format.  The Dorothy S. Thomas Award Committee reserves the right to withhold the award if it decides that no suitable paper was submitted.

Length

The paper should be journal length; up to 12,000 words (including main text, references, end/footnotes, and appendix text) and up to 10 tables and graphs (combined, including appendices). Papers that exceed this limit will not be considered.

2024 Dorothy S. Thomas Award Winner

Fernanda Rojas-Ampuero, University of Wisconsin - Madison
“Sent Away: The Long-Term Effects of Slum Clearance on Children”

Recent Awards Ceremony: