undergraduate research paper awards

AP-LS Award for Best Undergraduate Paper

AP-LS Undergraduate Paper Award Committee

June 30, 2024

• Description
• Eligibility
• How to Apply
• Proposal Review Criteria

The AP-LS Award for Best Undergraduate Paper is awarded to an outstanding undergraduate research paper that is focused on the interdisciplinary study of psychology and law.

First ($500), second ($200) and third place ($150) winners are conferred annually, and winners will be be encouraged to submit their work as a poster presentation at the AP-LS Annual Conference (as first author).

To be eligible for an award the student must be the major contributor to a project on a topic relevant to psychology and law (i.e., the student had primary responsibility for initiating and conducting the project even though the project will usually be conducted under the supervision of a mentor).

Data collection should be complete.

Students may submit their work during their first post-undergraduate year as long as the work was conducted during their undergraduate career.

Submit Here

Submissions (APA-paper and letter of support) must be emailed to to the Chair of the Undergraduate Paper Award Committee at [email protected] as .doc or .docx (Microsoft Word) files. Deadline for receipt of all materials is June 30.

• One copy of the APA-style paper being submitted for consideration.
• The paper should be a maximum of 25 pages of text (12-point font, one-inch margins), including the abstract and tables/figures.
• The 25-page maximum does not include the title page and references.
• A letter of support from the student’s faculty mentor.
• Each applicant must have their mentor submit a letter of support to the chair that characterizes the nature and extent of the student’s contribution to the project.
• This letter should be a maximum of two pages of text (12-point font, one-inch margins).

Applications that do not meet these requirements for the paper and letters of support will be disqualified.

Proposals will be reviewed by members of the AP-LS Undergraduate Paper Award Committee based on independence, originality, contribution to field, soundness of design and analyses and quality of writing.

Past Recipients

The Global Undergraduate Awards

Submissions are open for the 2024 season, gua numbers.

The Global Undergraduate Awards is the world's leading academic awards programme which recognises top undergraduate work, shares this work with a global audience and connects students across cultures and disciplines.

From our blog

GUA: Judge Dra. Pilar Irala-Hortal

Judge Dra. Pilar Irala-Hortal speaks to our Judging Executive Helen about her own inspiration and career to mark International Women's Month

Unlocking Success THE seminar

Unlocking Success: Application info-session with The Global Undergraduate Awards

GUA: Sunderie Lurati-Lama

The Newest member of our core team shares a little about her professional journey and celebrates what International Women's Day means to her.

What our Students Say

"It was an amazing few days getting to know other winners from a range of different categories and countries. The opportunity to present my research and speak with so many brilliant minds is incomparable. I can’t wait to see what everyone achieves in the future." - Maggie Tighe, University College Cork, Global Winner 2022

"When I received my postgraduate offer from the University of Oxford, I couldn't help thinking about my experience winning an award from the Global Undergraduate Awards. I believe that winning that award is the best thing that ever happened to me... it brought me into the academic world. It helped me build the confidence I needed to move forward in academia and gave me courage to explore the unknown possibilities in life." - Weifeng Tao, Australian National University, Regional Winner 2022

"The prize, the medal is a great bonus to have but I think more important are the connections that we have made, and the ideas that we have shared. It's an unbelievable experience." - Kang Rui Garrick Lim, National University of Singapore, Global Winner 2019

"It’s nice to have a platform where undergraduate work is recognised as being as revolutionary and groundbreaking as the stuff that’s produced at postgraduate level." - Jay Millard, University of Leeds, Global Winner 2019

"The research that we conduct is most often impacted by our intimate personal identities and so when you’re sharing your research you are sharing a part of yourself, your life, your identity, and your community with each other." - Istifaa Ahmed, University of California, Berkeley, Global Winner 2018

Our Partners

Research Paper Awards

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Library Research Awards 2024

Did you know that your research project could be worth $750?

American University’s Library seeks to promote and honor student research papers that reflect the best of the best among the thousands of papers submitted each year. Winners will be selected by teaching and library faculty and honored during a ceremony in April. Applications for the 2024 research awards are due on April 1st 2024.

All award winners, along with their friends and family, will be invited to join American University faculty and administrators on Bender Library’s 3rd floor to present their research and receive their awards at the ceremony. Food and drinks will be provided. The event will be hybrid to accommodate friends and family outside of the DMV. Award winners will be contacted about the ceremony after the winners have been determined.

Submit your Application or Faculty Recommendation Letter

Awards Categories

W. donald bowles award.

Endowed by Professor Emeritus Bowles, papers submitted for this award should reflect his interest in wealth inequality, poverty, and other topics related to the consequences of economic disparities. Students may have explored these topics within a course in any subject area.

Eligibility: current undergraduate or graduate students

Award amounts*

• 1st Place Graduate $750
• 1st Place Undergraduate $750

*Funds may be taxable and may impact financial aid.

Best Writing Studies Paper Award

Given that all undergraduate students participate in the Writing Studies program during their first year at American University, this award seeks to highlight the best papers that blend the writing and research skills learned through the WRT 100, 101, and 106 courses.

Eligibility: papers submitted during a 2023 or 2024 Writing Studies course

• 1st Place $750
• 2nd Place $500
• 3rd Place $250

Best Undergraduate Paper Award

Interesting research and high-quality writing are found across disciplines at American University. All undergraduate students are invited to submit their best research paper, from any class, on any subject, to be considered for this award.

Eligibility: current undergraduate students

Evaluation Criteria

• Resource Usage:  Substantial use of library resources and collections in any format, including but not limited to printed resources, databases, primary resources, and materials in all media.
• Original Thought:  Ability to locate, select, evaluate, and synthesize library resources and to use them in the creation of a project that shows originality and/or has the potential to lead to original research in the future.
• Learning:  Evidence of significant personal learning through the research process.
• Research Habits:  Development of a habit of research and inquiry that shows the likelihood of persisting in the future.
• Quality:  Mastery of content appropriate to class level, clear writing, and an overall high quality of presentation.
• W. Donald Bowles Award:  Undergraduate level papers demonstrate thoughtful approaches to the identification, description, and discussion of wealth inequality, poverty, and/or other topics related to the consequences of economic disparities, in addition to above criteria. Graduate-level papers demonstrate deep, original thought and research into wealth inequality, poverty, and/or other topics related to the consequences of economic disparities, in addition to above criteria.
• Rubric: This document is the rubric that will be used to evaluate applications.

Application Process

All applications for the 2024 award cycle are due by April 1, 2024.

Papers written by individual students from Spring 2023 – Spring 2024 are accepted for consideration. Students are able to submit up to one paper for each competition category. Only one award will be granted per individual no matter the number of categories entered.

Submissions are required to meet the following requirements:

All documents must be submitted as Microsoft Word or PDF files. Submissions are only accepted from individuals with individual work - no group work will be evaluated. Papers from study abroad courses taken for AU credit and supported by the faculty member who taught the course are eligible.

To apply, students must submit the following by April 1 using the submission form :

• Completed application with title of paper, title of course, semester the course was taken, name of professor, and email of professor. Upon submission, the professor will be notified of your submission.
• How did you determine your topic?
• What was your library research process?
• What role did library research play throughout the research process?
• How did you build or evaluate your list of sources?
• Did you consult with a librarian or use a library subject guide and how did they influence your process?
• Which databases did you employ, and how they did help you in your library research process?
• Did you include books, journal articles, and/or other types of sources, and why?
• Did you use materials from other libraries and why?
• Did library instruction on how to find, evaluate, and use resources inform your library research process, and if so, how?
• A bibliography or other listing of sources consulted, if not already included in the paper.

Projects that are in formats other than papers are eligible if a significant research component is present.  For information about other project formats, please contact [email protected] .

Applicants must also solicit a letter of recommendation from the faculty member who taught the course for which the paper or project was prepared. Applicants must request the letter, and the professor must use the submission form to submit the letter. Applicants will be notified when letters of recommendation are submitted.

All winning research projects will be added to AU’s institutional repository. By submitting a project for review, applicants agree to having their project added to the institutional repository.

Applications must be accompanied by a letter of recommendation from the faculty member who taught the course for which the paper or project was prepared. Faculty must submit the letter through the submission form as a Word document or PDF, as well as the applicant’s name, email address, and semester the student was enrolled in the course. The applicant will be notified when the letter of recommendation is submitted.

Faculty will receive notification when an applicant submits an application listing them as the faculty member.

Evaluation Committees

The following faculty members will be evaluating applications based on the criteria and rubric. The library wishes to thank all of the reviewers for their service!

W. Donald Bowles Award Committee Members

• Katie Hut, University Library (chair)
• Olivia Ivey, University Library
• Tom Husted, CAS Economics (former colleague of W. Donald Bowles and family friend)
• Stacey Snelling, CAS Health Studies

Best Writing Studies Paper Award Committee Members

• Clarissa Ihssen, University Library (chair)
• Alayne Mundt, University Library
• Kelly Joyner, Writing Studies
• Kate Wilson, Writing Studies

Best Undergraduate Paper Award Committee Members

• Melissa Becher, University Library (chair)
• Vicky Marchand, University Library
• Cindy Bair van Dam, Writing Studies
• Michael Clayton, Kogod Marketing

2023 Award Winners

Undergraduate winner.

Tyler Godding

TANF [Temporary Assistance for Needy Families] Spending on Basic Assistance and State Poverty Rates

Professor Kimberley Cowell-Meyers

Graduate Winner

Signaling Women's Entry into Male-Dominated Occupations: Evidence from the Gender Desegregation of the U.S. Army

Professor Mary Hansen

1st Place: Yvette Nau

A Systematic Reset: How TikTok is Changing the Path to Musical Fame

Professor Jeremy S. Wade

2nd Place: Natan Kimelman-Block

Chanting for Change: The Musical Origins of Revolutionary Change During the Arab Spring

Professor Glenn Moomau

3rd Place: Calista Schloessmann

No-Knock Warrants as Death Warrants: Threatening Constituent Lives

Professor Tod E. Jones

1st Place: Robby Jones

Conditioned Taste Avoidance and Conditioned Place Preference Induced by the Third Generation Synthetic Cathinone Eutylone in Female Sprague-Dawley Rats

Professor Anthony Riley

2nd Place: David Brostoff

Politics Among Realists: Morgenthau, Kissinger, and the Problem of Vietnam

Professor Gregory Aftandilian

3rd Place: Molly Loprete

Mixed Method Research Design: The Human Cost of Democratic Backsliding Using the Integration of Qualitative and Quantitative Data

Professor Horace Bartilow

Watch presentations from the 2023 award winners here:

2021 Award Winners

• Rachel Boose, 2021 Writing Studies Award for “Looking to Civil Rights to Save the Planet.”
• Niamh Burns: 2021 Library Undergraduate Research Award for “Astrophysical Contributions to the Great Filter: A Shakespearian Tragedy.”
• Jonah Kaufman-Cohen: 2021 Library Undergraduate Research Award for, “They want not only to hand over the bricks but also to lay them in place themselves: Expectations and Experience of Women in the Labor Zionist Movement.”
• Owen McCoy: 2021 Library Undergraduate Research Award for “The Impact of Government Type on Global Digital Activism Targets: A Comparison of Digital Activism in Authoritarian and Democratic Regimes.”

Faculty sponsors, Professors Kate Haulman, CAS - History, William T. Parsons, CAS - Physics, Kimberly Cowell-Myers, SPA and Kate Wilson, CAS - Literature.

ConnectUR 2024.

Undergraduate Research: What’s Next?

The dual-experience conference will focus on revealing what is on the horizon for students, faculty, and institutions in undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative inquiry, even as we pause to take notice of how far we have come.

AWARD DEADLINES

Explore the many open awards for both CUR and it’s divisions.

FEATURED EVENT

Community Engagement Meeting

Join in on CUR’s public community meeting where we will review the 2023 Year in Review, opportunities for future engagement, and goals as we approach the 2024-2025 membership year and beyond.

Some of Our Institutional Members

Award for Undergraduate Research

Undergraduates, now is your chance to turn your research project into a cash prize.

The University of Maryland Libraries, the Office for Undergraduate Research (OUR), and Maryland's College of Information are partnering to showcase and reward undergraduate research projects.

