2026 Undergraduate Library Research Award Winners Announced

Brookens Library is pleased to announce the winners of the 2026 Undergraduate Library Research Awards, sponsored by UIS Library and the Friends of Brookens Library.

This annual award recognizes UIS undergraduate students whose academic work demonstrates outstanding information literacy, thoughtful research practices, and meaningful use of UIS Library collections, resources, and services.

After careful review and deliberation, the 2026 award committee is proud to recognize the following students:

First Place

Frankie Molitor
“Physiological Lactate Stress Reveals a β1.2-Dependent Protective Effect in Kv1.5 Expressing HEK293T Cells”
Prize: $500

Second Place

Jonah Morsch
“What is in a Name? A Methodological Study of Forename Perceptions”
Prize: $400

Third Place

Erin Coughlin
“Legislation is Protection: Addressing LGBTQIA+ Students’ Unique Mental Health Needs in Public Universities”
Prize: $300

Outstanding Paper Winner

Jordyn Pate
“Metafiction and Migration: Speculative Realism and Border-Crossing in Salvador Plascencia’s The People of Paper”
Prize: $150

Outstanding Poster Winner

Susan Geiser
“Cognition Speed and Video Games”
Prize: $150

In addition to receiving monetary awards and public recognition, each winner will have their project or paper deposited in IDEALS, the University of Illinois digital repository. Winners from this year and previous years are also listed on the Brookens Library Undergraduate Research Awards page, with links to available work in IDEALS:
click here for Research Awards Page

Brookens Library extends its sincere thanks to all students who submitted their work, as well as to the faculty, staff, and supporters who continue to encourage undergraduate research at UIS. The quality of this year’s submissions reflects the creativity, curiosity, and scholarly dedication of UIS students.

Congratulations to all of the 2026 award winners.

2026 Brookens Library Undergraduate Research Award Committee

Brooke Depenbusch
Assistant Professor, Legal Studies

Mallory Jallas
Head of Information Literacy and Academic Outreach, UIS Library

James Nickras
Collections and Scholarly Communications Librarian, UIS Library

Rick Stokes
Clinical Assistant Professor, Biology

Yuan Wen
Assistant Professor, Management, Marketing, and Operations