Undergraduate Honors and Prizes

Honors Program in Anthropology
Malinowski Prize for Undergraduate Research
Ruth Fulton Benedict Paper Prize
Reza Zarif and Rufina Paniego School of Social Sciences Undergraduate Award for Excellence in Anthropology
Current and Past Malinowski and Ruth Fulton Benedict Award Winners
Lambda Alpha Kappa
 

Honors Program

The Honors Program in Anthropology is designed to allow undergraduates to pursue field research and write an honors thesis on topics of their choice under the guidance of Department of Anthropology faculty members. Research projects typically involve a combination of library research, exploratory ethnographic interviews, participant observation, and systematic data collection and analysis. The program is open to all senior Anthropology majors with a grade point average of 3.3 or better overall, with 3.5 in Anthropology courses (at least five courses). Successful completion of the Honors Program and the honors thesis satisfies the upper-division writing requirement.

October 10, 2011 - Application to honors program due, Social and Behavioral Sciences Gateway (SBSG) 3201 (Anthropology Department Suite)
December 9, 2011 - Full research proposal due, delivered to your advisor
March 16, 2012 - AT MINIMUM, a complete outline with chapter or section abstracts due, delivered to your advisor
May 18, 2012 - Full first draft of thesis due, delivered to your advisor
June 8, 2012 - Final thesis/draft due, delivered to your advisor

Download Application Form Here

Expectations and Timeline

1. Topic and Advisor (Winter or Spring Quarter of Junior Year)
At this beginning stage, students should find a professor willing to serve as their research project advisor on the basis of a mutually acceptable abstract that indicates the goal and significance of the study. The faculty advisor must be a full time regular faculty member in the Anthropology Department. Any other potential advisor is subject to the approval of the Undergraduate Director. If extensive research is to be undertaken at this time, students should enroll in Anthropology 199.

2. Apply to the Anthropology Honors Program (Fall Quarter of Senior Year)
Download the Application Form, fill it out, have your advisor sign the form, and then turn it in to Norma Miranda, Social Sciences and Behavioral Gateway 3201 (Anthropology Department Suite) by October 10, 2011 for the 2011-12 academic year. This is a firm deadline and no exceptions will be made.

3. Fall Quarter Expectations
a) enroll in Anthropology H190A; b) write a proposal describing the research question, the relevant background literature, and the method of data collection and analysis - proposals are due by the deadline listed above; c) apply to the Institutional Review Board (IRB), which is the university committee that will evaluate the ethical considerations of your research project – you will be aided by your advisor and the Undergraduate Director.

4. Winter Quarter Expectations
a) enroll in Anthropology H190B; b) once IRB approval is in place, students begin ethnographic field research; c) complete an outline of the thesis, including chapter or section abstracts, by the deadline above.

5. Spring Quarter Expectations
a) enroll in Anthropology H191; b) complete a full draft of the thesis three weeks prior to the last day of the quarter*; c) complete the final version of the thesis by the end of the quarter. Be sure to check all deadlines and plan appropriately.

*NOTE: In order to graduate with honors, students must submit a full draft of their thesis to their Faculty Advisor by MAY 18, 2012 Students who do not submit a full draft of their thesis to their advisor by May 18, 2012 will NOT receive honors at graduation. The draft should be a complete thesis that requires only minor stylistic or bibliographic work before being submitted in final form. This is a firm deadline. The deadline for the final version of the honors thesis is JUNE 10, 2011.

Anthropology Honors Degree Check Form

Anthropology Honors Students, 2011-2012
Jaime Allen
Autri Baghkhanian
Markie Bear
Meghan Brady
Jennifer Bui
Marc Calilan
Julianne M. Holloway
Emily K. Johnston-O'Neill
Khuyen Lam
Yuliya A. Polovinchik

Anthropology Honors Students, 2010-2011
Anun Arshad
Caroline Clausen
Farley Hamada
Elizabeth McDowell
Merusha Nasoordeen
Nahal Nikroo
Shahrzad Mossanenzadeh
Donna Vuu

Honors Students in Anthropology, 2009-2010
Shaheen Amirebrahimi
Jamie Bennigsdorf
Ian Collins
Hadia Hakim
Kate Rippel
Sarah Seif

Paper Prizes in Anthropology

The Department of Anthropology at the University of California, Irvine, announces two undergraduate student paper prizes that recognize outstanding achievement in anthropological research and writing.

The Malinowski Prize for Undergraduate Research

The Malinowski Prize for Undergraduate Research recognizes outstanding original research. Original research encompasses independent data collection based on any combination of the following methods: participant observation, interviews, surveys, documentary research, collection of images or texts from popular culture, and/or formal data collection and analysis. Anthropology majors who conduct such studies as part of regular coursework, an honor's thesis, UROP, SURP, EAP, or other such programs are eligible. Papers written in collaboration with faculty members may not be submitted.

Criteria: Students may submit only one paper for consideration for this prize. Papers should be between 20 and 40 pages in length. Honor's theses may be submitted, but must adhere to the length requirement. The winning research paper will be posted and archived on the Departmental website and the recipient of the prize will receive an award at the Department's Spring awards ceremony.

