Libraries Undergraduate Research Award: Home

The Research Award is an annual award given to Western Washington University undergraduates who demonstrate outstanding library research in the writing of papers for courses taught across the colleges.

It recognizes excellence in undergraduate research papers based on:

• Significant inquiry using library resources and collections.
• Learning about the research discovery and information synthesizing process.

                                                                                                                                                                                                               Established 2014 by Jeanne Armstrong, Margaret Fast

2016 Winners

Karima Boumatar, Alex Johnston-Thomas, Dillon van Rensburg, Emma Hefton (Community Health), "Preventing Anorexia in Adolescents Through Empowerment and Education (PAATEE)." (Faculty Mentor: Senna Rowner)

Marissa Hall. (Sociology), "Feminist Identification with the White Supremacy Movement." (Faculty Mentor: Glenn Tsunokai)

Rachael Redjou (East Asian Studies), "Shunga: Erotic Art in the Tokugawa Era." (Faculty Mentor: Massimiliano Tomasi)

2016 Award Review Committee: Elizabeth Stephan (Libraries), Jeff Purdue (Libraries), Tim Kowalczyk (Chemistry, and Javier Berzal de Dias (Art)

2015 Award Winners

Andrew Hoffman (Chemistry), "Computational Chemistry in Rational Material Design for Organic Photovoltaics."  (Faculty Mentor:  Dr. Tim Kowalczyk) 

Corena Sharp (Fairhaven), "Responding to Sex Workers’ Rights as Workers’ Rights: Reducing Sex Trafficking in the Dominican Republic."  (Faculty Mentor:  Dr. Babafemi Akinrinade)

 Ashley Weyers (Sociology), "Taking Back Birth: Alternative Birth Professionals Empowering Women in Childbirth."  Faculty Mentor:  Dr. Jennifer Lois)

2015 Award Review Committee: Jeanne Armstrong, Chair (Libraries), Margaret Fast (Libraries) Javier Berzal de Dias (Art), Jeff Purdue (Libraries), and Amanda Eurich (History)

2014 Award Winners

Kristine Farwell (Economics), “The Impact of the Recent Global Financial Crisis on Microfinance Sustainability.” (Faculty Mentor, Dr. Moheb Ghali)

Audrey Marsh (Biology), “Evolution of the Y-Chromosome in Primates.”  (Faculty Mentor, Dr. Merrill Peterson)

Celina Muñoz (History), “The Plague, the Poor, and the Problem of Medicine.”  (Faculty Mentor, Dr. Amanda Eurich)

2014 Honorable Mention

Jenna Wilson (American Cultural Studies), “Race Representations in Children’s Picture Books and Its Impact on the Development of Racial Identity and Attitudes.”  (Faculty Mentor, Dr. Jeanne Armstrong)

2014 Award Review Committee: Jeanne Armstrong, Chair (Libraries), Margaret Fast (Libraries), Carol Janson (Art), James Inverarity (Sociology), Tilmann Glimm (Math).