2025 UCLA Library Prize for Undergraduate Research winners

Celebrating UCLA’s Undergraduate Research Week (May 19-23), the UCLA Library Prize for Undergraduate Research recognizes and honors excellence in undergraduate research at UCLA.

This year, eighteen accomplished students will be receiving cash prizes ranging from $400 to $700 for their exceptional research papers or projects and use of Library resources. Their research will be available on the University of California’s open access publishing platform, eScholarship(opens in a new tab).

Throughout the week, the winners of these fourteen prizes across nine categories will be recognized on the Library’s social media accounts, and will be celebrated at an award ceremony alongside their advisors and other special guests.

Researcher: David Gamboa ‘25
Major: English, Study of Religion
Project: Binding The Mariner’s Craft: On The Alienated Speech Of Revolution In Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner”
Advisor: Anahid Nersessian

"Between meetings with [Charles E. Young Research Library] (YRL) librarian Michelle Brasseur and English Reading Room librarian Lynda Tolly, the seminar facilitated student familiarity with the vast multitude of research tools that UCLA makes available to us. And indeed—I quickly came to appreciate everything from the databases (JSTOR, Gale’s Primary Sources, Routledge Historical Resources on Romanticism, etc) to Zotero and our VPN tool (which was especially useful to me as an off-campus student."

Researchers: Jenna Jabourian ‘26, Vyas Koduvayur ‘27, Abeni Liu ‘26, Melody Mao ‘26, Rongying Zhang ‘27
Majors: Jenna: Computational and Systems Biology; Vyas: Computational and Systems Biology; Abeni: Computational and Systems Biology; Melody: Computational and Systems Biology (major), Statistics and Data Science (minor); Rongying: Computational and Systems Biology
Project: Evaluating And Optimizing Machine Learning Models To Predict Drug Side Effects
Advisor: Dr. Brian Nadel

"Library resources were at the heart of our journey, from helping us manage references to providing an actual physical space to code. This was our first real research paper, but it won’t be our last. Thanks to UCLA Library, the skills we gained—critical evaluation, resource management, and scientific writing—helped us take our first steps into the world of real scientific research."

Researcher: Maya Mendoza ‘25
Major: History
Minor: Labor Studies
Project: Chavez Ravine: Urban Renewal, Communism, and the Dodgers
Advisor: Dr. Minayo Nasiali

"My paper topic was on Chavez Ravine, so I consulted and used the Edward Ross Roybal Papers [from UCLA Library Special Collections]. I used the Online Archive of California and the [Library Special Collections] website to locate the papers and the specific boxes I would later pull for my research paper. I compiled many primary sources consisting of oral history, photographs, written letters and postage, city council minutes and proposals relating to my project."

Researcher: Guillermo Miranda ‘25
Major: History
Project: Remembering The United States-Mexico Beef: How Aftosa And Fiao Become Tools Of Resisting The Industrialization Of Artisanal Mexican Cheese
Advisor: Dr. Robin Derby

"Not only did UCLA Library give me a safe and quiet space to conduct my research [...] , but it stimulated my academic growth and pushed me to complete my project because I was surrounded by students and staff who inspired me to keep going. I tried to take advantage of the resources the library offered. In particular, I attended workshops in [Library Special Collections, where Jimmy Zavala and Kelly Besser gave extremely useful knowledge in navigating the special collections materials and insightful information on the importance of community archives."

Researcher: Sihui Lin ‘26
Major: Architectural Studies and Statistics and Data Science (double major)
Project: From First to Fine: Facsimile, Fine Printing, and Cultural Patronage in William Andrews Clark Jr.’s Christmas Gift Books
Advisor: Prof. Matthew Fisher

"Among all aspects of my research, the time I spent at the [William Andrews Clark Memorial Library] and [UCLA Library Special Collections] stands out as particularly meaningful. The staff’s genuine kindness and professional support made these specialized collections—which might have overwhelmed an undergraduate researcher—feel accessible and inviting."

Researcher: Manasi Vartak ‘28
Major: Mathematics and Economics
Project: Implementing Green Infrastructure Near Industrial Zones in Los Angeles County: A Versatile Initiative to Combat Food Insecurity
Advisor: Dr. Shanna Shaked, Narayan Gopinathan

"Through my [Peer Research and Writing Specialist] consultations, Katelyn [Loh] helped me embrace my scholarly voice, assuring me that using the first-person perspective can enhance clarity and strengthen my academic writing. She also helped me figure out how to properly integrate my previous [...] work here by citing the paper as an unpublished manuscript under APA’s standards. Beyond guidance, UCLA Library became my academic home. I did all of my work on this project at my favorite study spot–the divided study pods at the book stacks on Powell Library’s first floor."

Researcher: Ingrid Peng ‘28
Major: Environmental Science
Project: The Relationship between Soil Structure and Insect Biodiversity
Advisor: Jacob Jones, Dr. Lilia Illes

"I found UCLA Library’s databases particularly helpful, especially peer-reviewed journal articles. I used the online catalog to locate books on soil ecology and urban biodiversity, which helped me understand the broader context of my topic. I also accessed the interlibrary loan service to request [materials] that were not available in our school."