The Dworsky American Water Resources Award was established to recognize Professor Leonard B. Dworsky, a Michigan graduate who was a pioneer in American water resources management in the twentieth century. It provides a financial award for the best paper on American water resources. Its purpose is to encourage the study of and improvements to, American water resources policies and their institutional arrangements. 

Eligibility: Graduate students enrolled in SEAS or in one of the joint degree programs between SEAS and other schools and colleges in the university. 

Awards: 1 award per year of at least $2,000

Selection Criteria: 

The stipend award will be given to the student who submits the highest quality paper on American water resources at the local, state, regional, river basin, national, and/or trans-boundary level. The winning paper will (1) show knowledge of past and present water management programs, policies and institutional arrangements and (2) address management improvements, institutional arrangements and policies that meet current and future political and technical needs in one or more of the following topics: water supply; water quality; pollution control; agricultuer; industrial and/or urban water usage; public health; related land use; and/or river basin management. 

Application Process: 

Students interested in being considered for this scholarship must complete the following application link https://tinyurl.com/bdcfu52y no later than 9:00 AM on Monday, April 20th, 2026. The SEAS Scholarship Committee will review applications and select one (1) recipient for the scholarship. Once decisions have been made, applicants will be notified of their status. Non-compliant submissions will not be reviewed.

Background on the Dworsky Family and their history at SEAS:

Applicants are encourged to review the following materials that share more about Leonard Dworsky's storied career in the water resources field:

Leonard Dworsky's biography, written by his daughter.

Leonard Dworsky's CV and Personal Record.

Read Leonard Dworsky's memoir, "Add Water and Stir."