Celebrating Excellence in Undergraduate Research
Published on January 06, 2025
Nicole Bussey, Victoria Chechulina, Olivia Holland, Joel Friesen Waldner, and Karen Wen are the five recipients of the 2024 Western Libraries Undergraduate Research Awards (WLURAs). The WLURAs recognize the outstanding research of undergraduates from across all programs at Western. Award winners are chosen based on their exceptional use of library and archival resources, their insightful reflections on the research process, and their adherence to proper citation practices, with a careful evaluation of these criteria guiding the selection process.
This year's submissions featured a diverse array of research projects spanning Japanese American music, equity-efficiency trade-off studies, World War I, unmanned underwater vehicles, and Shakespeare.
To be considered for a WLURA, applicants were required to submit a research project from one of their courses, accompanied by answers to four reflection questions about their research process. Their submission also included a bibliography in the citation style of their discipline.
"Before the WLURA application, I had never really considered my research process," said Holland, whose research project focused on the life and death of Edward Martin Roberts, a Canadian soldier wounded in the Battle of Vimy Ridge during the first World War. "During research, I was more focused on what information I found rather than how I discovered it."
WLURA winner Wen, whose submission investigates the theme of jealousy in Shakespeare's Othello, said she had a similar learning experience: "I've realized that I can sometimes get too focused on the final product that I overlook the significance of the research journey itself. But the application has helped me see the process as equally important."
Applications are due each year on April 30. Winners receive a certificate and a $1,000 scholarship. Their projects can be accessed through Western's institutional repository Scholarship@Western.
"The WLURA application allowed me to reflect on the iterative, scholarly process I had to follow to arrive at my research question," Chechulina noted, "and how I can apply this important skill in the future."
Meet this year's WLURA winners!
Nicole Bussey
Nicole Bussey holds an Honours BA in both Media & Communications and Popular Music Studies from Western University, where she earned the Gold Medal for the highest GPA in the Media, Information & Technoculture (MIT) program. Her research focuses on women in music.
Completing three Western Undergraduate Summer Research Internships (USRI) projects at the Faculty of Information & Media Studies (FIMS) allowed her to hone her research skills, and her passion for artist development led her to a marketing internship at AWAL, SONY Music Canada.
A storyteller, songwriter and vocalist, Nicole is skilled in guitar, piano, and digital production. In her free time, she enjoys Tori Amos CDs and reading fiction.
"The WLURA application highlighted the importance of an accessible library database for research and motivated me to engage more with these resources for future projects."
Victoria Chechulina
Essay: Do Equity-Efficiency Trade-Off Studies Assess Validity and Reliability? A Systematic Review
Victoria Chechulina, a third-year student in the Medical Sciences and Scholar's Electives programs, specializes in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. She conducts research at Western and Sepsis Canada, focusing on sepsis, health economics, and clinical epidemiology.
Victoria's current work aims to improve research methods for integrating health equity into economic evaluations, crucial for addressing inequities in health outcomes. Outside of academics, she is passionate about mentorship and trying every item on the Spoke Kitchen menu.
"The WLURA application helped me appreciate Western Libraries' resources, which were invaluable for my systematic review, from database access to discussing my search strategy with a librarian. It also encouraged me to reflect on the iterative research process and how to apply this skill in the future."
Joel Friesen Waldner
Joel Friesen Waldner is currently in his third year of studying Electrical and Artificial Intelligence Systems Engineering at Western University.
Over the last two summers, he interned at Western's Smart Cities Laboratory, conducting research on unmanned underwater vehicles for structural inspection and the application of virtual reality in civil engineering. His work has been published in the Journal of Infrastructure Intelligence and Resilience.
"The WLURA helped me think about how, with each new resource accessed, my understanding of the topic of underwater drones expanded and required a shift in how I defined the ultimate questions I was trying to answer."
Olivia Holland
Essay: "At Rest:" The Life and Death of Private Edward Martin Roberts
Olivia Holland just graduated with an Honours Double Major in History and English from King's University College and she is now completing her MA in History at Western. Olivia's research focuses on Canadian women in varsity sports at the turn of the twentieth century, with plans to pursue a doctorate exploring the tourism of Canadian nurses during the World Wars.
When she is not in the library studying, Olivia can be found reading, figure skating, or rewatching The Lord of the Rings.
"Before the WLURA application, I focused on the information found rather than the discovery process. Reflecting on my research approach helped me identify ways to improve, making me a better researcher."
Karen Wen
Essay: Representation of Possessive Fear: Destructive Jealousy in Othello
Karen Wen is a second-year student at Western pursuing an Honors Specialization in English Language and Literature and a Major in the School for Advanced Studies in the Arts & Humanities. She is passionate about the intersection of science and literature and actively involved in medical humanities initiatives outside of school.
"My research processes range from spontaneous brainstorming to structured approaches. The WLURA application has helped me reflect on these methods and recognize the importance of seemingly minor details. It also enhanced my appreciation for the support from librarians, professors, and TAs. I've come to value the research journey itself, making my experience more meaningful."
