The Ross Roy Medal, commemorating the outstanding contribution to Scottish literature made by Professor G. Ross Roy of South Carolina University, is awarded annually to the best PhD thesis submitted on a subject relating to Scottish literature and judged by the UCSL committee.

Eligibility/Deadlines
The Ross Roy Medal is presented each November, as part of the annual Scottish Literary Awards hosted by The Saltire Society. To be eligible for the award in a given year, the candidate’s doctoral thesis must have been submitted (not examined) in the twelve months prior to 30 April of that year. Theses submitted from May onward in a given year are eligible for the following year’s awards.

Nomination
Supervisors or examiners of doctoral theses submitted to member institutions are invited to make nominations (via the secretary) by 1 June of each year. The UCSL judging panel will then determine a winner in time for the awards ceremony in November. The judging panel is drawn from across the membership of UCSL and changes on a regular basis.

Past Winners
2021     Nia Clark, University of Glasgow
2020     Paul Malgrati, University of St Andrews
2019     Roseannah Murphy, University of Strathclyde
2018     Lauren Weiss, University of Stirling
2017     Lucy Linforth, University of Edinburgh
2016     Craig Lamont, University of Glasgow
2015     Michael Shaw, University of Glasgow
2014     Barbara Leonardi, University of Stirling
2013     Michael Morris, University of Glasgow
2012     Corey Gibson, University of Edinburgh
2011     Sally Newsome, University of Aberdeen
2010     Ainsley McIntosh, University of Aberdeen

Michael Morris (courtesy of The Saltire Society)

The prize was put together with 50 per cent funding from UCSL and 50 per cent from the Scottish Arts Council (now Creative Scotland). We are thankful to Professor Douglas Gifford (emeritus Chair of Scottish Literature at the University of Glasgow), the late Dr Gavin Wallace (Scottish Arts Council), in whose name Creative Scotland now has a fellowship, and Professor Gerry Carruthers (Francis Hutcheson Chair of Scottish Literature at Glasgow), for the establishment of the prize. Since 2013 the prize has been hosted by The Saltire Society.