Awards and Scholarships
The Department of Physiology currently provides two awards for outstanding graduate students: the J. Paul Quigley Memorial Scholarship, and the Dorothy K. and Daniel L. Gerwin Graduate Scholarship.
J. Paul Quigley Memorial Scholarship
The J. Paul Quigley Memorial Scholarship was officially started in 1993. However, the origin of this award dates back many years. Dr. Lester Van Middlesworth provided us with the following historical background which culminated in the department's ability to offer this award.
In 1947 Lester VanMiddlesworth received his PhD from the Department of Physiology in the Manhattan Project at the University of California, Berkeley. VanMiddlesworth was subsequently hired as an instructor at the University Tennessee at Memphis in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology by Chairman Dr. John Paul Quigley with the arrangement to teach half time and attend medical school half time. VanMiddlesworth received his MD in 1951, and Dr. Quigley hired him as a full time professor.
In 1962 Dr. Quigley obtained for Dr. VanMiddlesworth a Career Research Award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to continue his career as an investigator.
In 1967 the University of Tennessee Alumni Association awarded Dr. VanMiddlesworth a monetary fund of $500.00 as a teaching award. In gratitude to Dr. Quigley, VanMiddlesworth made arrangements for these funds to be invested for 10 years, after which the earnings would be disbursed as the J. P. Quigley Award, with a stipend of $50.00 given to the most outstanding graduating medical student at the end of each Physiology course.
Following the death of Dr. Quigley in 1976, his widow Joyce Quigley supplemented the Quigley Award with a $50,000.00 financial donation. She stipulated to the committee appointed to manage the program that the selected recipient of the Quigley Award was to be an outstanding GRADUATE STUDENT who was reaching the end of their program. The Quigley Award is bestowed annually to an outstanding University of Tennessee Health Science Center graduate student who has completed all PhD requirements in the Department of Physiology. The official name for this award is “The J. P. Quigley Award”.
Eligibility: To be eligible, students must have completed ALL of the core courses required by the Integrated Program in Biomedical Sciences. In addition, students must have passed their written comprehensive qualifying exam (qualifying part I). Students must also provide a letter of support from their mentor. Students who wish to be eligible must submit a copy of their UT graduate transcripts to the head of the Physiology Graduate Committee. Students should also disclose any external funding support they are receiving. All materials must be submitted electronically.
Selection: The Physiology Graduate Committee will select the winning candidate based on the combined GPA of their Integrated Program in Biomedical Sciences core courses. In instances of identical GPA scores, the committee will take into account the other application materials and may solicit opinions from other faculty members of the Department of Physiology.
Award: The Quigley Fellow will receive a plaque at the annual Departmental meeting in the fall, along with a check for $1,000. The fellowship will also pay $9000 towards 1 year of their stipend (departmental/ mentor contribution). In the case of a tie, each student will receive $1000 checks, but the stipend award will be split among the winners.
Application Deadline: Completed applications are due by June 15, unless otherwise noted.
Dorothy K. and Daniel L. Gerwin Graduate Scholarship
The Dorothy K. and Daniel L. Gerwin Graduate Scholarship was officially started in 1991. Longtime Memphis residents Dan and Dorothy Gerwin have been great benefactors to the university and in particular to our department. Their philanthropy includes the Thomas A. Gerwin endowed Chair in Physiology, and major contributions to renovations to Physiology space in the Nash Building.
On rare occasions, we have members of our Physiology Family who receive special degrees earned through dedication to their profession, diligent untiring work, and exceptional scholarship. The stories behind these individual accomplishments function as guide-post both today and tomorrow for our students and fellows. The link provided to Degrees of Honor, and the unique individuals this information portrays describes the highlights of the professional scientific history of these individuals and their accomplishments.
Eligibility: To be eligible, the student must have been admitted to candidacy for their PhD degree, and must be nominated by their mentor via a letter to the Physiology Graduate Committee. The nominee must provide the committee a CV and their UT graduate transcripts, and write a one page (or less) essay describing their prior and current scientific endeavors and honors, as well as where they plan to be in the future. Students should also disclose any external funding support they are receiving. All materials must be submitted electronically.
Selection: The Physiology Graduate Committee will vote to pick the winning candidate based on the nomination letter and the materials provided by the candidates.
Requirements: The Gerwin Fellow will be required to give a Departmental Seminar the year he/she receives the fellowship. A thesis defense alone will not fulfill the seminar obligation.
Award: The Gerwin Fellow will receive a plaque at the annual Departmental meeting in the fall, along with a check for an additional $2,000. In addition, the fellowship will pay for 1 year of their stipend (departmental/mentor contribution).
Application Deadline: Completed applications are due by June 10, unless otherwise noted.