Research Awards

Submissions for this year are closed.
Next deadline: TBA

For questions, contact Bradley Dusing at bdusing@trinity.edu

At a glance

Deadline: February 13, 2026
Awards: Two (2) $500 cash prizes, certificates, t-shirts, and inclusion in
Trinity University’s Digital Commons

How to submit

Include
Your project (or a photo)
A bibliography of works cited /consulted,
A one-page, single-spaced Research Narrative describing how your research developed and how it informed your work.

What you can submit

Musical compositions, artwork, poetry
Literature reviews, academic papers, grant proposals
Data stories, Jupyter notebooks, websites or web apps

How entries are evaluated

Effective use of research in creating the work
Accuracy of works cited or consulted
Quality of the research process described in the Research Narrative

FAQ

Are submissions open right now?

Submissions for this year are closed. If you have questions, contact Bradley Dusing at bdusing@trinity.edu.

What is the Research Narrative?

The Research Narrative is a required one-page, single-spaced explanation of how your research developed and how it influenced your final project. It should focus on your process and choices—not serve as an abstract or summary.

When must the research and work be completed on my research thing?

Research and work on the “thing” should be completed during the calendar year prior to the deadline. For example, submissions for the February deadline should be completed between January and December of the previous year.

When will awards be announced?

Awards will be announced by the end of March.

Should the bibliography be completed using a particular citation style?

No. However, the bibliography should follow a specific style and be consistent and correct. The accuracy of the bibliography is an important part of the selection process. If you are creating the bibliography solely for this submission, a common style (MLA, Chicago, APA) would be ideal.

What are you looking for in the research narrative?

The committee will focus on the creator’s research process and the ways that research sources were necessary or useful in the creation of the “thing.”

Are submissions limited by subject matter?

No! If your research is from a history project, a Chemistry class, or a mathematics assignment, it is eligible for consideration.

Are there special rules for a team project?

Only one member needs to submit the Google Form including all members’ names. The contributions and thoughts of each member should be included in the research narrative. Individual reflections are not required but will be accepted as part of the submission materials. If the research is associated with a faculty member’s scholarship, consult with your professor before submitting.

How does the committee compare very different “things”?

The committee focuses primarily on the bibliography and the reflection when making decisions. The “thing” itself is important, but the research effort behind it is the primary consideration.

Can I submit multiple entries?

Yes. You may submit multiple “things,” as long as the research represented in your submissions was begun and finished during the previous calendar year.

Do I retain copyright?

Yes. The library requests permission to use your work or images of your work for the library’s website or display purposes. Copyright remains yours.

What if my research is later published?

Winners are included in Trinity’s Digital Commons, an open access repository. If a journal or publisher later requires exclusivity, we are happy to remove your work from public access and link to the published version instead.

Who do I contact with questions?

Contact Bradley Dusing at bdusing@trinity.edu.