Up to four awards of $1,000 each will be awarded to undergraduates who impress us with their research. The awards, provided by the University of Maryland Libraries, aim to promote the value and use of library services and information resources. 

Essays and projects of winning students will be included in the Digital Repository at the University of Maryland (DRUM) .

Submissions will be accepted beginning December 11, 2023.  The submission deadline has been extended and will now close at noon on March 29, 2024.

Apply here .

For questions and more information about the Library Award for Undergraduate Research, contact Patti Cosard, Indigenous Studies & Special Collections Librarian, at [email protected] .

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Award

As part of our ongoing commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA), the University of Maryland Libraries seeks to recognize and empower students to explore diversity issues, educate themselves, and inspire others to advance social justice by embracing the IDEA values through research. 

The Libraries are committed to creating and maintaining diverse and inclusive learning and research environment that nurtures the growth and development of our students.

We encourage individual submissions of research papers related to diversity issues including but not limited to race/ethnicity, gender identity, religious heritage, socio-economic status, first-generation university students, veterans, disability/ableism, ageism, national origin/immigration status, indigenous heritage, sexual orientation, etc. One of these four awards will be awarded to the individual IDEA winner.

Criteria and Guidelines

To be eligible for the awards , individual applicants must:

• Be a currently enrolled University of Maryland College Park undergraduate at any class level, and in any discipline (e.g. agriculture, arts, humanities, information science, public policy, social sciences, sciences, etc.).
• Have completed their research paper/project for a credit course or under the direction of a professor or a librarian at the University of Maryland College Park during the calendar year January to December 2023.
• Agree to attend Undergraduate Research Day on Wednesday, April 27, 2024 , if you are a winning awardee.
• Agree to submit their research paper/project to the Digital Repository at the University of Maryland (DRUM). Research papers are not eligible for consideration if they are pending review by the publisher, accepted for publication, or already published in print or digital form. 
• Have their research papers/projects and the essay written in English. For papers written in a foreign language, follow the guidelines in FAQ section, item #7.
• Agree to have the application used as data in a study on trends of undergraduate information seeking and use.

To be eligible for an IDEA Award for Undergraduate Research , as well as the criteria above, the research paper should focus on research that promotes our understanding of diversity issues including but not limited to race/ethnicity, gender identity, religious heritage, socio-economic status, first-generation university students, veterans, disability/ableism, ageism, national origin/immigration status, indigenous heritage, sexual orientation, etc.

Papers/projects will be judged based on the following criteria:  

• Sophistication, originality, or unusual depth or breadth in final research product.
• A bibliography or other appropriate listing of sources consulted.
• A reflective essay.

An essay consisting of 750-1,000 words is required that describes your experience in using the information resources and library services. Explain your research strategy and how you used and evaluated the resources found. The following questions should be addressed in your essay. If one or more of the questions are not applicable, please explain why.

• How did you begin your research? Explain how you came up with your research query/topic.
• How did you discover your sources? Which library or other information sources did you use? Explain particular techniques or strategies that you used while searching and discovering information.
• Did you seek assistance from a librarian, a professor, or someone else? If so, how this interaction impacted your research process? Was there anyone in particular who gave you the inspiration to turn your research in a different direction?
• How did you select and evaluate the sources you found? Explain which criteria you used for selecting sources.
• What did you learn during the research process that will help further your academic or professional career?

Finally, reflecting back on your research experience, what would you change?  How could the library be a better place for your research needs? Be creative and bold in your imagination!

Applications must include all of the following:

• Application form. Applications are collected through a form. To submit your application, you will need the following information in addition to general information about yourself and your submission: Summary of the paper/project. - Course number and course name for which the paper/project was completed. - Year and semester the paper/project course was completed. - Citation style used for references (e.g. MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.). - Name of instructor or librarian supporting this application as well as their email, phone number, and the college/school and department to which they belong.
• Address the Review Committee
• Date the Letter
• Introduction: who the supporter is and how they know the applicant
• Description of applicant's library research strategy as known/observed by supporter
• Evaluation of the significance of research discussed in the applicant's paper
• Worthiness of the applicant's work for the award
• Reflective essay (750-1,000 words) describing applicant’s research strategies and use of library tools and information resources.
• Bibliography (please do not remove the references list from your original research paper/project)
• Written projects: The length of the paper may vary depending on the assignment.
• Digital projects: If web-based, include a URL of the digital project in your Application form (next to the Title of the research/project) along with the other application components. If the project is in a format that cannot be submitted electronically, such as an architectural model, CD or DVD, deliver it by the due date in person to Patti Cossard.

All necessary documents must be in .pdf format. Save your files using your last name and the name of the document:

• Lastname_Application.pdf
• Lastname_LetterOfSupport.pdf
• Lastname_Essay.pdf
• Lastname_ResearchPaper.pdf
• Lastname_Bibliography.pdf

You will receive a confirmation e-mail after you complete your application process. To be considered for the award, applications must be received by noon on March 15, 2024 . Late applications will not be considered.

Applications must be submitted online via this Application web site. Submissions will not be accepted after the deadline. See the Application guidelines section of the left sidebar for more information.

If, due to format, your project cannot be submitted electronically, contact Patti Cossard,  [email protected] , to make alternate arrangements.

No, we are no longer accepting group projects.

No. Instead of submitting several research papers, choose the best one and describe your research experience in your essay. 

Yes. All submissions must include a properly formatted bibliography in a recognized style (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.). A bibliography is mandatory regardless of whether or not your professor originally required it. Check out the UMD Libraries' Citation Tools  for help creating your bibliography.

In some circumstances (e.g. study abroad program or funeral of a close relative), this requirement can be waived. However, the award must be received in person (no checks will be mailed). 

Yes. Students can still apply for the library award, if their research projects have been completed in the previous calendar year for May graduates and in the current calendar year for December graduates. 

If the research paper is written in a foreign language, translate it in English and place the following note at the beginning of your document in italics:

This is a translated English version of the original paper written in [state the language here]. The original text in [foreign language] follows on p. [….] in this document. 

When you submit items, you agree to the DRUM license and grant the University of Maryland a non-exclusive right to retain, preserve, and provide access to your material. The term "non-exclusive" means that you retain all copyright to your work. You can still enter into agreements with other organizations (such as publishers) granting them rights to use your material.

If you have further questions, please email [email protected] .

The jury consists of three to four  subject librarians , a faculty member of the Libraries' IDEA committee, and a faculty member from the iSchool , College of Information Studies.

Not necessarily. The prize will only be given when the work submitted is of high enough quality to warrant it. We anticipate giving the prize every year, therefore, but do not guarantee it.

This prize is aimed at promoting the use of library research among undergraduates in order to prepare them for lifelong learning. The goal is to promote and reward research strategies at an earlier stage of learning than graduate level work.

Yes, examples of past award winning papers can be found in DRUM Collection: Library Award for Undergraduate Research .

The award may affect your financial aid. Please consult your financial aid advisor or the Office of Student Financial Aid .

Past Award Recipients

Emily Eason,  Senior student. Major: Government and Politics (Concentrating in International Relations)

Faculty Librarian: Jordan Sly, University Libraries, Teaching and Learning Services

Library Award Essay and Project

Research Paper:  Olde Towne, New Townspeople: An Anthropological Analysis of the LifeStages of 1.5 Generation Latino Immigrants in Gaithersburg, MD

Winner of the 2022 Library IDEA Award for Undergraduate Research

Linette Kingston,  Senior student. Major: Health and Science Analytics

Faculty professor: Dr. Andrea Lopez, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Anthropology

Research Paper:  Surveillance in the United States: From the War on Drugs to the War on Terrorism

Lauren Krauskopf,  Senior student. Major: History

Faculty professor: Dr. Katarina Keane, College of Arts and Humanities, History

Librarian: Judy Markowitz, University Libraries, Teaching and Learning Services

Research Paper:  Discomfort and Unpleasantness: The Vietnam Antiwar Movement at the Supreme Court

Karoline Trovato,  Senior student. Major: Psychology 

Faculty professor: Dr. Karen O'Brien, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Psychology

Research Paper:  Educate and Empower: An Online Intervention to Improve College Women’s Knowledge and Confidence When Communicating in a Romantic Relationship

Jesse Anderson , Junior student. Major: Information Science (Concentrating in Data Science)

Faculty Librarian: Rachel Gammons, University Libraries, Teaching and Learning Services

Research Paper: In Support of Abstinence-Plus Education: Evaluating the Shortcomings of Peer-to-Peer Education and Abstinence-Only Programs in the Context of Attitudes, Intentions, and Behaviors

Winner of the 2021 Library IDEA Award for Undergraduate Research

Boban Dedović , Senior student. Major: Psychology 

Faculty professor: Edward Bernat, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Psychology

Research Paper: ‘Minds’ in ‘Homer’: A quantitative psycholinguistic comparison of the Iliad and Odyssey

William Wong , Senior student. Major: English and History

Faculty professor: Linda Coleman, College of Arts and Humanities, English

Research Paper: Strength in Contradiction: The Radicalization of Incel Rhetoric

Boban Dedović , Senior student. Major: History

Faculty professor: Matthew J. Suriano, College of Arts and Humanities, Jewish Studies

Research Paper: "Inanna's Descent to the Netherworld": A Centennial Survey of Scholarship, Artifacts, and Translations  

Peter Roberts ,  Senior student. Major: History

Faculty professor: Lauren Michalak, College of Arts & Humanities, History Department

Librarian: Eric Lindquist

Research Paper: Religious and Ethnic Motivations for the Philhellenic Movement During the Greek Revolution

Cecilia Sun,  Junior student. Major: Communication

Faculty professor: Carly Woods, College of Arts & Humanities, Communication Department

Archivist: Lae'l Hughes-Watkins

Research Paper: On Rachel Carson's Continuing Legacy: How Students at the University of Maryland Aim to Commemorate Carson in 21st Century Environmental Activism

Meron Gebre-Egziabher,  Freshman student. Major: Undeclared

Faculty professor: Norrell Edwards, College of Arts & Humanities, English Department

Library Award Essay and Project

Research paper: Dismantling of the African American Nuclear Family

Samantha Martocci , Senior student. Major: Behavioral and Community Life

Faculty professor: Elizabeth Aparicio, School of Public Health, Department of Behavioral and Community Life

Librarian: Nedelina Tchangalova

Research paper: Examining the Relationship Between Pornography Consumption and Rape Myth Acceptance Among Undergraduate Students

David Rekhtman , Sophomore student. Major: Biochemistry; and Biology with a concentration in Neurobiology and Physiology

Faculty professor: Dr. James Hagberg, School of Public Health, Department of Kinesiology

Research paper: The Role of Adrenergic Intervention on Thoracic and Abdominal Perivascular Adipose Tissue Expansion in Rats with and without Heart Failure

Rachael Edmonston , Sophomore student. Major: History

Faculty professor: Roger Bailey, College of Arts & Humanities, Department of History

Librarians: Eric Lindquist and Cecelia Vetter

Library award essay and project

Research paper: Confederate Female Spies: Changing Northern Perceptions in Fiction and Nonfiction and it’s Affect on Popular Opinion of the Confederate Cause

Sarvar Oreizi-Esfahani , Senior student. Major: Psychology

Faculty professor: Tracy Tomlinson, College of Behavioral & Social Sciences, Department of Psychology

Research paper: The Relationship between Student Burnout and the development of Aggressive Tendencies

Elizabeth Patterson , Junior student. Major: English

Faculty professor: Jessica Enoch, College of Art & Humanities, Department of English

Librarians: Elizabeth Novara

Research paper: Finding Eliza Messenger

Michelle Glazer , Senior student. Major: History

Faculty professor: Marlene J. Mayo, College of Arts & Humanities, Department of History

Librarians: Eric Lindquist and Amy Wasserstrom

Noah Jarrah , Sophomore student. Major: Aerospace Engineering

Faculty professor: Andrew Becnel, A. James Clark School of Engineering, Department of Aerospace Engineering

Sarah Schurman , Junior student. Major: English

Faculty professor: Mark A. Forrester, College of Art & Humanities, Department of English

Sophie Dean , Junior student. Major: Public Health Science, English

Faculty professor: Devon Corcia Payne-Sturges, School of Public Health, Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health

