Past Winners
UGA Libraries Undergraduate Research Award:
Past Winners
Starting in 2022 the Awards were reorganized to give the judges more flexibility in rewarding research by not assigning permanent awards to certain grade levels.
2023 Winners
Vanshika Singisetti, 1st place Senior award, for research on “Testing the Effects of Bisphenol Exposure on Meiotic Spindle Organization in Control and Pericentrin-depleted Oocytes.” The judges were impressed by their exhaustive literature review, and how they incorporated their meeting with Diana Hartle into the research.
Yeongseo Son, 1st place 1st-3rd Year award, for research on “Inhibition of Neutrophil Elastase by the Bacterial Protease Inhibitor Ecotin.” Not only did she do an exhaustive literature review, Yeongseo was eager to show the “human side” of Cystic Fibrosis, and she utilized resources from the Brown Media Archives and other media databases in her paper as well. Ian Thomas was her Librarian, and it was her initial meeting with him which helped give her the confidence to take her research paper in a different direction.
Kiana Bussa, Honorable mention, for research on “United Nations Human Rights Council Membership and Domestic Respect for Human Rights”. Kiana utilized a wide swath of Libraries’ resources, including specialized databases for legal research and UN documents. Her exhaustive literature review has given her a firm foundation for a planned data analysis project. Elizabeth White was her Librarian.
Erin O’Keefe, Honorable mention for research on “The Sentimental Side of Mary Wollstonecraft: Her Painful, Pleasurable, and Eternal Sublime.” The judges were impressed by her engaging essay, and how she incorporated Kristin Nielsen’s research help into her process. She delved deep into our extensive print resources on her topic, and the resulting essay made the judges want to delve into this research, too!
Jacob Reinhart, Juror’s Choice award, for research on “Triboelectric Edge Computing Sensors and their Application in the IS Supply Chain.” Jacob’s paper detailed how he used Libraries’ resources to learn about a specific type of computing component, do a patent search (and use our patent resources to help him develop the patent for his device), and to find examples of Engineering conference papers after he was invited to present about his device at a conference. A fresh departure from the normal literature reviews, the judges were impressed by how he utilized Libraries’ resources at all levels of his project. His Librarian was Colleen Gardina.
Vybhavi Kotireddy, one time award for Most Promising 1st Year Research, on “Social Polarization and Parent Support for Child Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health.” The judges were impressed by the sophistication of her research from her 1st year at UGA. After meeting with Jessica Varga, she incorporated resources from outside of Public Health, developing a truly inter-disciplinary project.
2021 Winners
Senior Division
First Place
Sofia Metzler Concepción, "The Influence and Function of Food-Associated Vocalizations in Western Lowland Gorillas"
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Roberta Salmi, Anthropology
Librarian Mentor: Diana Hartle
Runners Up
Meghan Gerig, "Ethiopians in Ancient Art: An Analysis of Exoticism through Dark Colored Marble"
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Mark Abbe, Art History
Librarian Mentor: Emily Luken
Anna Hutchins, "Standing out or Fitting in: Exploring How and When Substance Abuse Counselors’ Personal Recovery Status Impacts Burnout"
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Lillian Eby, Psychology
Librarian Mentor: Sandra Riggs
1st-3rd Year Division
First Place
Sydney Speir, "Expansion of Known Ringtail (Bassariscus Astutus) Diet within Zion National Park"
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Sonia Altizer, Ecology
Librarian Mentor: Kelsey Forester
Runner Up
Leah Whitmoyer, "Intimate Partner Violence in the Textile Industry: An Analysis on the Relationship between Employment and Intimate Partner Violence in Ten Countries"
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ellen McCullough, Agricultural and Applied Economics
