The Leatherby Libraries is proud to announce the winners of the 2024 Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize. For the 16th year of this award, we received numerous applications in various disciplines, including the biological sciences, health sciences, integrated educational studies, music, and psychology. We honored our students at the Student Research Awards Ceremony on Thursday, May 9, 2024. 

From left to right: Copyright Librarian and Judge, Katherine Roth, Faculty Mentor, Jeremy Hsu, Coordinator of Collection Development, Librarian, and Judge, Margaret Puentes, Honorable Mention, Erin Simmons, Second Place Winner, Heather Ulwick, First Place Winner, Gabriella Dauber, Dean of the Leatherby Libraries, Kevin Ross, and Librarian and Chair of Research and Instructional Services at the Leatherby Libraries, Taylor Greene pose for a picture at the 2024 Student Research Awards Ceremony.

 

First Place: Gabriela Dauber

Gabriella, a Senior majoring in Biological Sciences at Chapman University, won first prize for her paper Examining Students’ Perceptions of & Experiences in STEM Course Office Hours.

“I am honored to have received the 2024 Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize. It means a lot that Chapman recognizes the research efforts and use of library resources by its students. I am grateful for the amazing mentors at Chapman, and I could not have done this research project without Dr. Jeremy Hsu. Thank you, Dr. Hsu!”

Second Place: Heather Ulwick

Heather, a Senior majoring in Music, received second place for her paper What’s Your Hip-Hop Story? How Authenticity has Simultaneously Fought and Imposed the Commercialization of Rap.

“I am so unbelievably honored to receive second place in the 2024 Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize Contest. I believe my passion for the subject is evident in my writing, and feel extremely proud of the product that I have been able to deliver. It has been an absolute privilege to be able to research this material. Coming in at just under fifty pages, none of it would have been possible without my advisor, Dr. Jessica Sternfeld’s invaluable patience, feedback, and expertise. Thank you so much to the judges for recognizing my hard work and dedication by awarding me second place!”

Third Place: Rachel Berns

Rachel, a Senior majoring in Health Sciences, won third place for her paper Cultural Attitudes Towards Ethnic Cuisine in Italy. 

“It is such an honor to be a recipient of the Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize, as library services are so foundational to an enriching educational experience. I am thankful to have benefitted from the abundant resources that the Leatherby Libraries offers, even while studying abroad. I am excited to take the skills in information literacy I’ve learned into my doctoral program this summer.”

Honorable Mention: Erin Simmons

Erin, a Junior majoring in Psychology and Integrated Educational Studies, received an honorable mention for her paper The Impact of External Factors on Urban Youth Behaviors. 

“I am extremely honored and grateful to have been recognized for the Kevin and Tam Ross Research Award! As a Black first-generation college student, my research is a testament to my experiences and demonstrates my passion for addressing the achievement gap that exists in marginalized communities. This award validates my work and solidifies its significance within the research community! I am proud to be recognized for this esteemed prize, and this acknowledgment supports my continued research journey and academic career.”

The winning entries are accessible through our institutional repository, the Chapman University Digital Commons.

About the Prize

Kevin Ross, the Dean of the Leatherby Libraries, and his wife, Tam, have funded the Undergraduate Research Prize because of their commitment to inspiring information literacy in students. When speaking at the Student Research Awards Ceremony, Dean Ross emphasized the importance of promoting academic information literacy to create informative research. He also discussed the importance of information literacy as a tool for students to learn during their undergraduate studies, so that they can carry it into their professions as they graduate. The Leatherby Libraries is proud to help students showcase their research and promote the facilitation of information literacy within the Chapman community.

The selection committee for this award included the following faculty members and librarians:

  • Professor Fadel Lawandy
    • Director, Hoag Center for Real Estate and Finance / Associate Professor in The George L. Argyros College of Business and Economics
  • Dr. Jana Remy
    • Assistant Vice President, Educational Technology / Instructor in Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences; Department of History
  • Dr. Richard Ruppel
    • Director, General Education Program / Professor in Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences; Department of English and Department of Peace Studies
  • Margaret Puentes
    • Coordinator of Collection Development and Librarian at the Leatherby Libraries
  • Katherine Roth
    • Copyright Librarian at the Leatherby Libraries
  • Taylor Greene
    • Chair of Research and Instructional Services and Librarian at the Leatherby Libraries

We want to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who applied to this year’s Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize and the faculty and librarians who gave their time and effort to help select the winning applicants.