Office of Research and Sponsored Programs Scholarships
Supporting student researchers
The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs offers three research-based scholarships. All three scholarships have the same deadline and application process.
1. Kell Container Corporation Scholarship
The Kell Container Corporation Scholarship for Student-Faculty Collaborative Research was created and is endowed through the generosity of Kell Container Corporation of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, to offer a premier award for an undergraduate student who is involved in student-faculty research at UW-Eau Claire.
The student awardee receives a $2,800 scholarship, a Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates student stipend and project expense funds. The faculty mentor also receives a summer stipend during the project period (if not already awarded one).
The recipient will be an undergraduate student with junior or senior standing at UW-Eau Claire during the award period. The recipient will have conducted outstanding collaborative research or demonstrated the potential for outstanding undergraduate research. Students from all disciplines may apply.
Kell Container Scholarship Winners
Leandra O'Connell
2023 Winner
Janeè Schrader was the recipient of the 2023 Kell Corporation Scholarship for her work entitled “A Combinatorial Approach to Constructing 3-Manifolds” alongside Dr. Carolyn Otto. Her research aimed to classify families of manifolds based on their unique characteristics. The research explored different combinatorial methodologies in order to create distinct properties and dimensions.
2022 Winner
Leandra O’Connell was awarded the 2022 Kell Container Scholarship for her work entitled “Patterns of Hybridization in the Asteraceae Family Detected Through Systematic Review of the Primary Literature”. Alongside Dr. Nora Mitchell, she conducted research regarding the hybridization of the largest flowering species, Asteraceae. Mapping was utilized in order to understand the extent of hybridization’s role in creating species diversity and origins of new species.
2. James R. Larson + Vicki Lord Larson Undergraduate Research Fellowship
The James R. Larson and Vicki Lord Larson Undergraduate Research Fellowships were created and endowed through the generosity of Vicki Lord Larson, UW-Eau Claire Chancellor Emerita. A scholar herself, Dr. Larson's goal is to support student researchers and their faculty mentors through these awards.
The student awardee receives a $2,500 scholarship, a Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates student stipend and project expense funds. The faculty mentor also receives a summer stipend during the project period (if not already awarded one).
The recipient will be an undergraduate student with junior or senior standing at UW-Eau Claire during the award period. The recipient will have conducted outstanding collaborative research or demonstrated the potential for outstanding undergraduate research. Students from all disciplines may apply. A secondary goal of the donor is to expand the disciplinary background of those receiving research awards. Therefore, the five awards will be made to one science/math student and one non-science student in the College of Arts and Sciences, and one student in each of the other three colleges.
James R. Larson and Vicki Lord Larson Fellowship Winners
2023 James R. Larson and Vicki Lord Larson Fellowship Winners
This year, the James R. Larson and Vicki Lord Larson Undergraduate Research Fellowship awarded five recipients. Awards were given in each of the following areas: College of Nursing, College of Business, College of Arts & Sciences: non-STEM, College of Arts & Sciences: STEM, and College of Education and Human Sciences.
College of Nursing Recipient
Christina Forman was the recipient of the 2023-24 James R. Larson and Vicki Lord Larson College of Nursing fellowship for her work entitled “Preventing NicoTEEN Addiction in Adolescents: Educating Adults Serving Youth” alongside Dr. Rachel Pierce. Her research focused on the effectiveness of presentations on Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) in the education of parents and other adults serving youth to promote education and help prevent tobacco and nicotine use among youth.
College of Business Recipient
Tingkai Bian was the recipient of the 2023-24 James R. Larson and Vicki Lord Larson College of Business for his research entitled “Cybersecurity Disclosure and Internal Control Deficiencies” alongside Dr. Jidong Zhang. The research examined how internal control deficiencies are related to cybersecurity disclosures and suggested ways for public companies to enhance internal control systems and avoid cybersecurity issues.
College of Arts and Sciences: Non-STEM Recipient
Nevaeh Brewer was the recipient of the 2023-24 James R. Larson and Vicki Lord Larson College of Arts and Sciences: Non-STEM fellowship for their research “Challenges Facing Non-Profit Organizations in Eau Claire, Wisconsin” with their mentor Dr. Pam Forman. Their research focused on assisting with policymaking for the city of Eau Claire by examining Non-Profit Organizations serving marginalized groups. The data highlights the impact of Covid-19 and provides complex equity narratives to help the city improve the lives of citizens.
College of Arts and Sciences: STEM Recipient
Evan Coursin was the recipient of the 2023-24 James R. Larson and Vicki Lord Larson College of Arts and Sciences: STEM fellowship for his research “Analysis of Filament Homogeneity in Bi-2212 Wires” alongside Dr. Matt Jewell. His research aimed to provide wire manufacturers with design guidance which will improve the ability of wires 1-5 km in length to carry a sustained superconducting electric current and decrease production cost of the wires.