Librarian Mentor: Kelsey Forester
Jurors' Choice Award
Kayla Costin, "An Investigation into the Welfare and Environmental Impacts of Equine Track Systems"
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kylee Duberstein, Animal and Dairy Science
Librarian Mentor: Kelsey Forester
Special Award
Ayah Abdelwahab, "Friends or Foes: An Analysis of Individuals Sanctioned Under the Global Magnitsky Act"
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Maryann Gallagher, Public and International Affairs
Librarian Mentor: Elizabeth White
2020 Winners
Senior Division
First Place
Valerie King, "An Experiment in Reading: Judith Butler’s Gender Trouble and Ethical Citation Practices"
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Bradley Bassler, Philosophy
Librarian Mentor: Emily Luken
Runners Up
Elizabeth Goggin, "The Confederate Diaspora: Race, Slavery, and Reconciliation in the Americas"
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Cassia Roth, History
Librarian Mentor: Jill Severn
Ellie McQuaig, "How We Begin to Remember: Church, State, and World War II Remembrance in the GDR"
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Miranda Pollard, History
Librarian Mentor: Diane Trap
1st-3rd Year Division
First Place
Emma Bay Dickinson, "Landscape and Local Determinants of Non-breeding Bird-Use in Powerlines"
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Richard Hall, Ecology
Librarian Mentor: Kelsey Forester
Runners Up
Ayah Abdelwahab, "Is America Failing Its Workers? A US Report Card on Workers’ Rights"
Faculty Mentor: Dr. K. Chad Clay, Public and International Affairs
Librarian Mentor: Elizabeth White
Mennah Abdelwahab, "The Past, Present, and Future of Human Rights Education"
Faculty Mentor: Dr. K. Chad Clay, Public and International Affairs
Librarian Mentor: Elizabeth White
Jurors' Choice Award
Zainub Ali, "Kashmiri Azadi: Forgotten voices in diplomacy"
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Rusty Brooks
Librarian Mentor: Elizabeth White
2019 Winners
Senior Division
First Place
Isabel Ott - “Bunyamwera Serogroup Viruses in the Americas.”
Faculty Mentor, Dr. Daniel Mead (Population Health, Veterinary Medicine)
Librarian Mentor, Diana Hartle
Runners Up
Jeri Sasser - “A Longitudinal Investigation of Protective Factors for Bereaved Maltreated Youth.”
Faculty Mentor, Dr. Assaf Oshri (Human Development and Family Studies)
Librarian Mentor, Sandra Riggs
Julianne Miao - "Felix Gonzalez-Torre's Portrait of Ross in L.A.: Unmaking Binary Laws.”
Faculty Mentor, Dr. Nell Andrew (Art History)
Librarian Mentor, Lindsey Reynolds
1st-3rd Year Division
First Place
Megan McPherson, “Mysteries of the Museum: Uncovering the History of the Georgia Museum of Natural History.”
Faculty Mentor, Dr. Suzanne Pilaar Birch (Anthropology and Geography)
Librarian Mentor, Diane Trap and Mazie Bowen
Runner Up
Lauren Boyd - "Behind the Scenes of a Mexican Paradise: An Exploration into Neoliberalism and Tourism in Mexico Using Qualitative Feminist Methods."
Faculty Mentor, Dr. Patricia Richards (Sociology)
Librarian Mentor, Nan McMurry
Jurors' Choice Award
Joshua Johnson - "Greater Inclinations: Revolutions of Progress, Beauty, Science, Spirituality, Representation, Gender, and Vision in America's Gilded Age."
Faculty Mentor, Dr. Janice Simon (Art History)
Librarian Mentor, Diane Trap
2018 Winners
Senior Division
First Place
Thomas F. Deen - Terrorism Financing and the International Drug Trade.
Faculty Mentor, Dr. Andrew Owsiak
Librarian Mentor, Elizabeth White
Runners Up
Rhiannon Euhus - The Health Status and Healthcare Access of Incarcerated Women.
Faculty Mentor, Dr. Jody Clay-Warner
Librarian Mentor, Casey Roberson
Taylor Martin - Do Dual-use Controls Contribute to the Probability of the Pursuit or User of CBRN Weapons by Terrorist Organizations?”
Faculty Mentor, Dr. Amanda Murclie
Librarian Mentor, Elizabeth White
1st-3rd Year Division
First Place
Samuel Driggers - The Framing of Two Sovereignist Campaigns.
Faculty Mentor, Dr. Cas Mudde
Librarian Mentor, Elizabeth White
Runner Up
Landon Clark - Stratified Schooling: The Tripartite Educational Inequality Process Model.
