Graduates Win Electronic Theses and Dissertation Awards

Reprinted Courtesy of K-State Media Relations and Marketing

Electronic theses submitted by Kansas State University graduate students have won two of the three 2006 “Innovative ETD” awards given by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.

Christopher Spaw, May 2005 master’s graduate in architecture, Manhattan, and an assistant professor of architecture at K-State, won for his thesis, “1219 Colorado.” Howard Camp, a May 2005 doctoral graduate in physics, Woodbridge, VA, won for his dissertation, “Measurements of the Time Evolution of Coherent Excitation.” Each award is worth $400.

According to Marty Courtois of K-State’s Information Technology Assistance Center, Spaw’s thesis contains hundreds of sketches, design drawings, construction documents and photographs assembled as an exhibition within the framework of a PDF document.

Camp’s dissertation incorporates several animated graphs and charts embedded as audio video interleave files within the PDF text, Courtois said.

The ETD Awards Program, sponsored by Adobe Systems Inc., recognizes students whose electronic theses and dissertations make innovative use of software and serve to transform the genre of print dissertations. More information on the awards is available at http://www.ndltd.org/events_and_awards/awards/etd-award-winners-2006

The winning thesis and dissertation, as well as other electronic theses and dissertations submitted by K-State students, can be accessed through the K-State Research Exchange at http://krex.k-state.edu/dspace/.

The electronic theses, dissertations and reports program at K-State is still in pilot test phase, but electronic submission of doctoral dissertations will be required beginning this fall, Courtois said. Masters’ theses and reports must be submitted electronically beginning in fall 2007. More information on the program is available through the K-State Graduate School at http://www.k-state.edu/grad/etdr/