In making its decision, the SPUR Best Article subcommittee of the SPUR Editorial Board considered excellence concerning the journal’s evaluation criteria, specifically

• Excellence concerning the journal’s evaluation criteria, specifically, “manuscripts that describe novel programs that can serve as models for other institutions, those containing a significant assessment of outcomes, and those articulating research on the efficacy of undergraduate research programs;
• Timeliness (addressing current issues in undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activity) and/or timelessness (articles likely to prove valuable over time);
• Broad appeal in terms of generalizability to disciplines and types of institutions; and
• Pedagogical value.

Congratulations to the honorees in the Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research (SPUR) Best Article Awards (Volume 8).

Best Article

How Research and Mentorship Shape STEM Paths for Community College Students

Stephanie K. Ramos, Randy Bell

SPUR (2025), vol 8, num 4
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18833/spur/8/4/3

Ramos and Bell’s article presents a qualitative study examining how undergraduate research experiences and mentorship shape the academic persistence and identity of racially and ethnically minoritized community college students in STEM. Through thoughtful analysis of semi-structured interviews with 13 participants, the authors illustrate how six forms of capital (aspirational, navigational, social, familial, linguistic, and resistant) are strengthened or challenged through participation in research and mentoring relationships. The paper is theoretically rich, methodologically rigorous, and deeply humanizing, offering nuanced insights into how mentorship can empower students while also revealing the subtle barriers that persist for example. Its clarity, originality, and implications for broadening participation in STEM make it an exemplary contribution to the field.

Honorable Mention 1

Multiple Mentors’ Competency and Undergraduate Researchers’ Science Identity

Callie L. Avondet, Yolanda Chavez, Sara E. Grineski, Danielle X. Morales, Timothy W. Collins

SPUR (2025), vol 8, no 2
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18833/spur/8/2/1

The authors examine both faculty and postgraduate mentor competency and the impact of COVID-19 on undergraduate researchers. Having both types of mentors is beneficial for students’ science identities unless both the faculty and postgraduate mentor exhibit low competency. COVID-19 had no discernable impacts on either science identity. Findings suggest that faculty and program directors should consider mentor training to increase competency and to involve postgraduate mentors in undergraduate research experiences.

Honorable Mention 2

A Scoping Review: Literature on Undergraduate Research and Career Readiness

Amanda B. MacDonald, Jeanne Mekolichick, Eric E. Hall, Kristin Picardo, Rosalie Richards

SPUR (2025), vol 8, no 1
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18833/spur/8/1/2

MacDonald and colleagues present a systematic review of the literature on undergraduate research and career readiness. Their analysis highlights significant gaps in understanding how undergraduate research contributes to career preparation and underscores the need for continued investigation. They emphasize the growing importance of this topic amid increasing pressures on higher education institutions to demonstrate return on investment, particularly in preparing students for successful careers.

The Best Paper Award Committee members for volume 8 were Editorial Advisory Board Members Charles Gunnels, Michelle Hayford, Hasitha Mahabaduge, and Lorraine Wallace.

Congratulations to the honorees in the Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research (SPUR) Best Article Awards (volume 7).

Best Article

Claiming Space in the Academic Landscape: Negotiating Spatial Belonging in Undergraduate Research

Heather Haeger, Natasha Oehlman, Roman Christiaens

SPUR, vol 7, no 4 Summer 2024
DOI: 10.18833/spur/7/4/6

The article selected as the SPUR Best Paper for the 2023-2024 publication year stands out for its thoughtful exploration of spatial belonging among underrepresented students engaged in summer research at less diverse campus sites. The study rigorously analyzes how students demonstrate belonging and claim space through public blogs and reflective writing by examining physical, digital, relational, and structural dimensions of space. It goes beyond traditional approaches by incorporating visual rhetoric and linguistic coding to understand how students position themselves as knowledge producers in traditionally exclusive academic environments.

What makes this paper exceptional is its meticulous methodology and the depth of its analysis. The authors coded blog posts and reflections for linguistic structure, visual representations, and themes such as identity and belonging, uncovering critical insights into how students navigate resistance, self-doubt, and eventual growth as researchers. The findings highlight the generational impact of digital platforms and social media visuals, demonstrating how students leverage these tools to negotiate their identities and assert legitimacy in academic spaces. Of all the submissions, this paper distinguished itself through its substantive research, innovative framework, and compelling contribution to fostering inclusivity in higher education.