Faculty Mentor, Dr. Dawn Robinson
Librarian Mentor, Amber Prentiss
Jurors' Choice Award
Grace Anne Ingham - Climate Change Effects on Heterotrophic Soil Respiration-Determination of Driving Forces Behind Carbon Loss from Soils,
Faculty Mentor, Dr. Nina Wurzburger
Librarian Mentor, Diana Hartle
2017 Winners
Senior Division
First Place
Rahul Shah - The Effects of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs on Reducing Opioid Overdose Mortality
Faculty Mentor, Dr. Vincent Pohl
Librarian Mentor, Keith Nichols
Runners Up
Erin Wiser - F.D. Millet's "A Pompeian Girl"
Faculty Mentor, Dr. Alisa Luxenberg
Librarian Mentor, Caroline Barratt
Alison McWhorter Anderson - Chemical Weapons and the Legacy of War
Faculty Mentor, Dr. James Porter
Librarian Mentor, Diana Hartle
1st-3rd Year Division
First Place
Nanma Okeani - How Violence Against Women in Politics Impacts Representation
Faculty Mentor, Dr. Maryann Gallagher
Librarian Mentor, Elizabeth White
Runner Up
McKenna Barney - Nutrition of Women and Children in Conflict Zones
Faculty Mentor, Dr. Maria Navarro
Librarian Mentor, Elizabeth White
Jurors' Choice Award
Christian Cullen - Neutrophil Extracellular Trap Induction Dependence on Flagellar Motility
Faculty Mentor, Balazs Rada
Librarian Mentor, Ian Thomas
2016 Winners
Senior Division
First Place
Brooke Martin, American Reed Organs and the Music of Stephen Foster
Dr. Jean Martin-Williams (Music)
Dr. Catherine Kilroe-Smith (Music)
Dr. Kevin Kelly (librarian liaison)
Runners up
Andrew Disharoon, Engineering Soybean Resistant to Mosaic Virus
Dr. Wayne Parrott (Crop & Soil Science)
Liz Holdsworth (librarian liaison)
Andrew Jarnagin, Understanding the Rise of the Sadrist Movement in Iraq
Dr. Kevin Jones (History)
Nan McMurry and Emily Luken (librarian liaisons)
1st-3rd Year Division
First Place
Elizabeth Hardister, Hurricane Forecasting and Coastal Healthcare Facility Evacuations
Dr. Curtis Harris (Institute for Disaster Management)
Ian Thomas (librarian liaison)
Runner up
Gabrielle Stecher, Desdemona Dominated: A Victorian Painter's Approach to Gender Politics in Shakespeare's Othello
Dr. Dorothy Todd (English)
Caroline Barratt (librarian liaison)
2015 Winners
Senior Division
First Place
Allison Koch, Parental Perceptions of Childhood Growth,
Dr. Susan Tanner (Anthropology)
Caroline Barratt (librarian liaison)
Runners up
Stefania Barzeva, Physiological Functioning of Children with Anxiety
Dr. Cynthia Suveg (Psychology)
Sandra Riggs (librarian liaison)
I.B. Hopkins, Research and Embodying in Navasaa
Dr. John Patrick Bray (Theater)
Kristin Nielsen (librarian liaison)
1st-3rd Year Division
First Place - Brett Bennett, Forgotten Radical: Southern Women and the New Left
Dr. Brian Drake (History)
Jill Severn (archivist liaison)
Runner up - Caroline Jackson, Music, Mind, and Interior Sensory Experience
Dr. Jamie Kreiner (History)
Nan McMurry (librarian liaison)
2014 Winners
Awards were presented at the CURO Symposium on March 31, 2014.
Senior Division
First Place
Greyson Clark
Power Dynamics in Georgia’s Poultry Industry, 1950-1965
Faculty mentor: Dr. Shane Hamilton
Librarian mentor: Jill Severn
Runners up
DeJuana Ford
Healthcare, Genetics, Society, and the Black-White Breast Cancer Disparity
Faculty mentor: Dr. Susan Tanner
Librarian mentor: Elizabeth White
Kelly Murray
Investigating the effects of fish assemblage on a shredding caddis fly (Phylloicus hansoni) in Trinidadian Streams
Faculty mentor: Dr. Catherine Pringle
Librarian mentor: Diana Hartle
1st-3rd Year
First Place
Babajide Oluwadare
Analysis of PI function in the Mycoplasma Pneumoniae cell
Faculty mentor: Dr. Duncan Krause
Librarian mentor: Ian Thomas
Runner up
Chiara Tondi Resta
Reexamining a little-known Aphrodite statue reportedly from ancient stasiaen
Faculty mentor: Dr. Mark Abbe
Librarian mentor: Emily Luken
2013 Winners
Awards were presented at the CURO Symposium on April 1, 2013. Photo of the award winners.
