Stanford Prize for Outstanding Undergraduate Research in Psychology

Celebrating Outstanding Achievement in Undergraduate Research

The Stanford Prize celebrates outstanding research in psychology at the undergraduate level. Up to five students from around the world are selected each year. Undergraduate students who provide evidence of exceptional scientific achievement in any area of psychology are eligible.

Selecting the Best

Eligible projects are blindly evaluated by a panel of Stanford professors. Projects are judged with respect to their originality, independence, methodological quality, potential scientific impact, and societal relevance. Students must present their project at the Stanford Undergraduate Psychology Conference and they must be an undergraduate at the time the award is made. Winners of the Stanford Prize are presented with a certificate and with a generous cash award.

How to Apply

Students indicate their intent to apply for the award while submitting their abstract for the Stanford Undergraduate Psychology Conference. Additional information is subsequently requested from top candidates in mid April, if necessary. Recipients are announced during the conference in May.

Recipients


2015









2014






2013


2012






2011



2010

Brittany Komacsar & Julissa Lopez, Purdue University Calumet
"Cognitive Tasks and Decision Making: The Effect of Cognitive Stress on Choice"

Sofia Fojo, University of Southern California
"Relationship Between Volumetric Changes in the Amygdala and Hippocampus With Exposure to Environmental Aggression and Violence in Children"

Natalie Hejran, Loyola Marymount University
"Working Memory Training and Inhibitory Control in Academically At-Risk Kindergartners"

Molly S. Hodul
, University of California, Los Angeles
"Dentate Gyrus Contributions to Auditory Fear Generalization"

Christie Ka Man Fung
, University of California, Los Angeles
"Does Sleep Influence Neural Responses to Social Stress?"

Harrison M. Wray
, Stanford University
"The Physical Burden of Keeping a Secret"

Ian Clark & Adam Sitzmann
, University of Michigan
"Empathizing Causes Declines in Blood Glucose: Ego Depletion or Stress Regulation?"

Christopher Lau
, University of California, Berkeley
"Color-Grapheme Associations in Non-Synesthetes:
Evidence of Emotional Mediation"

Amber C. Ocampo
, University of California, Los Angeles
“An fMRI Investigation of Giving Social Support”

Stephanie Vezich
, Stanford University
“Community Green: Comparing Individual and Social Financial Motivations in Energy Conservation”

 



Did you Know...
● The Stanford Prize recognizes the world's best research in psychology at the undergraduate level


The award was established in 2010 to celebrate the achievements of outstanding early-career psychologists


● Submissions for the award are reviewed blindly by a panel of raters, including Stanford professors


● Up to 5 individuals are selected annually to receive the award


● Winners of the 2015 Stanford Prize were Brittany Komacsar & Julissa Lopez, and Sofia Fojo