SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDS
Incoming and current students in the UT Dallas School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences are invited to apply for the undergraduate scholarships and awards and graduate fellowships listed below. Each scholarship, fellowship and award has specific criteria for applicants. Please read the descriptions and criteria carefully to ensure you qualify before applying. For additional scholarship and fellowship opportunities, please visit the UTD Office of Financial Aid. For graduate students studying at the Callier Center, also ask your faculty program director about other fellowship award opportunities.
The School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences gratefully acknowledges the donors whose support has made these scholarships, fellowships and awards possible.
Dean Small Congratulates 2020-2021 Student Recipients
Student Travel Awards
Santrock Conference Travel Award
Students presenting at or attending a national psychology conference may apply for funds to cover travel expenses. Dr. John Santrock established this award to support students’ attendance of conferences such as
Criteria:
- Must attend the same conference as faculty mentor
- Must be enrolled at UT Dallas at the time of travel
- Priority to students with authorship on presentations
- Priority to students focused on studying developmental psychology
Lawrence J. Cauller, PhD Neuroscience Research Fund
The Lawrence J. Cauller, PhD Neuroscience Research Fund provides support for student research activities in the Department of Neuroscience. This includes support for the Larry Cauller Undergraduate Research Travel Award, which provides funds for travel for undergraduate neuroscience or graduate applied cognition and neuroscience students who are the first and presenting author on a presentation at a scientific conference. The individual requesting travel must be currently enrolled and must be in good academic standing.
Criteria
- Completed Larry Cauller Undergraduate Research Travel Award Application
- Research Advisor Form, completed by the student’s research advisor, identifying the specific contributions made by the student to the project
- Resume or CV – including education, work experience, honors/awards, publications (abstracts and manuscripts), etc.
- Proof of acceptance of research submission
Undergraduate Student Scholarships
Helen Small Scholarship
The Helen Small Scholarship was established in honor of UT Dallas alumna Helen Small (BA ’07, MS ’10) by her sons, Dr. Neal Small, Dr. Joel Small and Dr. Stuart Small on the occasion of her 95th birthday. This award supports the education of students who were not able to complete their undergraduate degree immediately following high school or who experienced an interruption in completion of their undergraduate degree.
A $2,750 scholarship will be awarded annually.
Criteria:
- Full-time or part-time undergraduate student pursuing degree in BBS
- Student returning to college after delay following high school graduation or interruption of college education
- U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- FAFSA must be submitted to UTD Financial Aid Office
Diane Milot Tucker Scholarship
The Diane Milot Tucker Scholarship has been established by alumna Nicole J. Tucker (BA ’04) in memory of her mother. Diane Milot Tucker believed strongly in the value of education, and demonstrated this by her persistence in completing her degree despite financial obstacles. A scholarship in the amount of $1,000 will be awarded annually. Read more about the Diane Milot Tucker scholarship.
Criteria:
- Full-time or part-time undergraduate student pursuing degree in BBS
- U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- FAFSA must be submitted to UTD Financial Aid Office
Behavioral and Brain Sciences Undergraduate Scholarship
The Behavioral and Brain Sciences Undergraduate Scholarship, given in honor of Bonnie Dougherty in celebration of her retirement from the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, where she worked from 1998–2021. Bonnie worked directly with BBS students throughout her career, and this scholarship honors her legacy of care and support for them.
Criteria:
- Full-time or part-time undergraduate student pursuing degree in BBS
- GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Open to international students, U.S. citizens and permanent residents
- FAFSA must be submitted to UTD Financial Aid Office
The application for scholarships for the 2021-2022 academic year is now closed.
Applications will re-open in mid-spring 2022.
Graduate Fellowships
Bio-Behavioral Sciences Research Award
The Bio-Behavioral Sciences Research Award provides financial support for students conducting research in the bio-behavioral sciences. This endowed award was established in memory of Dr. Mary Fredrickson. This research award is $2,500.
Criteria:
- Be classified as a full- or part-time student at UT Dallas
- Be conducting research in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences under the supervision of a faculty member
James C. Bartlett Fellowship
The James C. Bartlett Fellowship supports doctoral students in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences. This fellowship was established in honor of Dr. James C. Bartlett. Among equally qualified applicants, preference is given to applicants studying autism spectrum disorders or related research topics. This fellowship is $2,500.
Criteria:
- Be an incoming or current UT Dallas student pursuing a doctoral degree in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
- Be classified as a full-time student
- Demonstrate exceptional academic achievement
- Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, or international student
- Among equally qualified applicants, preference is given to applicants studying autism spectrum disorders or related research topics.
- Recipients must sign a release form, in accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), allowing UT Dallas to use application material for fellowship purposes.
Dianne Cash Fellowship
The Dianne Cash Fellowship supports doctoral students working under the supervision of a faculty member at the UT Dallas Center for BrainHealth. This fellowship is $2,500.
Criteria:
- Be an incoming or current UT Dallas student pursuing a doctoral degree and working under the supervision of a faculty member at the UT Dallas Center for BrainHealth. These faculty include: Dr. Sandi Chapman, Dr. Francesca Filbey, Dr. Jacque Gamino, Dr. Dan Krawczyk, Dr. Bart Rypma and Dr. Jeffrey Spence.