Senior Division
First Place
Rachel Perez
The Fever Progress: Yellow Fever in 19th and 20th Century Savannah and Havana
Faculty mentor: Dr. Reinaldo Roman
Librarian mentors: Diane Trap and Nan McMurry
Runners up
Terese Gagnon
Surveying the Landscape of Research: Academic Inquiry and the Value of Following the Connections
Faculty mentor: Dr. Virginia Nazarea
Librarian mentor: Caroline Barratt
Richard D. Weimar, III
Using Raman Spectroscopy to Analyze Ancient Pigments in Pompeii
Faculty mentor: Dr. Tina Salguero & Dr. Mark Abbe
Librarian mentor: Ian Thomas
1st-3rd Year
First Place
Kaitlyn Downs
Indian-American Identity: Merging Cultures in University Spaces
Faculty mentor: Dr. Christina Joseph
Librarian mentor: Caroline Barratt
Runner up
Joanna Caffrey
The Excommunication of Early Jewish Christians and Its Interpretive Value for the So-called Temple Cleansing in the Gospel of John
Faculty mentor: Dr. Wayne Coppins
Librarian mentor: Sandra Riggs
2012 Winners
Awards were presented at the CURO Symposium at the Classic Center's Athena Ballroom on Monday, April 2, 2012 to recognize this year's winners.
Senior Division - 1st Place
Bryn Elise Murphy
Prospect Theory and Collective Action Problems: Loss Aversion in International Riparian Treaties
Faculty mentor: Dr. Pete Brosius and Dr. Jeffrey Berejikian
Librarian: Elizabeth White
Research award essay, project abstract, and bibliography
Senior Division - Runners-up
Michael Klodnicki
Geonomic Analysis and Drug Sensitivity of Histomonas meleagridis
Faculty mentor: Dr. Robert Beckstead
Librarian: Ian Thomas
Research award essay, project abstract, and bibliography
Joshua Trey Barnett
We Are All Royalty: Narrative Comparison of a Drag Queen and King
Faculty mentor: Dr. Corey Johnson
Librarian: Kristin Nielsen
Research award essay, project abstract, and bibliography
1st-3rd Year Division - 1st Place
Chelsea Renier
Does Eggshell Pigmentation Reflect Female Condition in Broiler Breeder Hens?
Faculty mentor: Dr. Kristin Navara
Librarian: Diana Hartle
Research award essay, project abstract, and bibliography
1st-3rd Year Division - 1st Place - Runner-up
Matthew Smith
Determination of Virulence Factors Associated with Histomas melagridis in Blackhead Disease in Gallinaceous Birds
Faculty mentor: Dr. Robert Beckstead
Librarian: Jacquie Houston
Research award essay, project abstract, and bibliography
2011 Winners
Awards were presented at the CURO Symposium at the Classic Center's Athena Ballroom on Monday, April 4, 2011 to recognize this year's winners.
Senior Division - 1st place
Puja Chebrolu
Socioeconomic Associations with Hypertension
Faculty mentor: Dr. Alex Anderson
Librarian liaison: Jacquie Houston
Research award essay, project abstract, and bibliography
Senior Division - Runner Up
Jessica Holmes
Isolation and Characterization of Polyomavirus
Faculty mentor: Dr. Michael Pierce
Librarian liaison: Ian Thomas
Research award essay, project abstract, and bibliography
Senior Division - Runner Up
Cody Nichol
Emotion Regulation in Children
Faculty mentor: Dr. Cynthia Suveg
Librarian liaison: Sandra Riggs
Research award essay, project abstract, and bibliography
1st - 3rd Year Division - 1st Place
Bryn Murphy
Migration and the Urban Environment in Madre de Dios, Peru
Faculty mentor: Dr. Peter Brosius
Librarian liaisons: Elizabeth White and Caroline Barratt
Research award essay, project abstract, and bibliography
1st - 3rd Year Division - Runner Up
Ryan Prior
Foundations of Medical Philosophy in Ancient Civilizations
Faculty mentor: Dr. Katarzyna Jerzak
Librarian liaison: Nan McMurry
Research award essay, project abstract, and bibliography
2010 Winners
Awards were presented at the CURO Symposium at the Classic Center's Parthenon Room on Monday, March 29th, 2010 to recognize this year's winners. Photos of the 2010 winners.
First Prize - Senior
Laura McDonald
A New Definition of Treason: The 1794 Treason Trials
Faculty mentor: Kirk Willis
Librarian mentor: Diane Trap
Research award essay, project abstract, and bibliography
Runners Up - Senior
Ilana McQuinn
Repression, Literature and Growth and Metamorphosis of Czech National Identity in the 20th Century
Faculty mentor: John Morrow, Jr.
