Eleven students have won 2023-2024 University Libraries Undergraduate Research Awards

This year’s submissions emphasized two important aspects of academic library research: the use of peer reviewed and primary sources.

• Students used the limits in Find It@USC and specialized databases to filter results to peer reviewed.
• Primary sources included articles reporting original research on moth pheromones, popular newspaper and magazine articles from the time, sermons, and personal correspondence.
• Beyond sources available online through University Libraries, students used physical materials from the Irvin Department of Rare Books & Special Collections, the South Caroliniana Library and Thomas Cooper Library. They also traveled to archives and borrowed books using PASCAL Delivers and Interlibrary Loan.

The record number of recipients were selected by a six-member review panel made up of Libraries faculty and teaching faculty from across campus. The winners received a monetary award and a personalized award certificate. Their achievements will be recognized with a placard displayed in Scholars Corner in Thomas Cooper Library until next academic year’s winners are announced.

 

Garnet Track (juniors and seniors)

First Place ($500), Ava Gartman, a graduating senior majoring in History and English, for “Dressing the Future He Creates: Women’s Fashion in the Space Age,” a South Carolina Honors College senior research thesis. Carol Harrison, History, is the supporting faculty member.

 Second Place ($400), Allison Fletcher, a rising senior majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Environmental Studies, for “The Ecological Implications of Sex Pheromone Biochemistry in Moths,” a term paper for Biology 599 (Insect Ecology). Eric LoPresti, Biological Sciences, is the supporting faculty member.

Honorable Mention ($75), Scottie Greene, a graduating senior majoring in History and Political Science, for “She'll be Coming 'Round the Mountain: Dr. Hilla Sheriff's Public Health Work in the South Carolina Piedmont,” a South Carolina Honors College senior research thesis. Lauren Sklaroff, History, is the supporting faculty member.

Honorable Mention ($75), Fatima Jatoi, a graduating senior majoring in Psychology, for “Coping with Racial Trauma: Exploring Moderators and Health Outcomes,” a South Carolina Honors College senior research thesis. Daniel Cooper, Psychology, is the supporting faculty member.

Honorable Mention ($75), Reilly Kocian, a graduating senior majoring in Public Health with a minor in Neuroscience, for “The Intertwined Effects of Exercise and Sleep on Cognition in an Older Adult Population,” a South Carolina Honors College senior research thesis. Jean Neils-Strunjas, Public Health, is the supporting faculty member.

Honorable Mention ($75), Gracie Vess, a graduating senior majoring in History, for “A Covenant People: Providentialism in Seventeenth-Century New England and its Impact on the Development of the Salem Village Witch Trials,” a South Carolina Honors College senior research thesis. Andrew Berns, History, is the supporting faculty member.

 

Black Track (freshman and sophomores)

First Place ($150), Amelia Gay, a rising junior majoring in History and Journalism, for “Catherine Leroy and the Gendered Use of the Leica M2 Camera During the Vietnam War,” a History 300 course research paper. Allison Marsh, History, is the supporting faculty member.

Co-Second Place ($75), Anna Kate Dyson, a rising sophomore majoring in Business Management, for “Disney Was Truly ‘Almost There’: The Controversy of Racial Representation in The Princess and the Frog,” a English 102 research paper. Erica Fischer, English, is the supporting faculty member.

Co-Second Place ($75), Josh Prioleau, a rising sophomore majoring in Physics, for “Healing the Cost Crisis: Advancing Universal Healthcare,” an English 102 research paper. Leanna Herbert, English, is the supporting faculty.

Honorable Mention ($50), Megan Furey, a rising sophomore majoring in Marketing on the Pre-Business track, for “Transformation of Spaces for Equality,” a English 102 research paper. Erica Fischer, English, is the supporting faculty member.

Honorable Mention ($50), Adrianna Staniszewski, a rising sophomore majoring in Nursing, for “Comparing and Contrasting Nursing in World War I and World War II” a South Carolina Honors College class research paper. Rebecca Stern, English, is the supporting faculty member.

The University Libraries Undergraduate Research Awards reward excellence in undergraduate use of library resources and services and demonstrate the contribution of the Libraries to student learning. They highlight the value of information literacy by requiring students to describe their research process as part of the application procedure and encourage faculty to create assignments that engage students in the use of library resources. Since the start of the awards 17 years ago, 74 students have been recognized with more than $22,000 in monetary prizes.

The winners contribute their projects to Scholar Commons, the institutional repository to preserve, collect and disseminate the research and scholarship of the University of South Carolina.