Librarian: Nedelina Tchangalova

Library award essay and project  

Michelle Sauer , Sophomore student. Major: English, Secondary Education

Faculty professor: Zita Nunes, College of Arts and Humanities, Department of English

Librarian: Patricia Herron

Kathleen Weng , Senior student. Major: English (Art History minor)

Faculty professor: Yui Suzuki, College of Art & Humanities, Department of Art History & Archaeology

Library liaison: Tim Hackman

Matthew Gabb , Junior student, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Department of Anthropology

Faculty professor: Sean Downey, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Department of Anthropology

Library liaison: Otis Chadley

Lenaya Stewart , Senior student, College of Arts and Humanities, Department of English

Faculty professor: Laura Rosenthal, College of Arts and Humanities, Department of English

Library liaison: Patricia Herron

Robert Tully , Senior student, College of Computer, Mathematical, & Natural Sciences, Department of Biology

Faculty professor: John Rosser Matthews III, College of Arts and Humanities, Department of English

Honorable Mention

Xiuyu Shen , Freshman student, College of Arts and Humanities, Department of English

Faculty professor: Ralph Bauer, College of Arts and Humanities, Department of English

Library liaison: Patricia Herron

Benjamin Kramer , Junior student, College of Arts and Humanities, Department of History

Faculty professor: Robyn Muncy, College of Arts and Humanities, Department of History

Library liaison: Lauren Brown

Aviva Pollack , Junior student, College of Arts and Humanities, Department of Art History and Archaeology

Faculty professor: Marjorie Venit, College of Arts and Humanities, Department of Art History and Archaeology

Library liaison: Sally Stokes

Jeffrey Rappaport , Senior student, Clark School of Engineering, Department of Bioengineering

Faculty professor: Silvia Muro, joint appointment with Clark School of Engineering and Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research

Library liaison: Robin Dasler

Molly Brune , Senior student, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Department of Government and Politics

Faculty professor: John McCauley, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Department of Government and Politics

Library liaison: Judy Markowitz

Samuel Sober , Senior Student, College of Arts and Humanities, Department of History

Faculty professor: Richard Bell, College of Arts and Humanities, Department of History

Library liaison: Eric Lindquist

Paul Tumulty , Senior student, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Department of Government and Politics

Faculty professor: Scott Kastner, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Department of Government and Politics

Jason Chun Yu Wong , Junior student, Environmental Science and Policy, Germanic Studies 

Faculty professor: Betsy Mendelsohn, A. James Clark School of Engineering/ Science, Technology & Society/ College Park Scholars

Kristen Tadrous , Senior Student, College of Arts and Humanities, Department of American Studies

Faculty professor: John Caughey, College of Arts and Humanities, Department of American Studies

Whitney Beck , Senior student, Environmental Science and Policy

Faculty professor: Joanna Goger, Environmental Science & Technology

Deborah Namugayi , Junior student, Agriculture and Resource Economics Dept.

Ho-Man Yeung , Senior student, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Dept.

Faculty professor: Ganesh Sriram, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Faculty mentor: Shilpa Nargund, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Library liaison: Nedelina Tchangalova

Gemstone Team: Genes to Fuels (14 students) 

Andrew Chang, Maria Chang, Chin-Hsiang Feng, Jasjeet Khural, Tana Luo, James McCarthy, Cory Mekelburg, Kelsey Nadig, Christine Perry, Sharad Thaper, Richard Urbanski, Pragun Vohra (representing the team), Christian Weber, and Justin Wong   

Faculty mentor: Jason Kahn, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Library liaisons: Bob Kackley and Jim Miller

Acknowledgments

This program was possible due to the generous support of the Dean of the UMD Libraries, Dr. Adriene Lim, and the collaborative efforts of faculty members from University of Maryland University Libraries, Maryland Center for Undergraduate Research (MCUR) and iSchool (College of Information Studies) . 

The Library Award for Undergraduate Research was developed base on similar programs offered by academic institution libraries across the country: Ohio State University, Oregon State University, University of California - Berkeley, University of Alberta - Augustana, University of Georgia, University of Washington.

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Undergraduate Library Research Award: Home

The undergraduate library research award (ulra), about the award.

Established in 1997 by the Hofstra University Library faculty, the Undergraduate Library Research Award (ULRA) recognizes excellence in academic research by a graduating senior. 

Three awards of $500 each will be given for academic papers demonstrating exemplary research authored by seniors scheduled to graduate in December or May of the current academic year.  An award will be given for an outstanding paper in each of the three academic disciplines: Humanities, Sciences, and Social Sciences.  Past winners have come from the departments of Fine Arts, History, Music, Political Science, Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, Global Studies & Geography, and Psychology.

In addition to the $500 prize, winning papers are published on the ULRA website during the academic year following the granting of the award, and winning authors are featured in Hofstra Horizons for Undergraduate Research magazine.

All papers must be nominated by the faculty member for whom the paper was written.  Papers with multiple authors and papers written in foreign languages are welcomed.  Papers are read carefully by a faculty selection committee. Submissions that demonstrate exceptional academic research practices and the extraordinary selection and use of research resources are rewarded.

Please read all guidelines carefully.  Things to note:

• Faculty must submit a Turnitin.com originality report for each paper submitted at the time the online submission is made .
• Faculty may sponsor more than one submission.
• Students may submit more than one paper, but only one paper per course, per discipline, and only one award to a student.
• Students may submit papers authored solely as well as co-authored papers, but the papers must be from different courses.
• Multiple authors need to submit individual submission forms, but only one copy of a co-authored paper need be submitted.
• Foreign language papers must be accompanied by a 1,000-word English language summary.

Please see the guidelines for complete instructions.

The deadline for submission is April 19, 2024 .  The recipients of the award will be announced on May 1, 2024 .

Submission Guidelines for Students and Faculty

Student Submission Form (Must be printed out, signed, and given to sponsoring faculty.)

Faculty Submission Form (Requires logging into the my.hofstra.edu portal.)

2023 Winner - Humanities:  Isabella Colombo.  ""Nothing Is More Useful for Mortals than the Skepticism of a Sound Mind": Euripides' Helen as a Response to the Disaster in Sicily" for Prof. Steven Daniel Smith, CLL 197,  Departmental Honors Candidacy: Essay, Department of Comparative Language, Literatures, and Linguistics

2023 Winner - Social Sciences:  Sinjita Bhattacharya. ""At the End of the Day, It's Going to be on Me": Ableism, Stigma, and the Social Role of South Asian American Siblings to Disabled People" for Prof. Johanna Shih, SOC 100, Departmental Honors Candidacy: Department of Sociology

Faculty Turnitin Instructions

2022 Winner – Humanities: Jessica Hansen. “Existentialism in Literature: Why Existentialist and Absurdist Themes are Best Portrayed Through Works of Fiction” for Prof. Bartholomew Joseph Slaninka, PHL 193, Departmental Honors Candidacy: Essay, Department of Philosophy

2022 Winner – Sciences: Sam Gong. “Elemental Profiling of Gunshot Residue using X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy” for Prof. Ling Huang, FOR 100, Departmental Honors Candidacy: Research, Department of Chemistry

2022 Winner – Social Sciences: Caitlin O'Brien. “Votes for Service? The Limits of Military and Foreign Policy Credentials in Post-9/11 United States Presidential Elections” for Prof. Meena Bose, PSC 100, Departmental Honors Candidacy: Essay, Department of Political Science

2022 Honorable Mention – Sciences: Ciara Negron. “Tree Inequality in the Town of Hempstead: A Study of Environmental Justice” for Prof. Jase E. Bernhardt, SBLY 110, Department of Geology, Environment and Sustainability

2021 Winner – Humanities: Katherine Dickenson.  “How Dialect Functions As True Language in the Austrian Turn-Of-The-Century Sprachkrise and Its Result” for Prof. Neil H. Donahue, GERM 100, Senior Honors Thesis, Department of Comparative Literature, Languages, & Linguistics

2021 Winner – Social Sciences: Alixandra Wilens.  “The Contested Origins of Altruism:  Child Reciprocity and Parent Engagement in Relation to Altruistic Prosocial Behavior in Preschoolers” for Prof. Brian D. Cox, PSY 100, Senior Honors Thesis, Department of Psychology

2021 Winner – Social Sciences: Dejan Perich Soto.  “By the Nation, For the Nation: Government Support for Film in Peruvian Legislation during the Authoritarian Regimes of Juan Velasco Alvarado (1968-1975) and Alberto Fujimori (1990-2000)” for Prof. Carolyn M. Dudek, PSC 100, Senior Honors Thesis, Department of Political Science

2020 Winner – Humanities: Samuel Falotico.  “Sentence Structure and the Jazz Canon” for Prof. Philip S. Stoecker, Music 100, Senior Honors Thesis, Department. of Music

2020 Winner – Sciences: Brandon Crofts.  “Counting  Solutions  of  a 2  +  pbc  = 0 in a Cube” for Prof. Eric Rowland, Mathematics 190, Senior Honors Thesis, Department of Mathematics

2020 Winner – Social Sciences: Michael Callahan.  “American Extended Deterrence and Allied Nuclear Non-Proliferation” for Prof. Paul Fritz, Political Science 100, Senior Honors Thesis, Department of Political Science

2019 Winner: Isaac Hoffman.  “The Power of the Childbearer in Aeschylus' Agamemnon” for Prof. Steven Daniel Smith, CLL197: Departmental Honors Candidacy: Essay, Comparative Literature, Languages, and Linguistics

2019 Winner: Nicole Homburger.  “Rapid NMR Spectroscopic Identification of Opioids” for Prof. Ling Huang, FOR199: Departmental Honors Candidacy: Research, Forensic Science Program/Chemistry

2019 Winner: Thomas McGlone.  “Equality and Necessity: An Examination of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Egalitarian Philosophy” for Prof. Ira Jay Singer, PHI193: Department Honors Candidacy: Essay, Philosophy

2018 Winner: Hirra Arain. “Astrocytes Exposed to Chronic High Glucose Promotes Neuronal Synaptic Loss Through Impaired Nutrient Support: Implications for Alzheimer’s Disease Progression” for Prof. Jason D. Williams, BIO90A: Intro to Lab Research, Biology

2018 Winner: Jason Belanger. "Plunking Notes" or Teaching Music? A Thesis on Interactions between Actors and Music Directors in the Rehearsal Room” for Prof. Jennifer Lee Hart, Drama100: Honors Thesis, Drama 100

2018 Winner: Alexander Hayes. “Far Right Politics and the Shaping of Migration Policy Austria and Germany’s Divergence” for Prof. Carolyn Marie Dudek, PSC100: Senior Honors Thesis, Political Science

2017 Winner: Sarah Gerwens.  “Anglicisms - Nein Danke?  Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of the Occurrence and Usage of English Loanwords in Contemporary German” for Prof. Zilkia Janer, GS100: Global Studies.

2017 Winner: Richard Myers.  “On the Dressing of String Solutions” for Prof. Benjamin Burrington, PHYS100: Physics and Astronomy.

2017 Winner: Carmen Pestano.  “Cayuco and Euro Crises: Changing EU Governance of Migration Policy?” for Prof. Carolyn Dudek, PSC100: Political Science.

2016 Winner: Maryum Alam. "When Does Counterinsurgency Work? An Analysis of Counterinsurgency Campaigns After 1945" for Prof. Paul Brian Fritz, PSC100: Political Science. 2016 Winner: Angelika Rafalowsky. "Structural Determinants of Cephamycinase Activity in FOX-4 Cephamycinase" for Prof. Scott Travis Lefurgy, BCHM183: Biochemical Research.

2016 Winner: Nicole Speth. "Female Homoeroticism in the Roman Empire: How Many Licks Does it Take to Get to the Disruption of a Phallocentric Model of Sexuality?" for Prof. Daniel Smith, CLL197: Humanities.

2015 Winner: Irina R. Fanarraga. "Mental Health Courts: An Effective Criminal Diversion Alternative," for Dr, Robin A Flaton, PSY100: Psychology.

2015 Winner Victoria G. Neely. "Presidential Personality: Cases in Foreign Policymaking," for Dr. Meenekshi Bose, PSC100: Political Science.

2014 Winner: Katherine Pachnos. "G'day, Gothic!: The British Gothic, Cloudstreet , and Contemporary Australian Consciousness," for Dr. Scott B. Harshbarger, Honors Essay, ENGL199: English.

