Undergraduate Craft of Research Prize Papers

The Phillips Memorial Library Undergraduate Craft of Research Prize is a partnership between the library and the Center for Engaged Learning to recognize excellence in research and use of library resources by the undergraduate community at Providence College.

Winners are selected by a committee of librarians and faculty, and prizes and are awarded for three winners as well as two honorable mentions.

For more information on the prize and guidelines for participation see: http://providence.libguides.com/research_prize

The complete list of prizewinners is below. To read the full-text of a selection of prizewinning papers scroll to the bottom of the page.

2025

• Honorable Mention - Wesley Stephens - “Gotcha!” How the British Government Re-Invented Propaganda in 1982": "Gotcha!” How the British Government Re-Invented Propaganda in 1982

2024

• 1st Place - Colin Prancl - “The Transportation Revolution: The Ashton Viaduct” and “The Transportation Revolution: Beta Cloth”: The Transportation Revolution: The Ashton Viaduct and The Transportation Revolution: Beta Cloth
• 2nd Place - David Salzillo - "The Learned Gentlemen with the Copies of Blackstone”: Law and Power in Moby-Dick and Blood Meridian"
• 3rd Place - Hope Rhind - "Analyzing and Understanding America’s Foreign Policy Decisions and Strategies Throughout the Bosnian War": Analyzing and Understanding America’s Foreign Policy Decisions and Strategies Throughout the Bosnian War

2023

• 1st Place - Catalina Betancur Velez - “Networks of Care: An Autoethnography on these Innovative Products of the Migrant Journey as Outlets for One's Development of Citizenship"
• 2nd Place - David A. Salzillo - "On the Development of Catholic Moral Teaching (Chapter 1: Halakhic Precedent)"
• 3rd Place - Jackson DeMartino - "Purification and kinetic characterization of mutant R111V human cytosolic malate dehydrogenase": Purification and kinetic characterization of mutant R111V human cytosolic malate dehydrogenase
• 3rd Place - Kailey Paar - "Kinetic analysis of Glu115Ala cytosolic human malate dehydrogenase mutation shows a change in activity on non-native substrate phenylpyruvate": Kinetic analysis of Glu115Ala cytosolic human malate dehydrogenase mutation shows a change in activity on non-native substrate phenylpyruvate

2022

• 1st Place - Catalina Betancur Velez - "Indigenous Movements in Colombia: Redefining Their Notion of Citizenship Through Social Demonstrations, Representative Groups, and Constitutional and Legal Reforms": Indigenous Movements in Colombia: Redefining Their Notion of Citizenship Through Social Demonstrations, Representative Groups, and Constitutional and Legal Reforms
• 1st Place - Olivia Schmitt - "Proline to serine mutation in the active site loop of malate dehydrogenase alters substrate specificity": Proline to serine mutation in the active site loop of malate dehydrogenase alters substrate specificity
• 2nd Place - Alexander Cannon - "A Damaged Reputation: Nuclear Depictions in Entertainment Media": A Damaged Reputation: Nuclear Depictions in Entertainment Media
• 3rd Place - Colin Fonseca - "American Gun Violence: A Cause to Combat the Epidemic": American Gun Violence: A Cause to Combat the Epidemic
• Honorable Mention - Ethan Dionne - "Development and kinetic survey of a G148Tmutant human cytosolic malate dehydrogenase isoform 3 enzyme with oxaloacetate and α-ketoglutarate": Development and kinetic survey of a G148Tmutant human cytosolic malate dehydrogenase isoform 3 enzyme with oxaloacetate and α-ketoglutarate

2021

• 1st Place - Sarah Heavren - "Reactions and Responses to the American Chestnut Blight in the Twentieth Century": Reactions and Responses to the American Chestnut Blight in the Twentieth Century

