University Libraries Undergraduate Research Award

About the Award

The University Libraries Undergraduate Research Award (ULURA) is given in recognition of an outstanding original paper or project in any media (for example film, performance, software or technology) created by an undergraduate student or students at UNCG. Successful individual or group projects will demonstrate the ability to locate, select, and synthesize information from library and scholarly resources. The winning entry will receive a $500 prize awarded to their student account funded by the University Libraries.

Undergraduate Research Award Winners

2023: Beth Campbell, "On Whom the Nation Rests: Leopoldo Méndez’s Allegory of Suffering."

2022: Krista Savage-White, "Finding the North Star," and Luiz Francisco Guizzo Gutierrez Osorio, "Losing Minds and Hearts: Ideology, Education, and the Development of Youth". Learn more about Krista's and Luis's research from this blog article.

2021: Krista Westervelt, "Impact of Racial Disparities in Transportation Access on Older Adults in Chatham County." Learn more about Krista's research from this blog article.

2020: No award given due to the COVID-19 pandemic

2019: Montana Joyce, "Sailing the Seas of Slavery: An Analysis of Instructions to British and American Slave Ship Captains in the 1700s." Learn more about Montana's research from this blog article.

2018: Jordan Richmond, "Crisis in Myanmar and Bangladesh: Sociocultural Underpinnings and Political Barriers to the 2016-2018 Rohingya Ethnic Cleansing." Learn more about Jordan's research from this blog article.

2017: Ryan Ridpath, "The Old Lady and Old Beardless: Gender, Emotion, and Legitimate Violence in Njal's Saga." Learn more about Ryan's research from this blog article or by viewing this video.

2016: Paula Damasceno De Oliveira, "Rosebud and the Glass Ball: Two Tricks to the Myth-Making of Citizen Kane." Learn more about Paula's research from this article or by viewing this video.

2015: Kyle Pope, "Lightbulb Moment: Electricity in the YWCA Scrapbook." Learn more about Kyle's research from this article or by viewing this video. 

2014: David Banks, "The Human Gut Microbiome: A Physiological System Approach." for his Honors Contract Thesis in General Microbiology. Learn more about David's research project in this video interview.

2013: Nathan Roberts, in Dr. Greg Knehans’s PSC 344: Politics of Globalization paper, "Chinese Consumers: World Systems and World Cultural Analysis of Culture Hybridity." Listen to an interview with Nathan.

2012: Jimmy Humphrey, IGS 400 paper "Missionary Work, Politics, Culture, and Ethical Globalization." Listen to the podcast interview with Jimmy.

2011: Sonia Haga, "A Comparative Study of the Perceptions of German POWs in North Carolina," for her Senior Honors Thesis in History under Professor Jeff Jones. Listen to a podcast interview with Sonia.

2010: Mary Robinson, "Poetry in Motion: The Divine Sarah on the English Stage," for Professor Woodworth’s Theatre History 501 class. Read the Library Column's article or listen to the podcast interview.

Key Dates and Times

• All Applicant Materials Including Final Project: Friday, 3/28/2024
• Faculty Nomination Form Due: Friday, 3/28/2024
• Notification of Winner: Monday, 4/19/2024
• Presentation of Award at the Provost Student Excellence Awards ceremony: TBD

Eligibility

All applicants and authors must:

• Be currently enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student at UNCG in any discipline.
• Complete a research project or paper at UNCG in either the spring, summer, or fall semester of the prior calendar year.

The award winner must:

• Contribute a copy of their paper or project to the UNCG Institutional Repository (NC DOCKS).
• Attend the Provost Student Excellence Awards ceremony to receive the award.

Requirements

Students may be nominated by a UNCG teaching faculty member or submit his/her own project along with a recommendation from the supporting faculty member. Student applicants must submit the following:

• 500 word essay describing the student(s) research strategies. (View essay suggestions)
• Final version of the completed paper or project, including the bibliography or reference list
• Contact information for Faculty Sponsor.
• Contact information for any additional applicants/authors.

Submissions

• Undergraduate Research Award Application
• Undergraduate Research Award Faculty Nomination Form

Contact Information for Questions

Stacey Krim, ULURA Committee Chair
Email: srkrim@uncg.edu

Evaluation Criteria

Scoring rubric for research strategies essay, submitted project and other requirements (view scoring rubric).

Successful projects will demonstrate:

• Sophistication, creativity, originality, and depth or breadth in the use of library collections and scholarly resources. This includes, but is not limited to, databases, multi-media, online resources, and print-based materials. Materials obtained through interlibrary loan are acceptable.
• Exceptional ability to use these resources in the creation of an original research project or paper.
• Clarity and coherent organization of information. All writing must be grammatically correct.
• Responsible use of information including appropriate and accurate citations and credits.
• Projects and papers must be written in English.