The Graduate School has announced Laurel Burk, a postdoctoral research associate with UNC Physics and Astronomy, as the 2014 recipient of the Dean’s Distinguished Dissertation Award for Mathematics, Physical Sciences, and Engineering. The award recognizes exemplary scholarly work in doctoral dissertation projects. Four awards are announced each year, spanning four categories. Winners of this award may be submitted by the university to the Council of Graduate Schools for national recognition. This is a very high honor, and the UNC Physics and Astronomy department wishes to congratulate Laurel for this outstanding achievement.