2020 Research & Engagement Award Winners

Thank you for celebrating the scholarship and work of our faculty, community partners, and students over the course of the 2019-2020 academic year!

You can find a full list of the 2020 Award Winners below.



Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award Winners

Courtney Carmack
Biology Research Fellowship
Dr. Joseph Milanovich
Courtney in each lab project has focused on examining the water quality, water chemistry and biodiversity on golf course ecosystems, and examining the influence of nutrient and pesticide additions on aquatic ecosystems in a mesocosm setting.

Peter Fiorica
Carbon Research Fellowship, Mulcahy Scholars Program and BIOL 296
Dr. Heather Wheeler
Peter’s project is titled “Opti- mizing Imputation Performance for the Genetics of Neuropsychiatric Traits in African American Cohorts.”

Genevieve Johnson
Mulcahy Scholars Program
Dr. Catherine Putonti
In collaboration with a bioinformatics programmer, Genevieve conducted in depth analysis of two Pseudomonas genomes of isolates from the female urogenital tract.

Spencer Johnston
Computer Science Independent Research Study
Dr. Eric Chan-Tin
Spencer’s research was to investigate the relationship between password security beliefs and behaviors with personality and demographic variables.

Madeline Jurcev
Psychology 370: Honors Research and Mulcahy Scholars Program
Dr. Elizabeth Wakefield
Madeline worked in Psychology lab conducting research on eye-tracking methodologies to investigate how adults and children learn novel words through actions and gestures.

Jackson West
CS 310: Introduction to Operating Systems
Dr. Neil Klingensmith
Jack’s work focuses on connectivity for the Internet of Things (IoT), particularly for large city-scale networks of sensors like red light cameras, CCTV systems, air quality sensors, and other environmental and transportation measurement networks that are spread out over large areas.


Mary Therese Langerbeck Award for Undergraduate Research Mentoring

Dr. Elizabeth Wakefield
Assistant Professor, Psychology Department

Dr. Michael Dentato
Associate Professor, School of Social Work


Community Engagement Award for Social Justice

Chelsea Moore
Psychology 390: Internship in Psychology, Dr. Maryse Richards
Resilience Rape Crisis Center

Marissa Gibson
Psychology 390: Internship in Psychology, Dr. Maryse Richards
Kristine Schanbacher for Congress


Community Engagement Award for Impact

Stephanie Rodriguez
Computer Science 391: Internship, Dr. Robert Yacobellis
Kemper Corporation

Danielle Soukup
EXPL390: Organizational Change and Community Leadership, Dr. Cynthia Stewart
Make-a-Wish Foundation


Community Engagement Award for Innovation in Sustainability

Carly Fournier, Mackenzie Roof, and Alicia Vrabec
ENVS/BIOL 369: Field Ornithology, Rev. Stephen Mitten, S.J.
Field Museum, St. Ignatius Jesuit Community, Loyola University Chicago, and Chicago Bird Collision Monitors

Thurman Simpson-Medley CPST 397: Capstone, Jim Coughlin
Living Word Christian Center


Community Partner Award for Co-Education

Girlforward
A community of support dedicated to creating and enhancing opportunities for girls who have been displaced by conflict and persecution

Rogers Park Business Alliance
Cultivating and sustaining a thriving economic environment in Rogers Park, serving businesses and residents.


Learning Portfolio Award for Creativity and Innovation

Tiana Thompson
https://tianasthompson.wixsite.com/eportfolio
Senior Capstone in Dance


Learning Portfolio Award for Critical Reflection

Alexandra Ditoro
https://alexandradanceportfolio.weebly.com/
Senior Capstone in Dance


Learning Portfolio Award for Social Justice

Lydia Jekot
Senior Capstone in Dance