2014 Winner: Patrick Tierney.  "Practical Skepticism, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love to Doubt," for Dr. Mark V. McEvoy, Honors Thesis, PHL193: Philosophy.

2013 Winner: Ashley Rothbart. "A Figure Study: Depictions of King David in Renaissance and Baroque Art," for Dr. Claire K. Lindgren, Honors Essay, AH100: Art History.

2013 Winner: Jesse Crosson. " The 'Art of the Possible': No Child Left Behind, the Affordable Care Act, and Bipartisanship in the Twenty-First Century," for Dr. Meenekshi Bose, Honors Essay, PSC100: Political Science. 

2012 Winner: William Barna, II. “ U.S. Military Intervention for Humanitarian Purposes: Exception to Policy or an Emerging Norm? ,” for Dr. Paul Brian Fritz, Honors Thesis, PSC100: Political Science.

2012 Winner: Etana Jacobi. “ iGlobalization: Kodak, Apple, and the Evolution of U.S. Employment from 1960 to 2012, ” for Dr. Grant R. Saff, Honors Thesis, GS100: Global Studies.

2011 Winner: Alex Moore, "Cross-Cultural Perspectives on the Creation of American Dance, 1619-1950.” for Prof. Dyane Harvey-Salaam, Honors Thesis, Global Studies 180

2011 Winner: Brendan Barnes, "Enter Pirates:  The Role of Piracy in Late Elizabethan Drama.” for Prof. Vimala C. Pasupathi, Honors Essay, English 199

2010 Winner: Jason Curreri, "The Question of Assimilation Defined from Cherokee and Euro-American Perspectives,” for Prof. Karyn Valerius, Honors Essay, ENG199

2009 Winner: Amanda Braverman, "Personality Aspects and Blame Style of Singers with Performance Anxiety,” for Prof. Michael J. Barnes, PSY100

2008 Winner: Jessica Knobler, "Photography, Politics, and the Holocaust 1920-1950," for Prof. Sally Charnow, HIS100

2003 Winner: Lisa B. Ross, "The Role of Word Class in the Attrition of School Learned French: are Nouns or Verbs More Likely to be Lost?," for Prof. Evelyn Altenberg, SPCH100

2002 Winner: Laura Vosswinkel, "Government Response to the Pullman Strike," for Prof. Susan Yohn, HIS185

2001 Winner: Janine Vannata, "Jasper Johns' Paintings and the Habit of Perception," Prof. Laurie Fendrich, UHP020

2000 Winner: Christopher Doherty, "Johannes Brahms and Idiomatic Writing for the Horn," Prof. Howard Cinnamon, MUS100

1999 Winner: David Creed, "Fooled by 'A Dream': The Strategic Defense Initiative's Role in Ending the Cold War," for Prof. Meena Bose, PSC134

1998 Winner: Donnalynn Gazza, "The Chemical Weapons Convention: An International Paradigm of Cooperation," for Prof. Meena Bose, PSC134

• Last Updated: Mar 15, 2024 3:38 PM
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Undergraduate Research Awards

UCSC recognizes excellence in undergraduate research through:

• Awards to Support Undergraduate Research (UR)
• Awards for Completed Scholarly Activities

Awards to Support UR

See the Funding section for each division's webpage.

Physical & Biological Sciences

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Social Sciences

Selected ucsc awards for completed scholarly activities.

Please note that the following list is not inclusive.  Check with the department and division for a complete list.

Deans', Chancellor’s & Steck Undergraduate Awards

These awards recognize exceptional achievement in research projects or other creative activities. Winners are honored at an awards ceremony in June during the UCSC Annual Student Achievement Week. Applications are available starting in early Februrary from the DCA website here .

Dean's Award-  Fifty undergraduate students, ten from each of the five academic divisions, receive a Dean's Award (certificate and $100). Recipients are considered for the Chancellor's Award.

Chancellor's Award - The best three students from each of the divisions will also receive a Chancellor's Award (certificate and an additional $500). Recipients are considered for the Steck Award.

Steck Award - In recognition of the most outstanding completed senior thesis/research project, one undergraduate student will be selected as the recipient of the Steck Award. The student will receive $2,000 and a certificate. In addition, his or her senior thesis/research project will be bound and copies given to the student, the research supervisor, McHenry Library, and the Steck family, whose generous contributions have made this award possible.

Campus Application Deadline :   Early April Award Amounts :   $100 Dean’s, $500 Chancellor’s, $2,000 Steck Award  Application Form : Available Winter

Division & Department Awards

Please note that this is not a comprehensive listing of awards.  Check your department's and division's pages for more information.

Eduardo Carrillo Memorial Fund

The Eduardo Carrillo Memorial Scholarships are intended to support outstanding Art students with documented financial need with a maximum award of $1,000. The Eduardo Carrillo Scholarship supports students in painting, sculpture, or drawing areas and students are invited to apply during Winter quarter.

Grosvenor Cooper Memorial Scholarship

Established in 1992, this scholarship is a merit-based award (with financial need brought into secondary consideration) given to second and third year UCSC students who, in the spirit of Dr. Cooper, “demonstrate a joyful enthusiasm for music beyond academic pursuit.” The recipient does not need to be a declared music major, but must be currently enrolled in a music class.

Humanities  

Department of History Linda Peterson Awards

Each year, the History Department solicits nominations from its faculty for the best undergraduate papers written in a history course or as a history senior thesis. Specific awards may be conferred for work based on geographic distinctions (e.g., American, world, European or Asian history) Optional awards will also be awarded at the discretion of the Undergraduate Education Committee (UEC). A paper or thesis written in any quarter of the current academic year is eligible for nomination. Winners receive $100 in recognition of their achievement. The top three papers, irrespective of the departmental awards, will be forwarded to the Humanities Division for consideration in the Dean’s and Chancellor’s award competitions.

Literature- Best Undergraduate Essay

A prize of $250 will be awarded to the best essay written in conjunction with any Literature course. Submissions should be between 5-10 standard double-spaced pages in length, and may represent a revised version of work submitted for a course. Any currently enrolled Literature major, regardless of class standing, may submit one paper written in any language to be considered for this prize. Contact [email protected] for more information. 

Literature- Best Senior Essay/Thesis

A prize of $250 will be awarded to a graduating senior Literature major for the best essay that was prepared in conjunction with one of the Department's exit requirements: a Senior Seminar (Literature course 190x or LTCR 194) or a Senior Thesis. Submissions should be between 15-25 standard double-spaced pages in length. To be eligible for this prize, students must have graduated, or be on track to graduate, between fall quarter 2013 and summer 2014. Creative Writing students are eligible to submit material that takes the form of an essay (but not, for instance, poems or short stories). Nominations will come from faculty; students may not submit their own work for this prize. 

Jewish Studies Undergraduate Research Awards

To encourage and reward outstanding research and writing on Jewish themes by undergraduates at UCSC. Students should submit their papers to the Department of History via e-mail attachment ([email protected]). A letter of support from a faculty sponsor is recommended, but not required. Questions may be directed to Jewish Studies Academic Advising Coordinator.  

Sociology-The Sociology of Race, Class, and Gender Award

The Sociology of Race, Class, and Gender Senior Thesis Award was established in 2000 by Pamela Ann Roby, who is currently a UCSC Professor Emerita of Sociology.  To be eligible for this award, applicants must be UCSC undergraduate sociology majors who have written their senior thesis on race, class, and gender during the academic year.

Stephen M. Palais Memorial Undergraduate Research Award Created by the family in memory of former student, Stephen Palais, this award is administered by the MCD Biology and Mathematics Departments and recognizes meritorious undergraduate research.

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UCSB Library Award For Undergraduate Research

You are here.

The annual UCSB Library Award for Undergraduate Research (LAUR)   recognizes students who have produced a creative or scholarly work, including a research paper for class, that makes expert and sophisticated use of the collections, resources, and services of the UCSB Library. 

The award promotes and encourages intellectual discovery and the advancement of lifelong learning, and is open to all currently-enrolled undergraduate students at UCSB.

Library collections and resources for the purposes of this award can be broadly interpreted to include books, scholarly articles, primary sources and collections, research databases, maps, materials in all media, and more.

Library services can include library classes, workshops, consultations with librarians, use of Interlibrary Loan, use of the DREAM Lab, use of Special Research Collections, and more.

First- and second-place prizes will be awarded in each of the three broad categories listed below. Winners receive $750 (1st place) and $500 (2nd place) and will be honored at an awards ceremony in June. Winners will also be invited to have their projects published in eScholarship , the University of California's open access repository.  

Submissions are accepted in each of the three broad categories below. 

• Humanities & Fine Arts
• Social Sciences
• Science & Engineering

Important Dates 

• April 1, 2024: Start date for accepting student submissions
• April 26, 2024:   Student submission deadline 
• April 27 - May 19, 2024:   Review period
• May 20, 2024:   2024 Winners announced
• May 30, 2024, 4:00-5:00 PM:   Awards reception

The 2024 Library Award for Undergraduate Research is generously supported by a gift from Dr. Jenny Cook-Gumperz, faculty emerita.

If you're interested in supporting LAUR, please contact Heather Silva, Senior Director of Development ( [email protected] , 805-893-5732).

• Jane Faulkner ( [email protected] )

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Undergraduate Research: Awards, Events, and Resources

• Undergraduate Research Awards and Competitions
• College of Arts and Sciences (CAS)
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• Merit Awards (National and International)
• School of Communication (SOC)
• School of International Service (SIS)
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• Research Methodology: Books

Annual Competitions and Prizes

College of Arts and Sciences

Robyn Rafferty Mathias Student Research Conference   Cash prizes are awarded for outstanding presentations.

Honors Capstone Research Awards A group of twenty students are selected from the various schools and departments to give a ten-minute oral presentations on the essence of their capstone work. Another twenty students are selected to present their capstone work during the poster presentation period.  A panel of judges selects the students who will receive an Honors Capstone Research Conference Award.

Kogod School of Business

Annual Kogod Case Competition The Competition is one of the premier annual events hosted by the Kogod School of Business. It is an excellent opportunity for students to sharpen their communication skills, presentation style, and problem-solving techniques. Students have the opportunity to network with over 60 business leaders who judge the competition. The event is open to all graduate and undergraduate students at AU and invited Kogod-partner schools. The events are juried.   

  Library

Vincenza and W. Donald Bowles Award The Vincenza and W. Donald Bowles Award to recognize students for conducting outstanding research or pursuing a course of study addressing productivity, income, or poverty in the United States through empirical, theoretical, or artistic efforts. The $750 award will be given annually in November, following evaluation by a committee comprised of teaching faculty and librarians from AU.

Research Award for Best College Writing Paper This award recognizes students for outstanding research and writing in a College Writing course. The $750 award will be given annually at the end of the spring semester following evaluation by a committee comprised of teaching faculty and library faculty from AU. Research Award for Best Undergraduate Paper This award recognizes students for outstanding research and writing in any AU course. The $750 award will be given annually at the end of the spring semester following evaluation by a committee comprised of teaching faculty and library faculty from AU.

School of Communication Visions 2014: Media That Matters The VISIONS festival attracts respected media industry professionals and students from all disciplines, culminates with The VISIONS Festival Award Ceremony. Outstanding undergraduate and outstanding graduate work is eligible for many awards.

School of International Service

SIS Undergraduate Research Symposium Outstanding papers, presentations, and posters are recognized at this student-organized symposium.  

School of Public Affairs

SPA Undergraduate Research Symposium This is an annual forum for undergraduate students to present their original scholarly and creative work before colleagues, friends, and faculty. Cash awards will be given for the best presentations, and top students will be recognized at the SPA Awards Ceremony .  Open to all students who have taken an SPA course.

Prize for Best Undergraduate Essay on Classical Liberalism The Political Theory Institute awards a prize of $500 at the annual SPA Awards Ceremony.  The contest is open to all AU undergraduates and is intended to foster critical reflection on the key authors, concepts, and arguments of classical liberalism, including but not limited to individual liberty, equality, democracy, constitutionalism, and commerce. As used here, classical liberalism denotes a topic, not an agenda, and the prize will be given to the most intelligent and well-argued essay on these topics regardless of philosophical or political perspective. Essays about the place of classical liberalism in the American political tradition are welcome.

