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
Maddie Palubicki
2021 Winner
Madeline Palubicki is the 2021 Kell Container Scholarship recipient. She is working with mentors Dr. Sarah Vitale and Dr. Brian Mahoney. Madeline is conducting research to better understand the mobility of phosphorous in groundwater. She is looking to discover potential regional sources of surface water and groundwater phosphorous in western Wisconsin.
Roy Cornett
2020 Winner
Roy Cornett is the 2020 Kell Container Scholarship recipient. He is working with mentor Dr. James Boulter, a professor of chemistry. Roy is working on developing laser-induced triboluminescence technologies in hopes to monitor respirable silica. This technology has the potential to protect the lives of several workers who could be exposed to silica.
Emily Finger with Chancellor Schmidt.
2019 Winner
Emily Finger, working with mentors Sarah Vitale and Brian Mahoney.
Emily is working on a regional analysis of groundwater quality in Western Wisconsin to discover sources of Phosphorous in the water and how it moves through aquifers.
Allison Welter with mentor Derek Gingerich.
2018 Winner
The 2018 Kell Scholar is Allison Welter who is working with Dr. Derek Gingerich. Allie studies the genetics of plant sensitivity to light in hopes of eventual development of plants with more shade tolerance in the face of a growing and hungry world population.
Eryn Mares with mentor Dan Herman.
The Kell Corporation Honorable Mention was awarded to Eryn Mares who is working with Dr. Dan Herman. Erin is working on analysis of two Staphylococcus bacteria that are not usually found in humans, in the nasal mucus of inhabitants and medical staff of Loja, Ecuador.
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
2021 James R. Larson and Vicki Lord Larson Fellowship Winners
This year, the James R. Larson and Vicki Lord Larson Undergraduate Research Fellowship awarded three recipients. Awards were given in each of the following areas: College of Arts & Sciences: non-STEM, College of Arts & Sciences: STEM, and College of Business.
Sara Hansen
Caterra Leavens
Madelyn Loeffler
College of Business winner is Sara Hansen. Their project with Jidong Zhang, Accounting & Finance, investigates cybersecurity reports issued by the NASDAQ for several public companies. They explore the relationship between public cybersecurity breach data, SEC annual reports issued by public companies, and their corresponding financial performance.
College of Arts & Sciences: STEM winner is Caterra Leavens. Their project with Jamie Lyman Gingerich, Biology, is "Assessing Effects of DNA Variants on Splicing in Genes Related to Leber’s Congenital
Amaurosis."
College of Arts & Sciences: non-STEM winner is Madelyn Loeffler. Their project with Ellen Mahaffy (Communication & Journalism) and Pamela Forman (Sociology) is "Assessing Community Needs Through the Perspectives of Non-Profit Leaders in Eau Claire, Wisconsin."
2020 James R. Larson and Vicki Lord Larson Fellowship Winners
This year, the James R. Larson and Vicki Lord Larson Undergraduate Research Fellowship award has been expanded. Instead of just one award there are now five awards for each of the following areas: College of
Arts & Sciences: STEM, College of Arts & Sciences: non-STEM, College of Business, College of Education and Human Sciences, and College of Nursing. Below are the following winners.
Allison Schwarz
College of Arts & Sciences: non-STEM winner is Allison Schwartz. Their project with Dr. Peter Hart-Brinson, Sociology, is “Generational Change and the Rise of Religious “Nones”.”
Abby Weiser
College of Education and Human Sciences winner is Abby Wieser. Their project with Dr. Katie Mueller, Communication Sciences and Disorders, is “Characteristics of Social Communication in Young Adult Offenders."
Lindsey Boehm
College of Nursing winner is Lindsey Jo Boehm. Their project with Dr. Lorraine Smith, Nursing, is “Implementing an Educational Initiative on Electronic Cigarettes and Vaping”.
College of Business winner is Guannan Tao. Their project with Dr. Jidong Zhang, Accounting and Finance, is
“Do Foreign firms do worse in the US? From Audit Delay evidence.” Picture N/A.
2019 James R. Larson and Vicki Lord Larson Fellowship Winners
The winner this year is Ruby Gravrok working with mentor Crystal Del Valle in Biology. Ruby studies a protein system in fruit flies, as a model for proteins involved in triggering the human immune system.
Ruby Gravrok
Ruby Gravrok
2018 Winner
The James R. Larson and Vicki Lord Larson Fellowship goes to Jordan Egner-Schnitzler, who is doing research with Dr. Matt Jewell. Jordan explores, at the microscopic level, how bismuth-based wires used in superconductors respond to stress with the goal of designing wires less prone to damage during use.
Jordan Egner- Schnitzler (middle) with mentor Matt Jewell and Provost Kleine.
The James R. Larson and Vicki Lord Larson Fellowship Honorable Mention goes to Samantha Meyer, who is doing research with Dr. Bart Dahl. Samantha works on the design and synthesis of molecules that can be used as switches that are controlled by the level of acidity or pH.
Samantha Meyer (middle) with mentor Bart Dahl and Provost Kleine.
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
2021 Outstanding Undergraduate Research Project Award Winner
Ashley Lutzke - Biology Major
Application Deadline for all ORSP Scholarships: February 13, 2023.
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.