Kansas State University

K-State Libraries announces Kirmser Undergraduate Research Award call for submissions

Submitted by Sarah McGreer Hoyt

Faculty members are encouraged to nominate outstanding undergraduate research for the second Kirmser Undergraduate Research Award, which is given at the end of each spring semester. 

Once the award committee receives faculty nominations, they will contact the nominees and encourage them to submit their projects. However, students also are welcome to apply through the initial faculty nomination.

Funded by a gift to K-State Libraries from Philip and Jeune Kirmser, the award program includes three major categories: 

• Individual freshman projects — $1,000 grand prize.
• Individual undergraduate projects, non-freshman — $1,000 grand prize.
• Undergraduate group project — minimum $2,000 grand prize.

Additional honorable mention awards will be acknowledged in each category.

While the deadline is April 25, the committee encourages applications now for projects completed last semester.

Philip Kirmser, 1919-2012, was a longtime professor and head of the applied mechanics department at Kansas State University. He also taught in several other engineering departments. Jeune Kirmser, 1921-2012, was an educator, social worker and activist.

"We are excited about the second year of this awards program, which is generously funded by the Kirmser family," said Lori Goetsch, dean of K-State Libraries. "Undergraduate research is one of the cornerstones of K-State 2025, and we are happy to play a part in achieving that goal."

The award committee will use the following criteria to select the award winners. A complete scoring rubric is available online.

• Recipients must be undergraduate students who completed research projects in any area of study from July 1, 2014, through April 25, 2015.
• Projects must have been completed as a requirement for a K-State course.
• At least 50 percent of the research work must have been completed while the applicant was enrolled at K-State as an undergraduate.
• The project does not necessarily have to be a paper; it could be a poster, video, sound recording, artwork, website or something else entirely.
• Use of K-State Libraries' resources to complete the project is highly encouraged.
• Projects will be scored based on creativity, organization, appropriateness of scope, quality of presentation and appropriateness of attributions.
• Applicants must complete an essay about their research process and any use of library resources.

Faculty or students who have questions or would like to have a member of the search committee visit a class to discuss the award are welcome to contact Jason Coleman, undergraduate librarian and Kirmser Undergraduate Research Award Committee chair, directly at coleman@k-state.edu or 785-532-7427.

For more information, complete guidelines and a look at last year's winners, visit the Kirmser Undergraduate Research Award website.