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Library Research Award for Undergraduates

• Eligibility and Application Details
• Submission Guidelines
• Evaluation Criteria
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Award Winners
• Contact Info

The University Libraries recognizes the excellence and creativity of students through the annual Library Research Award for Undergraduates. The award is given to undergraduates who demonstrate outstanding ability to identify, locate, select, evaluate, and synthesize library and other information resources and to use them in the creation of an original course project. The award illustrates the mission of the University Libraries to enrich the quality of life and advance intellectual discovery by connecting people with knowledge and commitment to the educational mission of the University of Washington.

Since the inception of the Library Research Award for Undergraduates in 2004, the UW Libraries, through the generosity of The Kenneth S. and Faye G. Allen Library Endowment and Friends of the Libraries , has awarded more than $100,000 to students. Awardees have gone on to do graduate work in universities around the country including Columbia, Harvard, Rutgers, Syracuse, Yale, and the University of Washington. They have become scientists, professors, lawyers, economists, doctors, and more.

Application requirements

Application Form Including:

• Reflective essay
• Research project + bibliography
• Population Health Award essay (optional)

Before you apply

Important dates.

• Submissions Open: April 1, 2024
• Deadline: May 1, 2024 - 11:59 p.m.
• Reception: June 5, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Allen Library, Petersen Room
• Cash awards: $500 to $1,000
• Open to undergraduates on all three campuses for projects completed Spring 2023 - Spring 2024
• Individual and group projects are eligible

Funded by: The Kenneth S. and Faye G. Allen Library Endowment , Friends of the Libraries , and the Population Health Initiative

Acknowledgment: University Libraries would like to thank the University of California, Berkeley Library for its assistance and inspiration in the development of this award.

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Undergraduate Research Awards (URAs) offer a  $1200 stipend   (optional)  and  up to $600 in research expenses  to students who wish to conduct research either on campus or at other research sites within the United States during the academic year (including January term), or in the summer.  URAs are designed to provide support for students doing independent research.  So, while s tudents may participate in a faculty member’s research, they should not serve merely as research assistants. If participating in a faculty member’s research, students should develop a specific research problem to investigate on their own with the advice and assistance of their faculty mentors. Students should have the opportunity to participate in all aspects of professional research: from the design and development of the project to the analysis and conclusions.

A successful URA project will require a substantial amount of time, effort, energy, and focus to complete. Students should anticipate 100-125 hours of research, though this may be configured in any number of ways to fit the research plan:  e.g., 8-9 hours per week during a 14-week semester; 35-40 hours per week during J-term, or a similar commitment of time during the summer.

• If you don’t need or desire academic credit for your research project, you may apply to the Hamel Center for both a  stipend  and an  expense award . 
• If you plan to pursue research for academic credit, you may apply to the Hamel Center for an  expense award  only, to help defray costs incurred in carrying out your project –  i.e. you may not receive both credit and a stipend for the same research during the same time period.
• Stipends and expense funds will be awarded (and thus may be used) only for research activities conducted  post  award notification, typically to be done in subsequent semesters – e.g., research during J-term or spring for students applying in October, or research during summer or fall for students applying in March. Students may not seek retroactive stipend and/or expenses for research activities that have already begun prior to or been completed at the time of application.
• Students may not accept both an Undergraduate Research Award and other awarded funding for the same research during the same time period (e.g. NSF, Pfizer, Space Grant, or other grant that awards money for research).  If you have any questions, please consult with Hamel Center staff.

Eligibility

• Undergraduate at UNH or UNHM
• Enrolled in a UNH or UNHM baccalaureate degree program
• Minimum 2.0 cumulative UNH/UNHM GPA at the time of application

(First-year and transfer students must have completed at least one full-time semester at UNH or UNHM at the time of application, with a minimum 2.0 GPA from UNH/UNHM courses.)

Application Deadline

October 4, 2023  for research during January Term or spring 2024

March 6, 2024  for research during summer or fall 2024

For help with your application , consult our advice for  writing an effective proposal   and consider attending a   proposal writing workshop.

Applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m.  on the deadline dates above.

URA Application Guidelines

Read the Application Guidelines before  completing the application forms. A complete URA application includes: 1) Application Intake Form (to be completed through the online application portal ) , 2) Proposal, 3) Budget (if requesting expense funds), 4) UNH Faculty Mentor Recommendation (to be submitted by the mentor through the online portal). Please refer to the Application Checklist which outlines every step in the submission process.  

What to do before you apply

We strongly urge you to take several steps before you write your proposal and complete your application. Some homework up front will minimize confusion at deadline time and will increase your chances of success! These steps are:

• Review the information in these guidelines for detailed information about the program and the application process. 
• Make sure you are eligible. To apply, you must be a UNH or UNHM undergraduate enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program, with a minimum 2.0 cumulative UNH/UNHM GPA at the time of application.  If you are proposing a group project, make sure all applicants are eligible. * Note: First-year and transfer students must have completed at least one full-time semester at UNH or UNHM at the time of application, with a minimum 2.0 GPA earned from UNH/UNHM courses.
• Talk with a Hamel Center staff member about your proposed research and any questions you may have – including how to identify a faculty mentor. If you are planning a group project, be sure to contact the Hamel Center office before applying.   * Note: Students may participate in a faculty member’s research; however, students should not serve merely as  research assistants. If participating in a faculty member’s research, students should develop a specific research problem to investigate on their own with the advice and assistance of their faculty mentors. Students should have the opportunity to participate in all aspects of professional research: from the design and development of the project, to the analysis and conclusions.
• For a group project, the UNH Faculty Mentor should write and submit a separate recommendation letter for each student applicant.
• In a co-mentoring arrangement, the two faculty mentors should prepare a joint recommendation letter that addresses the shared mentoring plan.
• RE: Need for an off-campus mentor:   Students who are planning to conduct their research at a non-UNH site off campus (e.g. during January term or in the summer) may require a second mentor at the off-campus site, depending on the nature of the research.  A student doing off-campus field research for a UNH-based project, for example, would not need a second mentor at the off-campus site.  A student working on research sponsored by another institution or one of its faculty, however, will need an off-campus mentor, in addition to a UNH faculty mentor.  This arrangement will require the approval of the Hamel Center director and the student’s UNH faculty mentor prior to application.  Students with these kinds of off-campus research projects should contact the Hamel Center office before applying.  More information is available here .
• Consult the Hamel Center website for advice on writing an effective proposal , and allow ample time to complete all application materials.  *Note: If you are planning a group project, be sure to contact the Hamel Center office before applying. 
• Attend a proposal writing workshop . The workshop presenter will go over the required elements of the proposal and will be available to answer any questions.  The schedule of workshops will be posted online at the start of each semester.
• You may also make an appointment with a Hamel Center staff member who can look over your proposal draft to see if it meets requirements for format and style.   (Note:  It is your mentor, not a Hamel Center staff member, who can critique your draft with regard to its discipline-specific content.)
• Ask your faculty mentor to review your proposal draft .  Be sure to allow sufficient time for your mentor’s review and comments before the deadline.
• Determine if your project will require approval from a University review committee.   Certain types of research are subject to federal regulations and University guidelines. For example, any projects involving interviews, surveys or questionnaires – i.e. all having to do with human subjects – must receive approval from UNH’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) before the research begins.  Similarly, research involving vertebrate animals, infectious agents, DEA controlled substances, lasers, x-rays, hazardous chemicals, radioactive materials, carcinogenic material, recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules, NMR/superconducting magnets, and/or patents and copyrights must receive approval from the appropriate University review committee before the research begins.  If you have questions about how to obtain research approval, talk with your faculty mentor or a Hamel Center staff member.  You do not need to submit written evidence of this approval with your URA application; however, if you are granted an award, the Hamel Center must receive confirmation of approval from the appropriate University review committee before dispensing your award money.  So, it is in your best interest to begin the approval process before or at the time of your application.  Read more about responsible conduct of research .

Proposal Requirements

The project proposal is the most important part of the application. To prepare a competitive proposal, students should follow the Proposal Outline carefully and adhere closely to the formatting guidelines.  Ideally, all URA applicants should use the Proposal Outline as a guide in organizing their proposal, using the subheadings indicated below. However, since research varies among the sciences, social sciences, humanities, and performing/fine arts, students may adapt the outline to their project and field of study when appropriate. 

Students are expected to write the URA proposal themselves, in its entirety.  Of course, students should consult with their mentor before writing the proposal and ask their mentor to critique it once they have written a draft.  Even with mentor input, however, the final proposal should reflect the students’ own work.  **Students should allow sufficient time for revision.

Proposal Outline

1.  Title page : including the project title, your name and major, your faculty mentor’s name and department, and the program  for which you are applying. 

2.  Abstract :  a brief summary of your proposed project , not to exceed 200 words.

3.  Project History and Definition

• general problem, theme, or issue to be addressed
• historical or theoretical context
• most relevant previous research, scholarship, or artistry on this topic by other researchers, scholars, or artists
• project’s specific question, hypothesis, or objective(s)

4.    Approach/Methodology

• methods, procedures, theories, or lines of thinking and/or creating you will use to address your research topic and answer the question(s) you pose
• if you plan to conduct interviews or surveys: what assumption/hypothesis/general principle you will test; the number of participants you will seek and how you will recruit/select them; sample interview/survey questions
• materials and sources you will need to study in order to pursue your project
• how you will analyze, interpret, and/or evaluate your findings (i.e., the material you study, the data you collect, or your creative experience)
• how and why your mode of analysis will enable you to accomplish your objectives and/or answer your research question(s)
• foreseeable challenges, obstacles, or difficulties – and how  you are prepared to address them

5.    Significance/Meaning/Implications

• contribution of your project to the problem and your field
• wider implications of your research or artistry (e.g., social, cultural, intellectual, creative, practical, theoretical)
• if this project is a portion of a more comprehensive research project being conducted by your UNH faculty mentor, include an explanation of how it fits into the whole

6.    Personal Outcome

• tangible product(s) of your project (e.g., report, paper, thesis, presentation, production, exhibition, film, etc.)
• contribution of the project to your educational goals, including how this project will enhance your understanding of your particular field
• contribution of the project to your long-term career goals

7.    Location

• principal location of project work
• other research or artistic sites and source locations to which you will travel
• if you will travel to an off-campus research site, describe specific resources and/or contacts at the site that will be instrumental to the project and to accomplishing your objectives
• if you need prior approval to gain access to your research site and its sources, describe how and when you will obtain written permission

8.    My Role/Preparation/Experience

• your specific role during the research period (if a group project, the role of each student on the project)
• your preparation and qualifications to undertake the project (e.g., previous coursework, jobs, extracurricular experiences; other research, training, or performance experience)
• your plans for further preparing yourself before undertaking the project (e.g., coursework in research methods or related subject matter, additional in-depth research on the topic, skills acquisition/training, practical experience, other resources)
• if one of your methods will be interviews and/or surveys: how you will prepare yourself to design and conduct these (e.g., coursework, training by your mentor, etc.)
• role of your faculty mentor and others (graduate students/technicians/collaborators), including the plans you and your mentor have made to communicate on a regular basis during the research period

9.   Timetable

• time allotted to each portion of your project (e.g., week by week, or stage by stage), with as much detail as possible
• brief explanation of research activities and timetable for your entire project, if the URA-funded portion is part of a larger project (e.g., senior capstone or thesis)
• Note: A successful URA project will require a substantial amount of time, effort, energy, and focus to complete. Your estimated URA Timetable should anticipate 100-125 hours of research, though this may be configured in any number of ways to fit your research plan: e.g., 8-9 hours per week during a 14-week semester; 35-40 hours per week during J-term, or a similar commitment of time during the summer.

10.    Appendices

• Statement of Previous Hamel Center-Funded Research (if applicable)

Students who have received Hamel Center funds previously (e.g. REAP, Undergraduate Research Award, SURF, IROP) must submit with their application a “Statement of Previous Support.”  This statement (no more than one page, double spaced per award ) should include the following information about previously funded research:  1) Hamel Center grant received, 2) Project Title, 3) Faculty Mentor, 4) project start/end dates, 5) a brief description of how the current proposed research extends and/or differs from research previously funded by the Hamel Center, including how the results of that former research might inform the research now being proposed (if applicable).

