In 2012, the Undergraduate Research Council (URC) presented the first Undergraduate Research Mentor Award. In 2013, the award was named to honor the late Walter Sargent, a UMF history professor. Walter was not only a council member, but a mentor of many undergraduate research projects that built a culture of undergraduate research in his discipline.
Each year the Walter Sargent Undergraduate Research Mentor Award is presented to a faculty member with a similar record of mentoring and support for undergraduate research within their discipline.
2023 Award Nominations
Nominating letters for this year’s award must be submitted by 5pm Monday March 6, 2023. The letter should include any supporting evidence of the nominee’s mentorship (e.g., mentoring a Wilson Scholar; preparing students for conference presentations; incorporating students into his or her research program). The Undergraduate Research Council will consider all nominees and present the award to this year’s recipient on Symposium Day.
Please send nominating letters to the current URC Chair: donelle.schwalm@maine.edu.
Award Recipients
2024 – Dr. James Melcher, Professor of Political Science
2023 – Dr. Julia Daly, Associate Professor of Geology
2022 – Dr. Rachel Hovel, Assistant Professor of Biology
2021 – Shana Youngdahl, Assistant Professor of English
2020 – Dr. Timothy Breton, Assistant Professor of Biology
2019 – Dr. Kathryn Will, Assistant Professor Literacy Education
2018 – Dr. David Gibson, Professor of Geology
2017 – Dr. Karol Maybury, Associate Professor of Psychology
2016 – Dr. Nicholas Koban, Professor of Mathematics
2015 – Dr. Jean Doty, Professor of Biology
2014 – Dr. Matt McCourt, Associate Professor of Geography
2013 – Awarded posthumously to Dr. Walter Sargent, Associate Professor of History
2012 – Dr. Ron Butler, Professor of Biology
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