Mary Kay, Inc. Dissertation Proposal Award
The AMS Mary Kay Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Award, jointly sponsored by Mary Kay, Inc. and the Academy of Marketing Science, recognizes outstanding doctoral candidates in marketing. Eligibility for the award is open to candidates who have successfully defended their dissertation proposal between January 1 and December 31 of the previous calendar year leading up to the AMS Annual Conference.
By participating in the Mary Kay, Inc. Dissertation Award, you will have the opportunity to:
Get feedback from leading marketing scholars: Receive valuable feedback from experts in the field to improve your chances of publication.
Increase visibility and academic reputation: Presenting at the AMS Annual Conference and becoming a finalist can enhance your academic reputation and make you more visible in the job market.
Network with industry leaders: Connect with top executives from Mary Kay, a leading direct selling company, for potential research project opportunities and inspiration.
Structure and fine-tune your research program: Sending your entry allows you to dedicate time and resources to improving the structure of your research and gaining clarity on its direction.
Fund your future research: Have the chance to earn up to $600 in research funding and receive a one-year membership to the Academy of Marketing Science.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the The AMS Mary Kay Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Award, candidates must meet the following criteria:
Candidates must have successfully defended their dissertation proposal between January 1 and December 31 of the previous calendar year leading up to the AMS Annual Conference.
Submissions covering any marketing-related topic, methodology and research interest are welcome.
Doctoral students from programs at any recognized university, college of higher learning, business school or management school worldwide are eligible for the AMS Mary Kay Doctoral Dissertation or Proposal Competition.
Finalists must attend and register for the AMS Annual Conference in order to be considered as the winner or a runner-up for either award.
Candidates may not be considered for both the proposal and dissertation awards during the same year. If a candidate successfully defends both the proposal and the final dissertation in the same year, then he or she will only be considered for the Mary Kay Doctoral Dissertation Award.
Selection Process
Submission Process: To be considered, please submit an electronic version of a dissertation abstract that is no longer than 15 double-spaced pages (including appendices, tables, figures and references). In the title of your submission, please clearly indicate whether your submission is “Dissertation Proposal Award Submission.” For example: “Brand Extensions: A New Perspective—Dissertation Proposal Award Submission.”
Your submission should be formatted using the guidelines for the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science (JAMS). Do not include any identifying information in the submission itself (either within the text or as part of the document’s properties), as it will undergo a blind review. Feel free to contact the chairs of the competition for additional information on the submission process. All submissions must be sent in PDF format.
Winner Selection: Before the AMS Annual Conference, three finalists will be chosen for each award based on the blind reviewer feedback. The winner will be chosen from the three finalists at the AMS Annual Conference based on the quality of their dissertation research and their presentations at the conference.
Winner Recognition
Two finalists are awarded $500* each and a single winner will be awarded $600*, along with a one-year AMS membership, with checks drawn from a U.S. bank. Wire transfers are available for international recipients. All three winners receive the award funds and plaques at the AMS Annual Conference.
Past Winners
The Dissertation Proposal Competition was established in 2015. Past winners include:
2015: Lura Forcum, University of Indiana
2016: Michael He Jia, University of Southern California
2017: Anita Pensari, Michigan State University
2018: Danny Zane, Ohio State University
2019: Shaobo Li, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
2020: Eunyoung Jang, Oklahoma State University
2021: Bowen Luo, University of Rochester
2022: Ali Anwar, Wilfrid Laurier University
2023: Khue (Kylie) Vo, University of North Texas
2024: Xiaoxu Wu, Michigan State University