• illustrations, diagrams, or video/audio recordings as necessary
• one- to two-page bibliography of primary and secondary sources that you will use toward this project (e.g., books, journal articles, films, interviews, media sources, master classes).  Note: Be sure that all sources which you consulted in preparing the proposal are cited in the proposal text and listed in the bibliography.  Format the in-text citations and bibliography according to the style guidelines for your discipline.
• surveys, questionnaires, and interview questions, if these are part of your research

Proposal Format and Style  

The proposal should:

• be typed and double spaced , using Times New Roman 12-point font (black)  * Note:  You may single-space your Timetable.
• have one-inch margins on all sides (top, bottom, left, right)
• be no more than 8 pages long (for a group project, no more than 10 pages long) – this length excludes the title page, abstract, and appendices/attachments
• include page numbers
• follow the Proposal Outline carefully, using clear subheadings (as above) for each section
• include definitions of words specific to your field or research, if faculty members outside your field are not likely to be familiar with them.  * Note: In general, you should keep in mind that Faculty Review Committee members represent a range of disciplines, so your proposal should be written in a way that can be understood by an educated reader who is not necessarily a specialist in your field.  
• Save your proposal as a PDF to be uploaded to the online application portal.  Use this naming format: Lastname_Firstname_URA_Proposal

Budget Instructions and Budget Form

Please review the following instructions before completing the Budget Form .

In consultation with your Faculty Mentor, determine as accurately as you can your estimated expenses.  List each item and its exact cost per unit, and briefly note its importance to your project. Identify the most critical items in your budget. You may request up to a maximum of $600 for expenses directly related to the completion of your project. (For group projects: submit one budget, for expenses up to a maximum of $600 per group member.) Expense awards only cover costs directly related to the completion of your project.  They do not cover the cost of copying your thesis or research paper, or costs associated with presenting your research, such as research posters.

Note:  1) The Hamel Center may not be able to fund all your project expenses. It is understood that the budget represents your best estimate of the costs. Your budget should represent the total amount without which your project will not be possible.  If this total exceeds $600, please use the “Contributions from Other Sources” chart on p. 2 of the Budget Form to indicate the sources (including personal) from which the remaining expenses will be drawn.  2) Stipends and expense funds will be awarded (and thus may be used) only for research activities conducted post award notification, typically to be done in subsequent semesters – e.g., research during J-term or spring for students applying in October, or research during summer or fall for students applying in March.  Students may not seek retroactive funding for research activities that have already begun or been completed at the time of application. 

• Supplies: These include, but are not limited to: note-taking supplies (e.g. paper/notebooks, pens/pencils), art supplies, supplies for lab or field work (e.g. chemicals, lab animals, etc.).  You should provide the exact cost of each item. You may do this by talking to your faculty mentor, looking through supply catalogs, or shopping around. If you are ordering supplies from a company off-campus, be sure to include the cost of shipping and handling.
• Travel expenses during the regular academic year may not include commuting from your residence to campus, but may include travel to other research sites: e.g., libraries, archives, museums, and the field.  (If you are conducting research during J-term or the summer, please consult with the Hamel Center about possible commuting expenses.) Where possible, you are encouraged to consider public transportation, which is often cheaper. 
• Travel expenses may not include food/lodging expenses (e.g. if a hotel stay is necessary during research).
• If you wish to present the results of your research at a professional conference or meeting, there is a separate Research Presentation Grant for which you may apply after your research is complete.
• Other Expenses: This category refers to any expenses in the following areas – photocopies, phone calls, postage, special fees for access to research sites, fees for instrument time, or services rendered – along with any expenses that might not be covered within the other categories. Most of these items should be calculated by the number needed for your research project and the cost for each. For example, 100 photocopies multiplied by 10 cents each will give you the total amount of $10 needed by you. For “services rendered,” you should contact the person or department where the work will be done for an estimate of the cost.
• Software: The Hamel Center will approve the cost of software only in special instances, and where the student provides a clear rationale for needing to purchase the software – as opposed to accessing the software through other University resources. Several software applications (including SPSS) are available for use at no cost by the entire campus through a central UNH network license. Faculty and students can access these licensed applications through their own personal computers or through the campus-wide computer clusters. Thus, students who are requesting Hamel Center grant funds to support the cost of software must include in their application a clear explanation of why the purchase of software is necessary to the success of the research project.  For more information about UNH Academic Software Applications available through network license, see https://td.usnh.edu/TDClient/KB/ArticleDet?ID=770  
• Books:  If you include books among your expenses, you must verify that these books are not available through the UNH Library system, including Inter-Library Loan (ILL) and the Boston Library Consortium (BLC).  See www.library.unh.edu for more information.
• Save your Budget as a PDF to be uploaded to the online application portal.  Use this naming format: Lastname_Firstname_URA_Budget

UNH Faculty Mentor Recommendation Form

Complete the top portion of the  URA Faculty Mentor Recommendation Form   and give the form to your mentor well in advance of the application deadline.  Please use this naming format when saving the form: StudentLastname_StudentFirstname_FacultyLastname_Form . Your mentor will be responsible for uploading the form and their letter of recommendation to the online portal no later than the application deadline. 

Criteria for Review of Applications

The Hamel Center’s Faculty Advisory Committee reviews all applications. Each proposal is read by at least three faculty reviewers drawn from one of the following two general areas of study: 1) departments in COLSA and CEPS, and 2) departments in COLA, CHHS, and Paul College.  An application may receive a maximum of 25 points from each reviewer.

1.    Quality of the Proposal : 12 points

• Is the proposal well written, well defined, convincing?
• Is the proposal complete? Are all parts clearly explained in accordance with the proposal outline?
• Is the proposal understandable to a general, educated reader who is not a specialist in the proposed research field?
• Is the project manageable and appropriate for the URA time frame (i.e., anticipating 100-125 hours of research)?

2.    Qualifications of the Applic ant: 5 points

• Are the qualifications, preparation, and experience of the student adequate for carrying out the project?

3.    Appropriateness of the Budget : 2 points

• Is the budget itemized?
• Is it clear why the items are necessary to the project?

4.    Faculty Mentor Recommendation : 6 points

• Past or present experience supervising the student in coursework, research, or independent work.
• Preparation of the student to undertake the project in the time period allowed.
• Significance of the project and its potential educational value for the student.
• Relationships between the student’s project and the faculty mentor’s own research, scholarly, or creative work or areas of expertise.

Notification:  All applicants and their faculty mentors will be notified of the review committee’s decision in writing within approximately six weeks of the application deadline.  If your application is successful, you will then be asked to sign a Letter of Intent and will receive further program information, including procedures for receiving your stipend and/or expense award.

URA Requirements and Expectations (for Successful Applicants)

In addition to the expectation that you will conduct/complete the research project proposed in your application, the Undergraduate Research Award comes with the following requirements:

• Final Report: describing your project and your findings (~2000 words).
• Final Evaluation: to be completed electronically by you and your faculty mentor. 
• Letter of Appreciation: to be written by you to your sponsoring donor(s).

Presentation of Research: URA students are strongly encouraged (though not required) to present the results of their research in an appropriate forum (e.g., to a class, to department majors and/or faculty, at an on- or off-campus conference). UNH’s Undergraduate Research Conference , held each spring, offers an excellent opportunity for presenting your research. 

URA students are also encouraged to consider publishing a research brief, commentary, or article in Inquiry , UNH’s online undergraduate research journal, and/or to contribute to the Hamel Center’s Undergraduate Research Blog .

Submitting Your URA Application

Students: Please have your completed PROPOSAL and BUDGET (if requesting expense funds) ready for upload before submitting your application here >>

UNH Faculty Mentor Recommendation for URA

Faculty mentors: Please follow the instructions in the URA  faculty mentor memo >>

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CRA Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Awards

The Program: The CRA Undergraduate Research Awards (“URA”) program recognizes undergraduate students in North American colleges and universities who show outstanding potential in an area of computing research. While it is expected that successful nominees will have excellent academic records and will have engaged in some form of service (e.g., club leadership, teaching, peer tutoring), excellence in research is the primary consideration.  

Eligibility: Students enrolled as undergraduates in North American colleges or universities in Fall 2023 are eligible for the 2024 award. On the nomination form, the electronic signature of the chair/head of the home department confirms that the nominee is in good standing and eligible for the award. All nominations require the electronic signature of the chair/head of a nominee’s home department. Students are not able to self-nominate. 

Number of Nominees Per Department:  Departments that grant Ph.D.s in a computing field may nominate up to four students per year. Departments that do not grant Ph.D.s in a computing field may nominate up to two students per year. 

Diversity:  In addition to recognizing excellence in undergraduate research, CRA is committed to broadening the participation of individuals in traditionally underrepresented groups in computing fields. CRA recognizes that students in different academic environments have different opportunities for research. The selection committee will consider these factors in its evaluation; nominations can describe these factors in nominees’ personal statements or recommenders’ letters. CRA strongly encourages departments to consider all aspects of diversity when selecting their nominees.

Awards: Up to 4 Undergraduate Researcher Awards will be made each year. Each award recipient will receive financial assistance of up to $1,500 to attend a research conference of their choice. In addition, some nominees will be designated as runners-up, finalists, and honorable mentions. Award recipients, runners-up, finalists, and honorable mentions will be announced on our website and directly contacted by e-mail in mid-December. These students will also receive certificates of their awards via mail.

What departments need to submit:

A nomination is officially a submission on behalf of the department chair, but it may be prepared and submitted by a designated representative for the chair. The nomination form includes a prompt to upload the following:

• Recommender Eligibility: Any faculty person who previously worked with the nominee is eligible to write the letter of recommendation. Faculty need not be from the same department or institution.
• Content Limit: Letters should not exceed three pages in length.
• Explain the problem the nominee addressed and its significance to the field and/or society.
• Highlight the challenging aspects of the work undertaken.
• For example: data collection, analysis, algorithm development, implementation, paper writing, etc.
• Emphasize the individual contributions. If the nominee collaborated with other individuals, distinguish between their contribution, the contributions of others, and the overall team’s accomplishments.
• Highlight what sets this student apart from other research peers, considering research prowess and community involvement (e.g., club leadership, teaching, peer tutoring).
• Describe opportunities the student took advantage of outside of your group that demonstrate development of research skills or engagement in research. 
• A resume (up to two pages)
• A summary of research (up to 750 words)
• A personal statement (up to 300 words)
• Student’s academic transcript(s) (unofficial transcripts are accepted)

What students need to prepare:

A nominee is expected to share the following documents with their nominator: a resume , a research summary ( not to exceed 750 words in length), a personal statement (not to exceed 300 words), and an academic transcript (unofficial transcripts are accepted).

Resume: Resumes should not exceed two pages in length. A resume should contain information on the nominee’s academic record and service. It should also indicate the nominee’s involvement in research project(s). For each project the student has participated in, the resume should include:

• a few sentences describing the project,
• the name(s) of the research mentor(s),
• the institution where the research was conducted,
• complete citations of publications arising from this research (if any),
• and, for manuscripts currently under review (if any), the titles and the venues to which they are submitted.

Research Summary: The research summary (not to exceed 750 words) gives the nominee the opportunity to describe research project(s) in detail. While the award committee is comprised of computer science professors, it’s likely that most of them will not have expertise in the specific field in which the nominee worked.  So, while one can use well-known concepts without defining them (e.g., names of data structures and terms like “NP-completeness”, “compiler”, or “k-means clustering”), nominees should imagine they’re writing to a computer science professor who works in a different sub-discipline.

A research summary should:

• Clearly outline the research problem, emphasizing its significance to the field or society.
• Detail challenges faced during the work.
• Note specific problems addressed and, if relevant, the reasons for tackling them.
• Specify tasks directly undertaken by the student, such as idea generation, data collection, analysis, algorithmic development, implementation, and paper writing.
• If your research project was a collaborative effort, please, indicate specific individual contributions.
• Highlight instances where the nominee assumed a leadership role or demonstrated independence in their work.

Personal Statement:   The personal statement (not to exceed 300 words) should address the student’s interests and activities outside of research (e.g., club leadership, teaching, peer tutoring) and/or challenges encountered with respect to getting and staying involved in research.

Academic Transcript:  Excellence in research is the primary consideration for this award, but all students are required to submit an academic transcript from their institution. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.

