Elizabeth McManus is the winner of the 2019 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Undergraduate Upper-level category, which is awarded to the winning project completed in a 200- to 400-level course.
Liz is a senior Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology (BCMB) major with a minor in Computer Science from Brookfield, Connecticut, who submitted her project “Preventative and Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines,” completed in her capstone course BCMB 490, taught by Dr. Joan Wasilewski. For her research, Liz used the library’s curation of disciplinary resources to research and prepare a project culminating in a 35-minute presentation on the topic of vaccines to prevent and therapeutically treat cancer. At first reporting she was “overwhelmed” by the amount of information out there on this topic, Elizabeth realized she needed to adapt her research strategy by using the database MEDLINE/PubMed to seek out review articles; her goal in doing this was to develop “a more substantial understanding of the topic” by filling in “the gaps in [her] knowledge.” In her description of research, Liz eloquently summarizes the research strategies she learned through this project when she says, “By first establishing a wide breadth of knowledge on the topic, I prepared myself for the depth of research that followed.”
The Weinberg Memorial Library inaugurated the prize in 2011 to recognize excellence in research projects that show evidence of significant knowledge of the methods of research and the information gathering process, and use of library resources, tools, and services. In 2017, the prize was named for Professor Emerita Bonnie W. Oldham, who founded the prize at the University in 2011. Winning projects in each of three categories receive a $500 prize.
Honorable Mention awards in the Undergraduate Upper-level category included Anna Maria Giblin, a junior History major with a Philosophy minor and a Legal Studies concentration, as well as group partners Catherine Moloney, Gabriela Lins, and Kailtin Kenyon, senior Occupational Therapy majors.
Kerry Ann Randall and Megan Schane are the winners of the 2019 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Graduate category.
Kerry Ann and Megan are graduate occupational therapy students from Farmington, Connecticut and Cresco, Pennsylvania, respectively, who submitted to the competition their project “Adaptive Equipment Through the Ages: A Historical Review of Occupational Therapy,” completed in the course OT 501: Leadership in Occupational Therapy, taught by Dr. Rita Fleming-Castaldy. For this project, Kerry Ann and Megan made heavy use of library resources which they accessed through the online library research guide for this course. Resources used include the library’s databases including ProQuest Health and Medical Complete, CINAHL, and PubMed; books including those that were held on print reserve and at the Research Services desk, books from the circulating collection, and ebooks; journals both in print and online; and periodical literature only available in microfilm. In their description of research, Kerry Ann and Megan conclude, “We could not have completed our paper without the library, the online and physical data, and the space to use its computers, scanners, printers, and quiet spaces. The library is an irreplaceable resource on campus with wonderful staff which has shaped us into better students and researchers as we prepare for our professional careers.”
Honorable Mention awards in the Graduate category included Jenna Gulics and Lisa Crivelli, both graduate students in the Occupational Therapy program, and Lindsey Hayde, a graduate student in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program.
Isaiah Livelsberger is the winner of the 2019 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Undergraduate Foundational category, which is awarded to the winning project completed in a 100-level course.
Isaiah is a first-year International Studies and Philosophy major from New Oxford, Pennsylvania, who submitted to the competition his paper “Empty Aid,” completed in Prof. Dawn D’Aries Zera’s WRTG 107: Composition course. To complete his research, Isaiah relied on initial instruction in brainstorming topical keywords, database searching, and information evaluation provided by both his professor and a faculty librarian who visited his class, as well as support at the Research Services desk. What sets Isaiah’s research apart, however, is the way his initial position on his topic changed through the research process, developing a more critical stance on the topic of the effects of humanitarian aid on recipient countries as a result of the new information he found. Through researching and writing this paper, Isaiah “learned that research is a dynamic, intense process” and “discovered the seemingly unlimited information [he] can use as a university student through the library to develop educated opinions.”
An Honorable Mention award in the Undergraduate Foundational category was given to Justine Duva, a first-year Biology Major.
Prize winners were honored at a reception on Thursday, May 9, 2019 in the Heritage Room of the Weinberg Memorial Library.
Information about the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize can be found on the website: http://www.scranton.edu/libraryresearchprize
Congratulations to all of our honorees!
Please consider giving to the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize Endowment Fund, ensuring that the prize will be awarded in perpetuity. Make your gift directly to the fund here.