Deadline: May 4, 2012. Please submit your paper to Norma Miranda, Social and Behavioral Sciences Gateway (SBSG) 3201 (Anthropology Department Suite). Faculty may nominate student papers; please submit a copy of the paper with your nomination by May 4, 2012.

The Ruth Fulton Benedict Paper Prize

The Ruth Fulton Benedict Paper Prize recognizes outstanding writing in anthropology. All undergraduates are eligible.

Criteria: Students may submit only one paper from an anthropology class at UCI. Papers should be between 10 and 30 pages in length. Honor's theses may not be submitted. The paper need not report on original research, but must demonstrate analytical acuity, creativity, and dexterity with the conventions of anthropological writing. The winning paper will be posted and archived on the Departmental website, and the recipient of the prize will receive an award at the Department's Spring awards ceremony.

Deadline: May 4, 2012. Please submit your paper to Norma Miranda, Social and Behavioral Sciences Gateway (SBSG) 3201 (Anthropology Department Suite). Faculty may nominate student papers (only one paper per student); please submit a copy of the paper with your nomination to Norma Miranda by May 4, 2012.

Current and Past Malinowski and Ruth Fulton Benedict Paper Prize Winners

Malinowski Prize:

2012 - Not Awarded

2011 - Farley Hamada, "Of Plight and Providence: Big Pharma and the Effects of Pharmaceutical Advertising on U.S. Patients with RLS, Insomnia, GERD, and GAD"
(Faculty sponsor: Keith Murphy)

2010 - Not Awarded

2009 - Hadia Hakim, "Palestinian Identity-Formation in Yarmouk: Constructing National Identity Through the Development of Space" (Faculty sponsor, Victoria Bernal)

2008 - Ana Siria Urzua, "Gentrification and Displacement: Assessing Responses in Santa Ana, California" (Faculty sponsor, Michael Montoya)

2007 - Kevin Michael Smith and Raul Perez, "Research in Intentional Communities: Past and Present" (Faculty sponsor, Bill Maurer)

2006 - Ashley T. Brenner, "Analysis of the Perception of the Paradigms of Archaeology and the Effect on the Discipline" (Faculty sponsor, Bill Maurer)

Benedict Prize:

2012 - Not Awarded

2011 - Elizabeth McDowell, "Birth Control, Out of Our Control"
(Faculty Sponsor, Susan Greenhalgh)

2010 - Ariana Keil, "Genital Anxieties and the Quest for the Perfect Vulva: A Feminist Analysis of Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery"
(Faculty Sponsor, Susan Greenhalgh)

2009 - Monica Murtaugh, "Constructing the Haitian Zombie: An Anthropological Study Beyond Madness"
(Faculty sponsor, Angela Garcia)

2008 - Not Awarded

2007 - Katie Harrison, "The Image of the Disney Princess and the Impressions of Feminism"
(Faculty sponsor, Susan Greenhalgh)

2006 - Jeannine Stepanian, "Post-Exposure Prophylaxis Policies in the U.S."
(Faculty sponsor, Tom Boellstorff)

The Reza Zarif and Rufina Paniego School of Social Sciences Undergraduate Award for Excellence in Anthropology

2010 - Claudia Moya
The value of anthropology in Claudia's words: "College has opened my mind and it has expanded it beyond all my expectations...If it had not been for anthropology, I would not have been able to accept the fact that there are more important things in life than letter grades. And this is where anthropology's biggest life lesson comes in: everyone has a story. One of my goals in life is to help tell someone's true-life story and to help make one life easier to live. The more we open our eyes and our minds to the world around us, the more we learn about ourselves. Thus, it is a win-win situation. You just have to be willing to take risks and respect differences."

2009 - Elizabeth McDowell
The value of anthropology in Lizzie's own words: "While nations may be able to amass an impressive arsenal of weaponry, they will not possess the tools to discover the root cause of their conflicts, many of which are seated in cultural differences. That is why anthropology is the most advantageous tool one can possess. By using it, a wealth of knowledge can be gained and applied to propose concrete solutions when we are in dire need of them."

Lambda Alpha Kappa

Membership qualifications:

1. To all declared Anthropology Majors, and Minors

2. All applicants must have at least a Junior class standing with a minimum of a 3.2 GPA in all Anthropology Classes and a 3.2 GPA overall (no imcompletes).

3.Must have completed at least four courses or 16 units in Anthropology at UCI at the time of turning in this application.

4.All applicants must show proog of eligibility in grade point average with an official transcript, declaration of major, and class standing.

Note: If you qualify as a member of Lambda Alpha Kappa and you are graduating Spring 2012, you may purchase the cloisonne tack pin bearing the Lambda Alpha Kappa emblem for $10.00. Also stoles are available for $25.00. Please write one check for membership and tie pins/stoles made out to: LAMBDA ALPHA by February 15, 2013 to purchase your items and return to Norma Miranda or Keith Drover in SBSG 3203. Membership application can be found online here.

***Additional Anthropology undergraduate information is posted on the 3rd floor bulletin board outside the Anthropology office, SBSG 3201.