The Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Research recognize four distinguished undergraduate researchers and one faculty research mentor each year. Student recipients come from departments within each of the four broad disciplinary divisions: science, engineering, social sciences and humanities and fine arts.
The award is intended to honor exceptional contributions to knowledge creation in the field or discipline in which the research was conducted.
Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research
About the Award
The Chancellor’s Award in Undergraduate Research recognizes four distinguished undergraduate researchers each year. One recipient comes from departments within each of four broad disciplinary divisions: science, social sciences, engineering and humanities and fine arts. The award is intended to honor exceptional undergraduate contributions to knowledge creation in the field or discipline in which the research was conducted. Contributions may come from work produced by students no earlier than the third (junior) year.
Submissions may be conventional academic papers or creative activities such as performances, scripts, or works of art. If the submission takes the form of a 3-D object (such as an art work), the nominee should submit multiple images of the object and be sure to describe (in the researcher statement) what the object is and its significance.
Students may self-nominate for the award, or may be nominated by faculty. Regardless of the source, the nomination must include the following:
1. A final project submission that may be a conventional academic paper or creative activity (see above)
2. Abstract (no more than 150 words)
3. A researcher statement written for a non-specialist audience (no more than 500 words/2 pages)
The researcher statement should:
- Define the discipline where the research/creative activity was created
- Describe the contribution that the research/creative activity makes to those central concerns
- Explain the roles that mentors and/or collaborators have played in the development of the research
4. One letter of support from a faculty mentor. The letters should be no more than 500 words and should speak to the substance of the project and the relevance of the research for the student. All materials must be submitted in electronically using our online form.
Nominations will be vetted by a panel of UCSB faculty reviewers. Reviewers will use the following criteria to select distinguished award winners:
- Significance of the undergraduate research/creative activity to the discipline
- Effectiveness of the research process
- Significance of the research/creative activity for the researcher’s academic, professional, or personal development
Each distinguished research award winner will be recognized at commencement and will receive a commemorative plaque and a $500 prize.
Chancellor's Faculty Award for Undergraduate Research Mentoring
About the Award
The Chancellor’s Award for Undergraduate Research Mentoring recognizes one Senate or non-Senate UCSB faculty member each year for their outstanding work mentoring undergraduate researchers. The recipient is honored at the Academic Senate Award Ceremony and at commencement. The recipient also receives $500 in research or course development funding in recognition of their commitment.
Faculty may self-nominate, or may be nominated by colleagues. Nominations should include:
1. A statement of no more than 500 words (2 pages) from the appropriate department chair or program director. The letter should include a description of the undergraduate research project(s) in which the nominee is involved.
2. Two letters of support from undergraduate researchers with whom the nominee has worked. Each letter should include a description of the undergraduate research project(s) in which the nominee is involved.
Nominations will be vetted by a panel of UCSB faculty reviewers. Reviewers will use the following criteria to select distinguished award winners:
- Significance of the undergraduate research/creative activity to the discipline
- Effectiveness of the research process
- Significance of the research/creative activity for the researcher’s academic, professional, or personal development
Each distinguished research award winner will be recognized at commencement and will receive a commemorative plaque and a $500 prize.
Inquiries should be directed to Dr. Anita Stahl, Director of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities.
Nominations close April 12, 2024.