Honorable Mention

Building Research Skills through an Undergraduate Research Project on Local Community

Praopan Pratoomchat and Rubana Mahjabeen

SPUR, vol 7, no 1 Fall 2023
DOI: 10.18833/spur/7/1/10

The article selected as the SPUR Honorable Mention for 2023-2024 provides a thoughtful evaluation of how research-focused assignments enhance foundational research skills among first- and second-year economics students. By empowering students to explore economic issues relevant to their local counties, the study fosters student agency and connects classroom theories to real-world applications. Including a self-perception assessment and comparing in-person and remote learning environments add depth to the study, highlighting the robustness of the assignments across diverse settings. This paper stands out for its intentional design, balanced analysis, and meaningful contributions to early undergraduate research experiences in economics.

The Best Paper Award Committee members for volume 7 were Editorial Advisory Board Members Hasitha Mahabaduge, Niharika Nath, Aaron Sakulich, and Charles (Billy) Gunnels.

Congratulations to the honorees in the Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research (SPUR) Best Article Awards (volume 6).

Best Article

Benefiting Historically Excluded Student Populations Through Targeted Undergraduate Research Programming

Jaclyn Chastain, Santiago Luaces, Melodie Eichbauer, Charles Gunnels

SPUR, vol 6, no 3 Spring 2023.
DOI: 10.18833/spur/6/3/5

The article selected as the Best Paper for the 2022-2023 publication year stands out for its meticulous evaluation of the WiSER program’s impact on historically excluded students. It scrutinizes two pivotal hypotheses: the program’s support for traditionally excluded students and its influence on academic performance, particularly GPA and credit hours. Its rigorous methodology sets this paper apart, comparing WiSER participants with a matched control group from the general student population, ensuring a robust analysis. Moreover, the study’s examination of time-to-graduation further underscores its comprehensive approach. The article’s empirical depth, precision, and direct relevance to student success stand out in academic research.

Honorable Mention

The Genomics Education Partnership: First Findings on Genomics Research in Community Colleges

Paula Croonquist, Virginia Falkenberg, Natalie Minkovsky, Alexa Sawa, Matthew Skerritt, Maire Sustacek, Raffaella Diotti, Anthony Aragon, Tamara Mans, Goldie Sherr, Catherine Ward, Monica Hall-Woods, Anya Goodman, Laura Reed, David Lopatto

SPUR, vol 6, no. 3 Spring 2023.
DOI: 10.18833/spur/6/3/1

This article selected as an Honorable Mention for the 2022-2023 publication year, offers valuable insights into the Genomics Education Partnership (GEP) and its expansion into community colleges (CCs). The study’s focus on enhancing research opportunities for underrepresented students is commendable, particularly in the context of limited research capacity and budget constraints at two-year institutions. The findings reveal that CC students’ gains are on par with their non-CC counterparts, showcasing improved attitudes toward science and thriving in the field. The article’s contribution lies in demonstrating how the GEP model effectively supports CC students, providing a blueprint for mitigating research barriers in this educational setting.

The members of the Best Paper Award Committee for volume 6 were Editorial Advisory Board Members Kymberly Harris, Hasitha Mahabaduge, Niharika Nath, and Aaron Sakulich.

Congratulations to the honorees in the Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research (SPUR) Best Article Awards (volume 5).

Best Article

Seven Principles for Reimagining UR in the “Next Normal”

Jenny Olin Shanahan, Jeanne Carey Ingle, Jing Tan, Thayaparan Paramanathan, and Kenneth W. Adams

SPUR, vol 5, no. 2, Winter 2021
DOI: 10.18833/spur/5/2/5

The article was selected due to the timeliness and timelessness of its aspirational message and the values which we aspire to as a community, as well as its down-to-earth, practical insights into how to make the needed changes in undergraduate research to achieve equity in undergraduate research.

Honorable Mention

Increasing Students’ Sense of Belonging at Research Conferences

Kendra D. Stiwich and Victoria Ross

SPUR, vol 5, no. 4, Summer 2022
DOI: 10.18833/spur/5/4/5

The article was selected as the runner-up in recognition of the unique and powerful new instrument that the faculty/student author team has developed and leveraged to gain insight into the capacity of a thoughtfully designed undergraduate research celebration to increase the sense of underserved students’ capacity to “be themselves” impacting their professional identity.