2020

• 1st Place - Sean Gray - "Authors of Independence: Comparing Thomas Paine and Camilo Henríquez as Revolutionary Writers": Authors of Independence: Comparing Thomas Paine and Camilo Henríquez as Revolutionary Writers
• 2nd Place - Sarah Heavren - "Immigration in the 1990s and the Imagery of Bruce Springsteen’s The Ghost of Tom Joad": Immigration in the 1990s and the Imagery of Bruce Springsteen’s The Ghost of Tom Joad
• 3rd Place - Mackenzie Fox - "Medieval Ailments: Healing Others, Misogyny, and Anti-Semitism": Medieval Ailments: Healing Others, Misogyny, and Anti-Semitism
• Honorable Mention - Timothy Rigdon - "Ile126His and Lys129His Surface Mutations Aid in Purification of Haemophilus influenzae Carbonic Anhydrase Through Increased Metal Ion Affinity": Ile126His and Lys129His Surface Mutations Aid in Purification of Haemophilus influenzae Carbonic Anhydrase Through Increased Metal Ion Affinity

2019

• 1st Place - Mary Creedon - "Aspirations to Empire: American Imperialism, Foreign Policy, and the 1954 Guatemalan Coup d’état": Aspirations to Empire: American Imperialism, Foreign Policy, and the 1954 Guatemalan Coup d’état
• 2nd Place - Sean Gray - "The Shortcomings of the Philosopher President: Sun Yat-sen’s Provisional Presidency of 1912": The Shortcomings of the Philosopher President: Sun Yat-sen’s Provisional Presidency of 1912
• 3rd Place - Morgan Dunn - "Bariatric Surgery as a Treatment to Obesity": Bariatric Surgery as a Treatment to Obesity

2018

• 1st Place- Olivia G Braga - “Antipsychotic Drug Use: Managing Cardiometabolic and Cost Effects”: Antipsychotic Drug Use: Managing Cardiometabolic and Cost Effects

2017

• 1st Place- Caroline Foley - “Surface Mutation Thr34His Facilitates Purification of Haemophilus influenza Carbonic Anhydrase via Metal Affinity Chromatography”: Surface Mutation Thr34His Facilitates Purification of Haemophilus influenza Carbonic Anhydrase via Metal Affinity Chromatography
• 2nd Place- Brandon Greene - “How Neoliberalism Weakened Democracy in Chile”: How Neoliberalism Weakened Democracy in Chile

2016

• 1st Place- Rebecca Marisseau - "Custom has rendered it somehow necessary; we must and will have it': English Transferware and National Identity in the Early American Republic": Custom has rendered it somehow necessary; we must and will have it': English Transferware and National Identity in the Early American Republic
• 2nd Place- Hao You - "No Frills = No Thrills? An Econometric Study of Airline Baggage Fee Charges": No Frills = No Thrills? An Econometric Study of Airline Baggage Fee Charges
• Honorable Mention: Emma Hodges -"Not Monsters, But Men: The Problem of Moral Injury": Not Monsters, But Men: The Problem of Moral Injury

2015

• 1st Place—John Hindley - "Neocolonialism, Liberation Theology and the Nicaraguan Revolution": Neocolonialism, Liberation Theology and the Nicaraguan Revolution
• 2nd Place-- Jacquelyn Kelley - "The Little Magazine That Did Big Things": The Little Magazine That Did Big Things
• 3rd Place—Daniel Gagnon - "France and the Community of Six: The Schuman Declaration to the Treaties of Rome": France and the Community of Six: The Schuman Declaration to the Treaties of Rome
• Honorable Mention: Meaghan Dodson - "Radical Rejections and Sloppy Seconds": Radical Rejections and Sloppy Seconds
• Honorable Mention: Hao You - "Men, Women and War: An Examination of Gender Conflicts within Othello": Men, Women and War: An Examination of Gender Conflicts within Othello

2014

• 1st Place- Daniel Gagnon - "Algeria, De Gaulle, and the Birth of the French Fifth Republic": Algeria, De Gaulle, and the Birth of the French Fifth Republic