College of Education and Human Sciences Recipient
John Zook was the recipient of the 2023-24 James R. Larson and Vicki Lord Larson for his research entitled “SLP Perceptions of Their Role in Identity Development” alongside mentor Dr. Rebecca Jarzynski. His research focused on the role school-based Speech Language Pathologists play in identity development.
2022 James R. Larson and Vicki Lord Larson Fellowship Winners
In 2022, the James R. Larson and Vicki Lord Larson Undergraduate Research Fellowship awarded five recipients. Awards were given in each of the following areas: College of Nursing, College of Business, College of Arts & Sciences: non-STEM and two students received the College of Arts & Sciences: STEM.
Miah Joyce
Xuewei Zhang
McKenzie Lehto
Connor Kamrowski
Grace Thompson
College of Nursing recipient
Miah Joyce was awarded the 2022 James R. Larson and Vicki Lord Larson fellowship for work With Dr. Dalete Mota on the project “Effectiveness of Tailored Breast cancer Awareness Programs”. This project focused on the design and implementation of breast cancer awareness programs and aimed to generate community awareness by educating the student population at UWEC.
College of Business recipient
Xuewei Zhang was the recipient of the 2022 James R. Larson and Vicki Lord Larson fellowship for his research entitled “Cryptocurrency Taxation Issues” alongside Dr. Jidong Zhang. Their research examined the taxation process of cryptocurrency in accordance with current accounting standards and examined loopholes created by cryptocurrency holders. Their research will ultimately provide advice to lawmakers in creating regulations and provide a guide to companies and taxpayers in how to classify their cryptocurrency holdings.
College of Arts & Sciences: non STEM recipient
McKenzie Lehto was awarded the 2022 James R. Larson and Vicki Lord Larson fellowship for her research on “Law Enforcement and Mental Health” with her mentor Dr. Jason Spraitz. The research focused on the impact mental health and demands of the profession has on local law enforcement officers in both their personal and professional life. Her research was conducted with local law enforcement agents but findings will ultimately be presented to other agencies.
College of Arts & Sciences: STEM recipient
Connor Kamrowski was awarded the 22022 James R. Larson and Vicki Lord Larson fellowship for research conducted with Dr. Rahul Gomez entitled “Artificial Intelligence Inferior Vena Cava (AI IVC)”. This included working on developing an artificial intelligence tool to predict and detect Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) filters in patient’s CT scans and alert radiologists of findings. Their main objective was to apply the automation into the Mayo Clinic Health System.
College of Arts & Sciences: STEM recipient
Grace Thompson was the second recipient of the 2022 James R. Larson and Vicki Lord Larson fellowship for her work entitled “Smartphones, Attention, and Brain Electrical Responses” with Dr. David Leland. She conducted research regarding the negative affect smartphones have on attention-related brain activity using EEGs during tasks with and without a phone present.
3. Outstanding Undergraduate Research Project Award
This scholarship was created and is endowed through the generosity of Marilyn Ohm-Smith.
The student awardee receives a $2,500 scholarship, a Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates student stipend and project expense funds. The faculty mentor also receives a summer stipend during the project period (if not already awarded one).
The recipient will be an undergraduate student with junior or senior standing at UW-Eau Claire during the award period. The recipient will have conducted outstanding collaborative research or demonstrated the potential for outstanding undergraduate research. Only open to students majoring in chemistry, biology, or nursing.
Outstanding Undergraduate Research Project Award Winners
Jenna Trzebiatowski
Grace Beebe
2023 Winner
Jenna Trzebiatowski received the 2023 Outstanding Undergraduate Research Project Award for her research entitled “Molecular Spectroscopy and Organic Synthesis Collaboration” with faculty mentors Dr. Stephen Drucker and Dr. Jennifer Dahl. Jenna explored the the synthesis of an organometallic-mediated α-pyrone, with the intention of allowing the Drucker research team to examine the distinct responses of α-pyrone and y-pyrone molecules to photoexcitation.
2022 Winner
Grace Beebe was awarded the 2022 Outstanding Undergraduate Research Project award for her collaboration with Dr. Der-Fa Lu on research entitled “The Effect of Daily Mindfulness with College Students Vaping Behaviors”. She explored the behaviors and motivations of UWEC students who vape. Her research is focused on uncovering the root causes of vaping and aims to provide relaxation techniques to help students quit vaping and promote their overall well-being in college.
Application Deadline for all ORSP Scholarships: February 10, 2024.
Application Process for all ORSP Student Scholarships
The scholarship application is integrated into the Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates eform (since each scholarship comes with an SREU). In addition to the materials needed for the Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates application, scholarship applicants will also need to submit:
- Student statement of the impact or expected impact of their undergraduate research experiences (max. 3 double-spaced pages)
- Student resume, including expected date of graduation
- Faculty mentor letter of recommendation
Faculty mentors are strongly encouraged to mentor students in preparing these materials. For students, the Center for Writing Excellence can help at any stage of the writing process, from brainstorming and outlining to organizing arguments and polishing claims.