- Recipients must sign a release form, in accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), allowing UT Dallas to use application material for fellowship purposes.
Nancy M. O’Neil and John Q. Stilwell, JD, PhD Fellowship in Behavioral and Brain Sciences
The Nancy M. O’Neil and John Q. Stilwell, JD, PhD Fellowship in Behavioral and Brain Sciences supports graduate students in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences. In recognition of the 10th anniversary of the Center for Vital Longevity’s founding, the inaugural fellowship distributed from the endowment, for the 2020-2021 academic year, will have an additional criterion that applicants must be working in a lab of a UT Dallas faculty member who is associated with the Center for Vital Longevity. If the recipient of the inaugural fellowship continues to meet the criteria, the recipient may continue to receive the fellowship for one additional year. The recipient of the inaugural fellowship may reapply for the fellowship in subsequent years and will be considered alongside new applicants.
Criteria:
- Be pursuing a graduate degree in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
- Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, or international student
- In the inaugural year of this award (the 2020-2021 academic year), applicants must be working in the lab of a UT Dallas faculty member who is associated with the Center for Vital Longevity. These faculty include: Dr. Chandramallika Basak, Dr. Kristen Kennedy, Dr. Denise Park, Dr. Karen Rodrigue, Dr. Michael Rugg, Dr. Kendra Seaman, and Dr. Gagan Wig.
- Among equally qualified applicants, preference will be given to applicants who have demonstrated leadership skills and made a positive impact on their communities through activities such as but not limited to student organizations, work experience, internships and community service.
- Recipients must sign a release form, in accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), allowing UT Dallas to use application material for fellowship purposes.
Matthew S. Perry Fellowship in Cognition and Neuroscience
The Matthew S. Perry Fellowship in Cognition and Neuroscience supports graduate students pursuing degrees in Neuroscience and/or Cognition in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences. Fellowship recipients may apply for additional years of funding, provided they are in good academic standing with UT Dallas and continue to meet the eligibility criteria. Recipients seeking additional funding must reapply through the fellowship committee. This fellowship is $1,250.
Criteria:
- Be an incoming or current UT Dallas student pursuing a graduate degree in Neuroscience and/or Cognition in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
- Be classified as a full- or part-time student
- Demonstrate outstanding academic achievement
- Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, or international student
- Recipients may reapply for additional years of funding, provided they are in good academic standing with UT Dallas and continue to meet the eligibility criteria.
- Recipients must sign a release form, in accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), allowing UT Dallas to use application material for fellowship purposes.
Carol L. and Maynard S. Redeker Fellowship
The Carol L. and Maynard S. Redeker Fellowship supports graduate students in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences pursuing a doctoral degree in one of the following or related research areas: Social Cognition and Interaction in Autism Laboratory; Face Perception and Research Laboratory; Infant Learning Project Laboratory; Family Research Laboratory; The Schizophrenia and Social Cognition Laboratory; Speech Perception Laboratory. Fellowship recipients may compete for an additional year(s) of funding. Recipients must reapply through the fellowship committee and be considered with applicants who are past recipients. This fellowship is up to $5,000.
Criteria:
- Be classified as a part-time or full-time student
- Be pursuing a doctoral degree in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences under the supervision of a faculty member
- Work in one of the following or related research areas:
Social Cognition and Interaction in Autism Laboratory with Dr. Noah Sasson;
Face Perception Research Laboratory with Dr. Alice O’Toole;
Infant Learning Project Laboratory with Dr. Melanie Spence;
Family Research Laboratory with Dr. Jackie Nelson;
The Schizophrenia and Social Cognition Laboratory with Dr. Amy Pinkham; and the
Speech Perception Research Laboratory with Dr. Peter Assmann. - Demonstrate exceptional academic achievement
- Be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident
- Demonstrate financial need by completing either a FAFSA or financial statement
- Recipients must sign a release form, in accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), allowing UT Dallas to use application material for fellowship purposes.
Matthew K. Weddle Fellowship in Cognition and Neuroscience
The Matthew K. Weddle Fellowship in Cognition and Neuroscience supports graduate students in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences. The fellowship was established by the family of Matthew K. Weddle in his memory. Matthew was a student at UT Dallas and had a special interest in neuroscience, artificial intelligence and machine learning. This fellowship is $1,000.
Criteria:
- Be an incoming or current UT Dallas student pursuing a graduate degree in neuroscience and/or cognition in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
- Be a part-time or full-time student
- Have at last a 3.0 cumulative GPA
- Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident or international student
- Recipients may compete for additional years of funding, provided they are in good academic standing with UT Dallas and continue to meet the eligibility criteria. Recipients seeking additional years of funding must reapply.
- Recipients must sign a release form, in accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), allowing UT Dallas to use application material for fellowship purposes.
The application for fellowships for the 2021-2022 academic year is now closed.
Applications will re-open in spring 2022.