The members of the Best Paper Award Committee for volume 5 were Editorial Advisory Board Members Kymberly Harris, Hasitha Mahabaduge, Niharika Nath, and Aaron Sakulich.

Congratulations to the honorees in the Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research (SPUR) Best Article Awards (volume 4).

Best Article

BUILDing Equity in STEM: A Collaborative Undergraduate Research Program to Increase Achievement of Underserved Community College Students

Jared Ashcroft, Veronica Jaramillo, Jillian Blatti, Shu-Sha Angie Guan, Amber Bui, Veronica Villasenor, Alina Adamian, Gabriela Chavira, Carrie Saetermoe, Eileen Ie, Bryant Horowitz, Brissa Palacios, Pamela Byrd Williams, Erika Brockman, and Jennifer Moses

SPUR, vol. 4, no. 3, Spring 2021
DOI: 10.18833/spur/4/3/11

Honorable Mention

Academic and Professional Preparedness: Outcomes of Undergraduate Research in the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences

Kelly Kistner, Erin M. Sparck, Amy Liu, Hannah Whang Sayson, Marc Levis-Fitzgerald, and Whitney Arnold

SPUR, vol. 4, no. 4, Summer 2021
DOI: 10.18833/spur/4/4/1

The members of the Best Paper Award Committee for volume 4 were Andrea Tartaro, Chair and committee members: Aaron Sakulich, Hasitha Mahabaduge, Kristin Picardo, and Kymberly Harris

Congratulations to the honorees in the inaugural SPUR Best Article Awards (volume 3).

Best Article

Toward Greater Reproducibility of Undergraduate Behavioral Science Research

Bruce Evan Blaine St. John Fisher College

SPUR, vol 3., no. 1, fall 2019
doi: 10.18833/spur/3/1/2

Honorable Mentions

Preservice Teachers on Their Way to Becoming Reflective Practitioners: The Relevance of Freedom of Choice in Research-Based Learning

Franziska Nikolov, Constanze Saunders, and Heidi Schaumburg Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin/Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena

SPUR, vol. 3, no. 4, summer 2020
doi: 10.18833/spur/3/4/6

Reflections on the Evolution of Undergraduate Research at Primarily Undergraduate Institutions Over the Past 25 Years

Mitchell R. Malachowski University of San Diego

SPUR, vol. 3, no. 2, winter 2019
doi: 10.18833/spur/3/2/5

The decision was made by the SPUR Best Article subcommittee of the Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research Editorial Board.

Peer reviewers from across the globe graciously contribute their time and expertise in reviewing manuscripts submitted to SPUR.  In 2024, the SPUR Best Peer Reviewer Annual Award was established to recognize individuals providing rigorous peer reviews of SPUR manuscripts.

The SPUR Best Peer Reviewer Annual Award is based on the following criteria: (1) completion of ≥2 peer reviews of initial submissions and/or resubmissions within the previous calendar year, (2) timeliness (i.e., submitted by the specified SPUR deadline) of completed peer reviews, (3) clear peer review style (i.e., constructive and positive tone), and (4) substantive and structured feedback (e.g., detailed comments on all manuscript sections, actionable comments to strengthen the submission).  To ensure we recognize as many deserving individuals as possible, previous awardees are not eligible for recognition in consecutive years.

SPUR’s Editor-in-Chief and Associate Editors selected Best Peer Reviewer Annual Awardees based on their evaluation of anonymized peer reviews.

SPUR is always looking for expert peer reviewers across all disciplines. If you wish to review for SPUR, email SPUR@cur.org indicating your areas of interest or specialization (e.g., assessment).

Congratulations to the 2025 awardees, who are listed alphabetically below.

• Katherine A. Campbell, Assistant Vice President of Sponsored Programs, Research, and External Engagement, St. Catherine University, MN
• Anne Krabacher, Administrative Director, Lisska Center for Intellectual Engagement, Denison University, OH
• Janet A. Morrison, Professor Emerita, Department of Biology, The College of New Jersey, NJ
• Christopher Zajic, Graduate Research Associate, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, GA

Congratulations to the inaugural Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research (SPUR) Best Peer Reviewer awardees (Volume 7), who are listed alphabetically below.

• Christopher Barney, Emeritus Professor of Biology, Hope College
• Lance Barton, Director of Undergraduate Research, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
• Erin Dolan, Professor of professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia
• Michael Loui, Emeritus Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign