About the prize
The UBC Undergraduate Prize in Library Research is a way to showcase students’ effective and innovative use of library services, information experts and resources provided by the UBC Library. Applications for these prizes also provide students with an opportunity to reflect on their information-seeking experience, showcase their research beyond the classroom, and promote scholarship excellence at the undergraduate level at the University of British Columbia.
The Prize was established by UBC Library to encourage more and deeper use of its resources and collections, to advance information literacy at UBC, and to promote academic excellence at UBC.
Q: Could you tell us a little bit about your project?
The project was my first ever research paper at UBC. My WRDS 150B prof, Dennis, asked us to create a paper that analysed correlations between 2 datasets of any topic. Seeing that politics has been in the news much, I decided to go past the bright headlines and look more in-depth into the reasons as to why people vote for who. The results were fascinating and I believe that I learned a great deal more about America’s complex political landscape.
Q: What does winning this prize mean to you?
“It goes to show the breadth of UBC Library’s catalogues to allow any student to research thoroughly and effectively.”
Winning this prize means a lot for a research paper in my first ever semester at UBC. It goes to show the breadth of UBC Library’s catalogues to allow any student to research thoroughly and effectively. At the same time, winning this has also given me a moment to reflect on how far I’ve made in progressing in my writing skills. Looking back, I believe that the past me that struggled on writing simple 1-paragraph assignments would be incredibly proud of what he achieved in the future.
Q: What are your plans for the future?
I plan to specialize in Business Technology Management at Sauder as I surprisingly found myself interested by coding and learning about information systems. From there on, I’ll have to see how things go as even now I don’t have a clear path in the future. Likely getting some sort of career related to it would be the goal though. My first-year self definitely wouldn’t have envisioned me planning to do BTM currently so it’s really just what the future brings me.
Q: Do you have a favourite research spot at UBC Library?
“Koerner Library has some of the best stacks I’ve seen to cover any type of topic and I usually find myself going there to research.”
Koerner Library has some of the best stacks I’ve seen to cover any type of topic and I usually find myself going there to research. However, when it comes to just studying, I like going to Woodward the most. Honourable mention to the Asian Library though for its insanely cool studying space on the second floor.