Kirmser awards recognize K-State students for excellence in undergraduate research
Tuesday, May 9, 2023
K-State Libraries has recognized several Kansas State University students with Kirmser Undergraduate Research Awards. Students who won the grand prize in the group research category for their project on lesser prairie chicken populations, from left: Mikaela Jackson, Natalie Miller, Kenzie Davis and Madeline Wilson. | Download this photo.
MANHATTAN — Excellence in research has earned several students at Kansas State University recognition through the 10th annual Kirmser Undergraduate Research Awards from K-State Libraries.
The awards recognize the use of library resources to complete research for projects. The awards committee, made up of faculty from varying disciplines, recognized outstanding undergraduate research in topics ranging from prairie chickens to conspiracy theories.
Grand prize awards were given in three categories: individual freshman, individual non-freshman and group. The individual grand prizewinners received $1,500 each, and the group grand prizewinners shared a $6,000 award. Honorable mentions were granted $100 each.
The awards are made possible through a gift from the Philip and Jeune Kirmser estate.
Both grand and honorable mention prizewinners are invited to archive their projects in the university's institutional repository, the K-State Research Exchange, or K-REx, so that they are available online to the public.
The grand prize in the group research category was for the project "Declining Population Trends of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken in the Southern Great Plains," for the biogeography class taught by Laura Moley, research assistant professor.
The following students were recognized as recipients of grand prizes through the Kirmser Undergraduate Research Awards:
• Kenzie Davis, sophomore in environmental science, Manhattan, grand prize in group research project.
• Mikaela Jackson, senior in fisheries, wildlife, conservation and environmental biology, Olathe, grand prize in group research project.
• Madeline Willson, junior in mass communications, Overland Park, grand prize in group research project.
• Sydney Tumberger, senior in biological systems engineering, natural resources and environmental science, Overland Park, grand prize in the individual non-freshman research category for her project, "Feasibility Study of Replacing Soy and Alfalfa Protein with Spirulina Protein to Develop a More Sustainable and Nutrient Rich Horse Feed," completed for the Written Communications for Engineers class taught by Marcella Reekie, senior English instructor emerita.
• Natalie Miller, senior in fisheries, wildlife, conservation and environmental biology, Topeka, grand prize in group research project.
• Catherine Torkelson, freshman in English and Spanish, Wichita, grand prize in the individual freshman research category for her project, "The Sandy Hook Conspiracy Theories: A Case Study," completed for an honors English class taught by Roger Friedmann, English instructor.
The following students received honorable mentions:
Audrey Poulsen, freshman in arts and sciences-open option, Andover, honorable mention in group research project; Loribeth Claro-Martinez, senior in psychology, Garden City, honorable mention in the individual non-freshman research category; Jessie Hovis, senior in anthropology, Leawood, honorable mention in group research project.
From Manhattan: Ashley Tummons, junior in social work, honorable mention in group research project; Meredith Comas, junior in social work, honorable mention in group research project; and Luke Carney, junior in fisheries, wildlife, conservation and environmental biology, honorable mention in group research project.
Quinlan Brown, junior in social work, Olathe, honorable mention in group research project; Mara Aberle, sophomore in English, Sabetha, honorable mention, individual freshman research project; and Reese Heasty, junior in social work, Wellington, honorable mention in group research project.
