Research Prizes in Practical Ethics for Undergraduates

Undergraduate Research Prizes | 2010-11 Research Prize Recipients | 2009-10 Research Prize Recipients | 2007-08 Research Stipend Recipients | 2006 & 2007 Research Stipend Recipients

Undergraduate Research Prizes for 2010-11

The two undergraduate research prize winners for 2010-11 were Corbin Santo and Jonah Williams.

Corbin Santo, a senior majoring in Health Administration, researched end-of-life health care decision-making and proposed changes in policies and state laws that address options and patient autonomy. His presentation was entitled "Preserving Patient Autonomy at the End of Life." A poster of Santo's points is available at "Patient Autonomy." His advisor was Sandra DeWeese from Health Administration in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs.

Corbin Santo and Sandy DeWeese

Jonah Williams was a senior in Anthropology and Journalism. He studied violence, oppression, and dominating power structures as human phenomenon from an anthropological perspective, with a focus on those who are homeless. The title of Jonah's presentation was "Homelessness as Delinquency: How Private Interests Enforce Constructs of Normalcy in Public Space." Williams' paper is available at "Homelessness as Delinquency." His advisor was Marvin Sterling from the Department of Anthropology in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Jonah Williams and Marvin Sterling

The Undergraduate Research Prizes in Practical Ethics are awarded in a competitive process. Richard Miller, the Director of the Poynter Center, describes the prizes in these terms: "These research prizes aim to stimulate ethical reflection in undergraduate education, reward highly motivated students, and facilitate innovative projects across the disciplines. They enable students to develop close mentoring relationships with IU faculty and take advantage of the input and expertise of the Poynter Center community. We have been pleased to support students from the College of Arts and Sciences, the Kelley School of Business, and the School of Informatics in the past." The program, which began in 2005-06, is funded by the Poynter Center.

The Poynter Center

The Poynter Center for the Study of Ethics and American Institutions is dedicated to studying a broad range of ethical issues in American public life. Interdisciplinary in aim, the Center uses the full resources of Indiana University to initiate research and teaching across traditional academic boundaries.

The Poynter Center promotes moral deliberation about developments in science and technology, the provision of health care, the aims of higher education, the duties of corporate responsibility, and the challenges of democratic life and culture. Critical reflection about the meaning of rights, community, justice, diversity, power, and virtue provide the more general terms for much of the Center's inquiry.

See the web site for information about previous recipients.