UCSB Library has announced the recipients of the sixth annual Library Award for Undergraduate Research (LAUR). The six awardees demonstrated deep engagement with the Library’s collections, resources, and services while producing a scholarly or creative work. First-place winners will receive an award of $750 and second-place winners $500. The recipients will be recognized at a public awards ceremony and reception on May 30, 4 PM.
To be eligible for the award, students had to submit not only a final research or creative project, but also a bibliography showing the range and depth of their research materials and a reflective essay describing their research process. The submissions were reviewed by a panel of judges made up of UCSB librarians and faculty from across disciplines. The judges looked for how the students described their search strategies, evaluated sources, persevered through research obstacles, and demonstrated growth in their knowledge about Library resources, collections, and services. The Library received an impressive number of submissions this year, especially in the Science & Engineering category. Judges shared that it was especially difficult to choose winners because the quality of student research and use of library materials was so remarkable. This shows that LAUR has become a highly desired recognition for UCSB undergraduate researchers.
The 2024 Library Award for Undergraduate Research was made possible with generous support from Dr. Jenny Cook-Gumperz, faculty emerita.
2024 Library Award for Undergraduate Research Winners
Humanities & Fine Arts
1st Place – Hanna Kawamoto
Senior | Major: History
"Spiritually Unsexed": Believers, Critics, and Early Histories of the Publick Universal Friend, 1776-1835
2nd Place – April Luce
Junior | Major: Physics
Modesty, The Double Edged Sword: Exploring Veils as a Symbol of Female Liberation and Oppression in the Work of Lalla Essaydi
Social Sciences
1st Place – Sanjana Sujeet
Sophomore | Major: Environmental Studies
Green Architecture: Comparing Ancient Civilization’s Techniques to Today’s
2nd Place – Audrey Gaceta
Senior | Major: Psychological and Brain Sciences
Navigating Higher Education: Stress and Control Among First-Generation Undergraduates
Science & Engineering
1st Place – April Zhang
Senior | Major: Environmental Studies
Flammability of Wildland Fuel Types and Its Relevance to Fire Spread and Ignition: A Comparative Flammability Study of Tree Dead Fuels and Surrounding Live Shrub Fuels in Southern California Forests
2nd Place – Shadoe Dewitt
Senior | Major: Psychological and Brain Sciences
Eco-anxiety in College Students: Assessment and Intervention in Populations Vulnerable to Climate Change Related Mental Health Disorders