How to submit a nomination

Once the nomination materials are complete, the department chair (or an authorized representative) should submit the nomination form .

The nomination form will ask for:

• Information about the nominator
• Information about the student
• A single-file PDF with the faculty recommendation letter and students materials

If you have trouble accessing the form,  please reach out to our team at [email protected] .

Frequently Asked Questions

About logistics and timeline:

What are the deadlines for next year?

Typically, applications open in early September, with a deadline around mid-October. We anticipate providing more detailed information on our website by late August.

How do I submit a nomination?

Nominations are submitted via a form. While the exact process changes year over year, we will be sure to provide specific instructions to our website to ensure that nominators are able to promptly submit their materials.

Can a student self-nominate?

No, students are not allowed to self-nominate. Students will need to provide their materials to the department nominating them. All nominations must be submitted by the student’s home department.

About student eligibility:

Does a student have to be a CS-major to qualify for the award?

No, the CRA Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award is not restricted to computer science majors. Any student who has engaged in computing-related research is eligible to be nominated by a computing-related academic department at their institution.

If the student studies computer science, but their interests lie outside of computing, are they still eligible to be nominated? 

We accept nominations from all-computing related departments in North America. If your research meets that criteria, you are eligible to be nominated. 

Is this award restricted to students in their first undergraduate degree?  

Yes, students who have already completed an undergraduate degree are ineligible for the award.

If a student has graduated, but has not started graduate school, are they still eligible?

Unfortunately, to be eligible for the Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award you must be currently enrolled as an undergraduate. If a student has graduated, they are no longer eligible for the award.

If the student is taking a leave term during the fall, are they still eligible?

To be eligible, the nominee must be enrolled as an undergraduate student during the fall for which they are being nominated. That said, if there are extenuating circumstances, such as medical/health issues, then we could make an exception, so long as the department provides a letter that notes the student’s canceled registration and expected graduation date.

Are students who are in their 5th year of a 5-year combined BS/MS program eligible?

To be eligible, the nominee must be an undergraduate student during the fall in which they are nominated. 

It is our understanding that across institutions there are two types of BS+1 programs: 

• Programs where a student does not graduate with a BS until the BS+1 is completed (e.g., at U of Chicago). Programs like these have various financial consequences as students are able to remain on financial aid etc.
• Programs where the student does graduate after 4 years with the BS and in the 5th year they have graduate student status (e.g., at Purdue). At many of these institutions, students in their 5th year serve as TAs.

Ultimately, a student is eligible only if they have not received their bachelor’s degree (whether they take graduate courses or not does not matter impact their eligibility).

Can a team of undergrads be nominated for the award if their work is very collaborative?

The award program doesn’t allow for joint nominations, but departments are able to nominate both of the students individually. Please note that it is extremely important to indicate each nominee’s individual contributions and distinguish their achievements from one another. 

I plan to nominate a student who is studying abroad. Are they still eligible?

Students must be enrolled in a North American university  to be eligible for this award. 

If the student is enrolled in a non-North American university for the fall and will be transferring their credits, then they are not eligible for the award this year. If the university recognizes their enrollment as part of their home institution enrollment, then they are eligible for the award. 

About student materials:

Does the transcript have to be the official transcript or it can be an unofficial copy?

An unofficial transcript is acceptable.

As a transfer undergraduate student, would you require a transcript from my previous college as well?

Yes, all transcripts related to your undergraduate degree are required. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.

Is there a page limit for the resume? 

No, there is no official page limit for the resume, but most resumes are 1-2 pages long. If you need assistance with your resume, it may be helpful to consult your home institution’s career services office or department. 

Can I exceed the word limit for the research summary or the personal statement?

We provide guidelines for the word limits to help ensure an equitable review of nominations. These guidelines intend to give students guidance for how much content should be included (in the past, we have had situations where some applicants include a few paragraphs while others include multiple pages). Students should abide by the limit. 

Can nominees include images in their research statement? 

Yes, if a nominee wishes to include images in their statement, they are allowed to do so. 

I don’t understand what you’re looking for in the research summary or the personal statement. Can you provide more context? 

The research summary should aim to address the research problem, its significance, its challenges, and your contributions. The committee reviewing nominations is aiming to evaluate the individual contributions of nominees. As such, the team would like to hear from nominees who can provide specific and precise details about their research contributions and their roles within their respective project(s).

When addressing the challenges of your research, you are welcome to interpret the question however you’d like. In the past, nominees have included both intellectual challenges (such as methodological issues, data limitations, or conceptual hurdles) and personal challenges (like time management, collaboration issues, skills gaps, etc). Put simply, the reviewing committee would like to understand your perspective and approach to the challenges you faced.

The personal statement provides nominees with an opportunity to share more about their background, and gives the committee an opportunity to evaluate nominees more holistically. The personal statement intends to provide an avenue for nominees to describe their lived experience, whether that’s their interests, passions, adaptability, and/or resilience.

With regards to the challenges with getting involved with research, you’re also welcome to interpret this question as you’d like; whether you respond with circumstantial challenges or personal challenges. Previous nominees have used this space to discuss their path to research, and how their specific circumstances shaped their experience (i.e. if they attended an institution where undergraduate research is rare or uncommon). To reiterate, you are encouraged to personalize the statement as you desire. 

There is no “right” or “wrong” way to interpret the directions of the two written statements. We want candidates to provide answers that feel true to them and their experiences, and that give the reviewing committee insight into who you are and what you’ve done. I hope that this gives you enough context to either begin or continue drafting your research summary and personal statement. Should you have further questions, our team would be happy to help address them! 

About departmental eligibility:

Is it required that the nominating department have CRA membership?

No, departments do not need to be CRA members to nominate students for our awards. However, if your institution is interested in becoming a member, please contact a member of our team at [email protected]. 

Is an Information School eligible to submit nominations for the award? 

Depends on the school, but if the i-school grants doctoral degrees in the computing field, absolutely! It would be appropriate for an i-school to submit nominations independently of a Computer Science School if they award degrees in the field.

As a School of Computer Science, we have X departments/institutes, all of which grant PhDs in their own programs. Does this mean we can submit 4 nominations per department or is it 4 from the School of Computer Science overall?

Each department that grants PhDs in a computing research field is allowed for 4 nominations. If there are multiple departments at your institution that grant degrees in the field, then your institution is eligible to have multiple departments submit nominations for students. Limits are defined by departments not by institutions. 

About departmental submission materials:

Can I nominate a student who has transferred to another institution? 

Unfortunately, no. The student would have to be nominated by their home department, where they are enrolled. However, you would be eligible to write their recommendation letter, if the home department decides to nominate that student.

Can our department write a joint reference/recommendation letter for a student since they completed multiple research projects? 

You’re welcome to write a joint letter, so long as the letter does not exceed the 3 page maximum. Given that the student worked on multiple projects, it makes sense that you’d like to work collaboratively with your colleague to highlight their strengths. As a reminder, it is most helpful if the recommendation letter specifically addresses the student’s contributions. 

Can we submit more than one letter of recommendation for a nominee? 

To keep the process equitable, we would appreciate it if nominators could follow the one-letter guideline. You’re welcome to write a joint letter, so long as the letter does not exceed the 3 page maximum. Given that the student worked on multiple projects, it makes sense that you’d like to work collaboratively with your colleague to highlight their strengths. As a reminder, it is most helpful if the recommendation letter specifically addresses the student’s contributions.

If the student I nominate doesn’t receive the award this year, are they still eligible to be nominated again next year (if they are still an undergraduate)? What if they are a runner-up, finalist or honorable mention this year – are they still eligible to be nominated next year?

Yes. Irrespective of whether or not a student was previously awarded (as awardees, runner-ups, finalists, or honorable mentions), they can still be nominated so long as they still meet the criteria of being enrolled as an undergraduate in a North American university. 

A student conducted research with faculty who no longer works at their home institution. Can they (the faculty at another institution) submit the nomination? 

To clarify, to be nominated for this award, a faculty member needs to write a recommendation letter. The faculty member writing the recommendation letter does not need to be a current faculty member at the student’s home institution. We recommend that the person writing the recommendation letter be someone who worked with the nominee, since they’ll be best prepared to highlight their strengths and contributions. 

Nominations must be submitted by someone within the nominee’s home institution’s department (either the department chair, or an authorized representative).  

If a student is doing research in our School of Computer Science (SCS) but has a primary major in another department, should a nomination come from that department the SCS? / Can a department nominate a student from another department?

Nominations should come from the student’s home department, but the recommendation letter can be written by any faculty member that the student has worked with. 

2023-2024 Selection Committee Michael Hilton, Carnegie Mellon University, Co-Chair Steve Swanson, University of California, San Diego, Co-Chair Alex Psomas, Purdue University Anna Rafferty, Carleton College Bo Zhu, Dartmouth College Brittany Duncan, Nebraska-Lincoln University Hadi Hosseini, Pennsylvania State University Jonathan Bell, Northeastern University Matt Weinberg, Princeton University Ovidiu Daescu, University of Texas, Dallas Rahmat Beheshti, University of Delaware Tracy Hammond, Texas A&M University

Nominations for the 2023-2024 award have closed.  Applications typically open in September, with a deadline to submit around mid-October. We will update this page with 2024-2025 dates as soon as they are available.

NOTE: Students are not permitted to upload their own submissions. All nominations must be submitted by a department chair, the head of a department, or an official representative designated by aforementioned leaders.

Questions?  Inquiries about the awards should be directed to: [email protected]

CRA gratefully acknowledges the support of Microsoft Research and Mitsubishi Electric Research Labs (MERL) who sponsor the Outstanding Undergraduate Researchers Award Program in alternate years.

Click here to view the past awardees.

Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity & Equity

• Washington University Student Research Awards

This program is currently suspended.

In this legacy program, we created three categories of CRE 2  Student Research Awards to recognize the excellent and cutting-edge scholarship of our undergraduate and graduate students:

Undergraduate Research Awards for the Study of Race, Ethnicity & Equity

CRE 2 funded five undergraduate research awards at $500 each to support student-initiated, faculty-mentored independent scholarly research or creative endeavors.

2022 Awardees

Award for Best Undergraduate Research Paper Engaging St. Louis

CRE 2 awards $500 annually to a Washington University undergraduate in any academic field for excellence in research that takes the city or region of St. Louis as its primary subject of inquiry, with an emphasis on race/ethnicity. 

2022 Awardee

2021 Awardee

Award for Best Graduate Research Paper in Race/Ethnicity

CRE 2 awarded $1,000 to two Washington University graduate/professional students in any academic field for a research paper that adds significantly to understandings of issues of race/ethnicity. The award recognizes graduate research that demonstrates exceptional innovation in methodology, archives, and/or new vocabularies and grammars.

Meredith Kelling

Graduate Student, English Literature

• Email: [email protected]

1968 Critical Race Theory Feminist Theory Food Studies Material Culture New Left Working Class Writing

Bodies of Revolt: Consuming and Serving (in) Anne Moody’s “Coming of Age in Mississippi”

Jeremy Siow

Graduate Student, Political Science

• Email: [email protected]

Comparative Politics Political Socialization Southeast Asia Politics Ethnic and Race Politics Education Policy Quantitative Methods

Bilingual Instruction and Political Discrimination of Ethnic Outgroups: Evidence from a Natural Experimentation Malaysia

2022 Honorable Mention

Grace Drake

Doctoral Student, Psychological and Brain Sciences

• Email: [email protected]

Confronting Bias Inclusion & Belonging Heterosexism Perceptions of Allyship Prejudice Reduction Racism Sexism

Who Has My Back? Perceptions of Anti-Racist and Anti-Sexist Allyship are Predicted by Race, Gender, and Past Behavior

Mackenzie Lemieux, Sneha Chaturvedi, and Elizabeth Juarez Diaz | The time is now: Student‐driven implementation of social justice and anti‐racism focused curricula in medical scientist training program education

• Course Innovation Grants
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The Global Undergraduate Awards

The Global Undergraduate Awards is the world’s leading academic awards programme, open to all undergraduate students in almost every academic discipline and attracting submissions from hundreds of universities on every continent.

This is a unique opportunity to have your work recognised by an international panel of expert judges working in some of the world’s top academic institutions. We believe in rewarding students for passion and innovation early in their academic career, to encourage them to continue their work through postgraduate study or employment.