Librarian mentor: Diane Trap
Research award essay, project abstract, and bibliography
Sara Day
Digital Proliferation: Discerning New Literary Genres Spawned by Digital Technology
Faculty mentor: Elizabeth Davis
Librarian mentor: Kristin Nielsen
Research award essay, project abstract, and bibliography
1st-3rd Year - First Place
Michael Burel
Derivation of Neural Progenitors from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Faculty mentor: Steven Stice
Librarian mentor: Elizabeth White
Research award essay, project abstract, and bibliography
1st-3rd Year - Runner Up
Saranya Venkatachalam
Recipe for Research: Herceptin Antibody Research
Faculty mentor: Cory Momany
Librarian mentor: Ian Thomas
Research award essay, project abstract, and bibliography
2009 Winners
Senior Division - First place
Alison Manley
Project title: Erigone and Carle Van Loo
Faculty mentor: Alisa Luxenberg
Librarian liaison: Caroline Barratt
Research Award essay with project bibliography and abstract
Senior Divistion - Runners Up
Noah Koon
Project title: Street Musicians and Noise Pollution in Victorian England
Faculty mentor: Steven Soper
Librarian liaison: Diane Trap
Research Award essay with project bibliography and abstract
Long Doan
Project title: Moods, Emotions, and Occupational Identities
Faculty mentor: Dawn Robinson
Librarian liaison: Nan McMurry
Research Award essay with project bibliography and abstract
1st - 3rd Year Division - First Place
Muktha Natrajan
Project title: Role of Integrin Activation in Increased Gliogenesis or Human Neural Stem Cell Cultures
Faculty mentor: Steven Stice
Librarian liaison: Elizabeth White
Research Award essay with project bibliography and abstract
1st - 3rd Year Division - Runner up
Saranya Venkatachalam
Project title: Development of a Therapeutic Herceptin Antibody Fragment
Faculty mentor: Cory Momany
Librarian liaison: Ian Thomas
Research Award essay with project bibliography and abstract
2008 Winners
Senior Division - First Place
Ashley Ann Wilkinson
Project title: Determining the Truth: The War on Terror and Repression in China
Senior Divistion - Runners-up
Lee Ellen Carter
Project title: Otaverlenos and Cotacachernos Local Perceptions of Sacred Sites
Karen Tanenbaum
Project title: Diversity and State Building: a Cross-Country Analysis of the US and Canada
Jessica Van Parys
Project title: Does Writing Ability Signal Academic Excellence?
1st - 3rd Year Division - First Place
Cleveland Piggott
Project title: Role of Microtubules on the Formation and Degradation of Hirano Bodies
1st - 3rd Year Division - Runner Up
Muktha Natrajan
Project title: Role of Actinomycin-D in Germ Cell Development
Leilah Zahedi
Project title: Effects of Black Walnut Extract on Intestinal Permeability
2007 Winners
Senior Division - First Place
Karen Usselman
Music and Identity among Mexican Immigrants to Atlanta, 1985-2005
Abstract | Essay | Bibliography
Senior Division - Runners-up
Betsy Beasley
Fighting for a Radical City: Student Protesters, Cultural Radicals and the Politics of Space in 1960s & 1970s Lower Manhattan
Abstract | Essay | Bibliography
Erica Hall
Intracellular Gene Transfer from the Mitochondrion to the Nucleus in Toxoplasma gondii
Abstract | Essay | Bibliography
1st - 3rd Year Division - First Place
Richard Pierre
The Creative Moment: The Ethics of Understanding in Virginia Woolf and Hermann Broch
Abstract | Essay | Bibliography
1st - 3rd Year Division - Runners Up
Daniel Weitz
The Legacy of AQ Khan: An Analysis of Nuclear Dual-use Illicit Trade Patterns in the Pre-Enlargement European Union
Abstract | Essay | Bibliography
Karen Wong
Political and Social Foundations for Environmental Sustainability
Abstract | Essay | Bibliography
Andrew Durso
Onotogenetic and Environmental Shifts in Detection Probability of Pond-breeding Amphibians in the Georgia Piedmont
Abstract | Essay | Bibliography
Photos from the 2007 CURO Symposium and Awards Ceremony.
© Reproduction of student essays, in part or in whole without permission of the author is expressly prohibited.