Library Resources Help Students Succeed at S3 (SDSU Student Symposium)
The American Association of Colleges and Universities has identified undergraduate research as a "high-impact practice" demonstrated to support student success. At San Diego State University, a variety of undergraduate research programs help students to transform their educational experience through independent research, mentored research activities in libraries and labs, and publication opportunities. One of SDSU signature programs in undergraduate research is the S3 (SDSU Student Symposium), an annual event during which hundreds of students from across the university are able to present and discuss their work.
Each year, students present research and creative activities through posters, presentations, and performances, with each of these eligible for one or more awards, including the Library Research Award. These awards, selected from eligible entries by SDSU librarians, are presented to up to five projects demonstrating effective use of library resources, collections, and services, including printed resources, databases, primary resources, media materials, and research consultations. Each award includes a $250 prize.
The 2024 winners of the S3 Library Research Award were:
"This project highlights the role of health and human service professionals in providing age-inclusive, holistic healthcare for older adults, which includes traditionally taboo topics like sexual health." Smith said, “The library was an incredibly helpful resource in this research process. Two resources I relied on heavily were the online database and OneSearch. Social Sciences Librarian Ashley Wilson has served as a resource through much of my graduate school career from her introduction to research strategies in my research methods class my first year to ongoing support with search terms and article collection with my thesis. Overall, any librarian I've interacted with has been incredibly help and PATIENT!”
Wearables have emerged as powerful tools for real-time health monitoring of heart rate, sleep, and physical activity. This scoping review investigated the features of existing smell-emitting wearable/portable devices and examined their utilization and impact on health improvement. These smell-emitting devices show promising potential in improving health, particularly in addressing challenges for conditions like smell loss, PTSD, Alzheimer's, and head injuries.
Macias noted, “I used the library database extensively to identify articles describing wearable and portable devices with scent-emitting technology. Health Sciences Librarian Margaret Henderson taught me how to navigate various databases, which helped me with my research. She shared many tips on finding related articles and helped me identify more articles. Learning to navigate databases has helped me with my research project and will help me in my future career as a dietitian.”
“In my thesis project, my advisor Dr. Fan and I aim to predict delisting (removal of a listed security from the stock exchange) of companies from stock exchanges using a machine learning ensemble,” said Neuhausler. “I borrowed some helpful literature for my project from the library and I worked regularly in the various study areas at the library. They always created a good working atmosphere and guaranteed progress in my project. The library also provided access to valuable data sources for my project. We got company, market and delisting data from the Wharton Research Data Service (WRDS) through a library subscription. Furthermore, I accessed additional market data from over 70 years at the Bloomberg Terminals in the Financial Markets Lab.”
For more information about S3 presentations, including previous library award winners, visit the S3 research guide.
Congratulations to all of the award winners from this year’s S3!