Submitting your entry is  quick, simple and free ! Through our fully anonymised online submission platform, UA has designed a fair and equal awards programme open to students regardless of background. Submit today for a chance to have your work recognised and awarded at an international level.

If you are planning to complete a four-year degree, you are eligible to submit in your third or fourth year of study. If you are planning to undertake a three-year degree, you are eligible to submit in your second or third year of study. Entries submitted must have been completed in partial fulfilment of an undergraduate degree, i.e. they must have been completed as undergraduate coursework with a portion of credits for the paper/project going toward an overall undergraduate degree.

Submission deadline: Friday, 27 May 2022

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Home > University Library > URA

Undergraduate Research Awards

The University Library Undergraduate Research Awards recognize Georgia State University undergraduates who demonstrate skill and creativity in the application of library information resources for research papers/projects completed in fulfillment of a course requirement.

Awards from 2013 2013

A Culture of Stigma: Black Women and Mental Health , Alexandria Okeke

Awards from 2012 2012

Racial Disparity in the Diagnosis of Conduct Disorder , Cortney R. VanHook

Awards from 2011 2011

Alonzo and Norris Herndon: The Herndon Men Defining Masculinity by Challenging Societal Norms , Pamela Flores

Rape Attribution for African-American Students , Imani N. Mandela

Awards from 2010 2010

Global Warming Mitigation Technologies , Gregory Taylor Brooks

The Olympic Class: The Politics Behind the 1996 Atlanta Centennial Olympic Games , Michelle Lacoss

Media’s Portrayal of Homosexuality as a Reflection of Cultural Acceptance , Austin Thomas Rowe

Inadequacy in the Commonwealth , Kelly Walko

Awards from 2009 2009

The Presidential Campaigns of Belva Lockwood , Anne Bozeman

The Virtual Classroom: An Enhancement or Replacement to Traditional Education? , James LaFayette Toles

Awards from 2008 2008

The Face of the Mummy , Carley Henderson

Children Tested Like Animals , Colleen McHugh

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Research paper awards

At the Bank of Canada, we’re pleased to offer awards for research papers by students and by staff .

Student awards

Graduate student paper award.

The Bank of Canada Graduate Student Paper Award is conferred annually at a workshop held here at the Bank. The purpose of this award is to promote high-quality research in the subject areas relevant for the Bank’s mandate.

• The award is open to Permanent Canadian Resident graduate (PhD) students at any institution worldwide and graduate (PhD) students enrolled at a Canadian university.
• Travel expenses are covered for selected student candidates.

For more information about the award and its eligibility, see the 2023 Call for Nominations .

• 2023: Guangbin Hong (University of Toronto)
• runner-up: Emmanuel Murray Leclair (Western University)
• 2022: Johnny Tang (Harvard)
• runner-up: Max Miller (Wharton)
• 2021: Ronit Mukherji (University of British Columbia)
• runner-up: Ali Abolghasemi (HEC Montreal)
• 2020: Jasmine Hao (Vancouver School of Economics, University of British Columbia)
• runner-up: Eric Richert (Queen's University)
• 2019: Mark Rempel (Wisconsin-Madison)
• runner-up: Eyub Yegen (Toronto)
• 2018: Christoph Schiller (Toronto)
• runner-up: Kurt See (Minnesota)
• 2017: Pierluca Pannella (University of British Columbia)
• 2016: Bingjing Li (University of British Columbia)
• runner-up: Oscar Becerra (University of British Columbia)
• 2015: Hugo Jales (University of British Columbia)
• runners-up: Chad Kendall (University of British Columbia) and Derek Messacar (Toronto)
• 2014: Jonathan Hoddenbagh (Boston College)
• runner-up: Edouard Djeutem (Simon Fraser University)

Best Student Paper Award - Annual NFA Conference

The Bank of Canada Best Student Paper Award recognizes the best paper written by a student and accepted for presentation at the Northern Finance Association (NFA) Annual Conference. The award has been given annually since 2015, when it replaced the Best Paper Award .

• 2018: Ryan Kim (Columbia University)
• 2017: Nuri Ersahin (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
• 2016: Christoph Schiller (Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto)
• 2015: Zhe Wang (Stanford) and Yi Chen (Yale)

Best Paper Award - Annual NFA Conference

The Bank of Canada Award for the Best Paper on the Canadian Financial System was given annually between 2003 and 2013. Eligible papers included all those accepted for presentation at the Northern Finance Association (NFA) Annual Conference.

This award was replaced by the Best Student Paper Award in 2015.

• 2013: Talis Putnins (University of Technology Sydney)
• 2012: Hamed Mahmudi (Oklahoma)
• 2011: D.J. Cumming (York), Ari Pandes (Calgary), Michael Robinson (Calgary)
• 2010: Martin Boyer (HEC Montréal), Lea Stern (Ohio State)
• 2009: Blake Phillips (Alberta), Aditya Kaul (Alberta)
• 2008: Ari Pandes (Calgary), Elizabeth Maynes (York)
• 2007: Haibo Fan (Concordia), Lorne Switzer (Concordia)
• 2006: Georges Dionne (HEC Montréal), Maria Pacurar, Pierre Duchesne
• 2005: Lawrence Kryzanowski (Concordia), Skander Lazrak (Brock)
• 2004: Craig Wilison (Saskatchewan), Robert Elliott (Calgary)
• 2003: Susan Christoffersen (McGill), Chris Geczy (Wharton), David Musto (Wharton), Adam Reed (North Carolina)

Undergraduate Student Paper Award

The Undergraduate Student Paper Award is organized jointly with the Canadian Economic Association (CEA) during the annual congress of the association. Following a poster session, prizes for the best paper and the best poster are awarded. The event aims at promoting research skills among undergraduate students to develop the future generation of Canadian economists.

Current undergraduate students in Canadian universities, or those who have completed their studies in the past year but have not yet begun their graduate studies, are encouraged to apply. Around ten students are invited to present their poster at the annual congress.

Staff awards

Bank of canada’s top research award.

The Bank of Canada’s Top Research Award recognizes achievements in economic and financial system research coming from within our organization. The award is issued annually to the individual or group who made the most significant contribution to our research agenda through work published in the previous calendar year.

• 2018: Jason Allen, “ Search Frictions and Market Power in Negotiated Price Markets ”
• 2017: Wataru Miyamoto, “ Government Spending Multipliers Under the Zero Lower Bound: Evidence from Japan ”

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• MyU : For Students, Faculty, and Staff

CS&E Colloquium: Co-Designing Algorithms and Hardware for Efficient Machine Learning (ML): Advancing the Democratization of ML

The computer science colloquium takes place on Mondays and Fridays from 11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. This week's speaker,  Caiwen Ding ( University of Connecticut ), will be giving a talk titled, "Co-Designing Algorithms and Hardware for Efficient Machine Learning (ML): Advancing the Democratization of ML". 

The rapid deployment of ML has witnessed various challenges such as prolonged computation and high memory footprint on systems. In this talk, we will present several ML acceleration frameworks through algorithm-hardware co-design on various computing platforms. The first part presents a fine-grained crossbar-based ML accelerator. Instead of attempting to map the trained positive/negative weights afterwards, our key principle is to proactively ensure that all weights in the same column of a crossbar have the same sign, to reduce area. We divide the crossbar into sub-arrays, providing a unique opportunity for input zero-bit skipping. Next, we focus on co-designing Transformer architecture, and introduce on-the-fly attention and attention-aware pruning to significantly reduce runtime latency. Then, we will focus on co-design graph neural network training. To explore training sparsity and assist explainable ML, we propose a hardware friendly MaxK nonlinearity, and tailor a GPU kernel. Our methods outperform the state-of-the-arts on different tasks. Finally, we will discuss today's challenges related to secure edge AI and large language models (LLMs)-aided agile hardware design, and outline our research plans aimed at addressing these issues.

Caiwen Ding is an assistant professor in the School of Computing at the University of Connecticut (UConn). He received his Ph.D. degree from Northeastern University, Boston, in 2019, supervised by Prof. Yanzhi Wang. His research interests mainly include efficient embedded and high-performance systems for machine learning, machine learning for hardware design, and efficient privacy-preserving machine learning. His work has been published in high-impact venues (e.g., DAC, ICCAD, ASPLOS, ISCA, MICRO, HPCA, SC, FPGA, Oakland, NeurIPS, ICCV, IJCAI, AAAI, ACL, EMNLP). He is a recipient of the 2024 NSF CAREER Award, Amazon Research Award, and CISCO Research Award. He received the best paper nomination at 2018 DATE and 2021 DATE, the best paper award at the DL-Hardware Co-Design for AI Acceleration (DCAA) workshop at 2023 AAAI, outstanding student paper award at 2023 HPEC, publicity paper at 2022 DAC, and the 2021 Excellence in Teaching Award from UConn Provost. His team won first place in accuracy and fourth place overall at the 2022 TinyML Design Contest at ICCAD. He was ranked among Stanford’s World’s Top 2% Scientists in 2023. His research has been mainly funded by NSF, DOE, DOT, USDA, SRC, and multiple industrial sponsors.

Keller Hall  3-180

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Posts from the School of Engineering and Applied Science

The 2024 Penn Engineering Student Choice Awards

Penn Engineering is pleased to announce the faculty recipients of the 2024 Student Choice Awards. Each year, the Penn Engineering undergraduate student body thoughtfully selects the recipients of these awards for their dedication in teaching, mentorship and student advocacy.

This year’s winners are Joseph Devietti, Douglas Jerolmack, Bomyi Lim, Shu Yang and Mark Licurse.

Ford Motor Company Award for Faculty Advising

Devietti was recognized by students for investing his time in mentoring student projects outside of the classroom. “He allows students to utilize his lab’s resources for academic exploration and projects and explains technical details that would enable them to succeed outside the classroom,” states one student.

Devietti received both a B.S.E. in Computer Science and a B.A in English from the University of Pennsylvania in 2006. He then earned M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Washington in 2009 and 2012, respectively.

S. Reid Warren, Jr. Award

Douglas Jerolmack , Professor in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics and in Earth and Environmental Science, has been awarded the S. Reid Warren, Jr. Award. Presented in conjunction with the Engineering Alumni Society, this award recognizes outstanding service in stimulating and guiding the intellectual and professional development of undergraduate students at the School.

Jerolmack’s students describe his dedication to helping students succeed both inside and outside the classroom, stating that “his positive mindset and advice has proved to be invaluable to the development of his students’ interest in engineering and applying classroom knowledge to their professional lives.”

Jerolmack received his undergraduate degree from Drexel University in 2001 and went on to earn a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2006.

Student Advocacy Award

One student remarks, “I would not have persevered and grown as much as I did if it had not been for Dr. Lim’s commitment to diversity in engineering and mentorship.”

Lim received a B.S.E. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania in 2010. She then went on to earn a Ph.D. in Chemical and Biological Engineering from Princeton University in 2015.

Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award

Yang has been described by students as a research mentor that motivates every student to pursue their interests and while being supportive of independent projects. “She constantly encourages students to take advantage of all available opportunities and guides them through every step of the research process, including applying for grants and research presentations,” notes one student.

Yang received a B.S. in Materials Science from Fudan University in 1992. She then earned both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Chemistry and Chemical Biology from Cornell University in 1997 and 1999, respectively.

Hatfield Award for Excellence in Teaching for Faculty in the Lecturer/Practice Professor Track

Students commended Licurse’s ability to clearly communicate complex concepts and topics in a way that students can understand. One student comments that Licurse “goes above and beyond to engage students, creating interactive learning exercises and demonstrations.” Students also cited his genuine care for student success and noted how he always made students feel confident in their ability to learn the material.

Licurse earned both a B.S.E. and a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania in 2006 and 2013, respectively.

University Libraries

2024 swilley student research award winners.

Congratulations to the winner and the runner-up of the 2024 Monroe F. Swilley, Jr. Student Research Award! 

The winner is Dedeepya Pasupuleti for “Novel Nanoparticulate System Using Microfluidics to Enhance Central Drug Availability of Aspirin.” 

The runner-up is Katie Holliday for “Improving Digestion and Nutrition in Post-Whipple Procedure Patients.” 

The award will be presented at the Atlanta and Regional Academic Centers Research Conference on Saturday, April 6, 2024.

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