Congratulations to our 2026 Library Grad Prize Winners!

Congratulations to the 2026 recipients of the UC Davis Library Graduate Student Prize: Yi Lor (Ph.D. candidate, Epidemiology), Safa Uraizee ’25 (Master of Public Health), and Andrea Guggenbickler (Ph.D. Candidate, Public Health Sciences).

In its third year, the Library Graduate Student Prize is awarded to graduate student researchers who have used the library to create outstanding scholarship with the potential for public impact. 

Through their respective research, Lor, Uraizee and Guggenbickler explored the association between lifelong residential segregation and cognitive decline; factors that influence decision-making about new vaccines in Zambia; and the effectiveness of sex education interventions in U.S. rural communities.

Each winner used a range of library resources to pursue their research, including librarian and DataLab consultations, online databases, and advanced search strategies. Lor’s research project was also supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

“Federal funding is critically important to enable research that supports the health and well-being of all,” said William Garrity, University Librarian and Vice Provost of Digital Scholarship. “These early-career researchers are on a path to make a tremendously positive impact on people’s lives. When we equip them with the resources and support they need — from university libraries and faculty mentors to research grants — we all benefit.”

The prize recipients each receive $1,000 and will be celebrated at an award ceremony.

The 2026 Winners and Their Research Projects