Past Recipients
2023
Jarett Henderson, Lecturer, Department of History
Matthew Ho, Engineering
Elayna Maquinales, Department of History, Letters & Science
Elizabeth Munday, Department of Sociology, Letters & Science
Lindsey Washiashi, Biology, College of Creative Studies
2022
Hannah Wohl, Professor, Department of Sociology, Letters & Science
Via Bleidner, Humanities & Fine Arts
Junyi Chang, Mathematical, Life, and Physical Sciences
Aesha Parekh, College of Engineering
Carly Young-Social Sciences
2021
David Weld, Professor, Department of Physics
Noelle Bar, Department of History of Art and Architecture, Letters & Science
Alec Cao, College of Creative Studies
Irene Chen, Department of Communication, Letters & Science
Jack Kilgore, College of Engineering
2020
Candace Waid, Professor, Department of English
Ethan Epperly, Computing and Mathematics Major, Creative Studies
Stephanie Katz, Sociology, Letters & Science
Farbod Mohgadam, Chemistry Major, Letters & Science
2019
Zizhuang Wang, Computing Major, Creative Studies
Kevin Ruan, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Major
Maya Chatterjee, Sociology Major
Maya Garabedian, Interdisciplinary Studies Major
2018
Jeffrey Stewart, Professor, Department of Black Studies
Joseph Heide, Sociology Major, Letters & Science
Colin Kim, Chemistry & Biochemistry Major, Creative Studies
Victoria Melgarejo, Linguistics Major, Letters & Science
2017
Stuart Feinstein, Professor, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
Amanda Chen, Medieval Studies Major, Letters and Science
Daniel Spokoyny, Computing Major, Creative Studies
2016
Catherine Enders, Psychology Major, Letters and Science
Charles Key, History Major, Letters and Science
Kuang Wei, Physics Major, Creative Studies
2015
Karen Szumlinski, Professor, Department of Psychology
Daniel Chu, Biology Major, Creative Studies
Nathan Alamillo, Sociology Major, Letters and Science
2014
Meredith Inman, History Major, College of Letters and Science
Elizabeth Levy, Chemistry and Biochemistry Major, College of Letters and Science
2013
Alon Chapovetsky, Chemistry Major, College of Letters and Science
2012
Jeffrey Stopple, Professor, Department of Mathematics
Christopher Badger, Computer Science major, College of Engineering
Jessica Moore, Feminist Studies major, College of Letters and Science
2011
Jennifer Earl, Professor, Department of Sociology
Mattias Fibiger, History, College of Letters and Science
Caitlin Fong, Biology Major, College of Creative Studies
Corie Radka, Environmental Studies and Zoology Major, College of Letters and Science
2010
Victor Rios, Professor, Department of Sociology
Mark Myslin, Linguistics Major, College of Letters and Science
Mackenzie Weinger, History Major, College of Letters and Science
Duc Trong Duong, Chemistry Major, College of Letters and Science
2009
Dave Valentine, Professor, Department of Earth Science
Mackenzie Chapman, Linguistics Major, College of Letters and Science
Risa Katzen, History Major, College of Letters and Science
Tobias Mansuripur, Physics Major, College of Creative Studies
2008
Richard Hecht, Professor, Department of Religious Studies
Luciana Gonzalez, Chicana/Chicano Studies and Sociology Major, College of Letters and Science
Amanda Gustafson, Religious Studies Major, College of Letters and Science
Kyle Jacoby, Biology Major, College of Creative Studies
2007
Eduardo Orias, Professor, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
Kathryn Blaschke, Chemistry and Biochemistry Major, College of Creative Studies
Phillip Dawkins, Political Science Major, College of Letters and Science
2006
Armand Kuris, Professor, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology
Kyle Anixter, English Major, College of Letters and Science
Jeffrey Danciger, Mathematics and Physics Major, College of Creative Studies
Amanda Mummert, Anthropology Major, College of Letters and Science
2005
Mary Bucholtz, Professor, Department of Linguistics
Christina Belanger, Biology Major, College of Creative Studies
Emilee Woods, Linguistics Major, College of Letters and Science
2004
Glenn Beltz, Professor, Department of Mechanical and Environmental Engineering
Kimberly Spears, Mathematics Major, College of Letters and Science
2003
Samir Mitragotri, Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering
Shine Ling, Biology Major, College of Creative Studies
2002
Barbara B. Prezelin, Professor, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology
Sarah MacKay, English and Dramatic Arts Major, College of Letters and Science
2001
James Blascovich, Professor, Department of Psychology
Ian K. Ross, Professor, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, College of Letters and Science
Alison Edwards, Biopsychology Major, College of Letters and Science
Amy Stacy, Chemical Engineering Major, College of Engineering
2000
Nicole Dubiel, Cell and Developmental Biology Major, College of Letters and Science
Eugene Kwok, Economics Major, College of Letters and Science
1999
Kathy Foltz, Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
Neil Arthur Morgan, Geological Science Major, College of Letters and Science
1998
David Awshalom, Professor, Department of Physics
John Foran, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology
Diana Albay, Cell and Developmental Biology Major, College of Letters and Science
1997
Benjamin Reese, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology
Laura Ho, Sociology Major, College of Letters and Science
1996
Daphne Bugental, Professor, Department of Psychology
Katherine Anderson, Anthropology Major, College of Letters and Science
1995
Denise Bielby, Professor, Department of Sociology
Arthur Sylvester, Professor, Department of Geological Sciences
Aaron Cohen, Physics and Mathematics Major, College of Creative Studies
1994
Norbert Reich, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry
Magdalena Bezanilla, Physics Major, College of Creative Studies