Student Independent Study and Research (SISTAR) Grant
Saint Mary's College offers students and faculty an opportunity to conduct research and engage in creative activity, on a one-to-one basis, through the Student Independent Study and Research awards. These awards are given to student-faculty partnerships to support research and study for eight weeks during the summer. The student, usually a rising senior, pursues her research as a junior colleague with the faculty partner. The student's research may complement the faculty member's in a similar area, or the team may share a project. Alternatively, the project may be distantly related in subject matter but very closely related in method or intellectual field.
Even if the projects are closely related, the student is encouraged to develop her own agenda and pursue her own investigations independently. The student's SISTAR experience is a model for graduate work or her career after college, and fosters her personal development as a confident, independent scholar. The faculty member benefits from the opportunity to engage in a high level of cooperative learning with an advanced student. One SISTAR award, the Maryjeanne R. Burke and Daughters SISTAR, is reserved for pretenure faculty.
Application Guidelines • Previous SISTAR Awards
Application Guidelines
Eligibility: The SISTAR Program is open to full-time faculty and students in all disciplines. The student and faculty member should apply for the SISTAR program as a team in the student's junior year. Exceptional sophomores might also be considered.
Time commitment: The teams are expected to collaborate for eight weeks during the summer. We encourage innovative approaches for study that afford as much student-faculty interaction as possible. The interaction should be direct and face-to-face rather than remote (e.g., e-mail).
Funding: The student receives a taxable stipend of $3,500 plus housing and limited board for eight weeks residence on campus if desired. The faculty member receives a taxable stipend of $3,500. The grant also supports travel and related expenses for the student to attend a professional conference in the next academic year.
Project description: Collaboration and cooperation are necessary throughout the process, with faculty and student sharing drafts of the application and preparing for the interview. The proposal should be four to six typewritten, double-spaced pages for items 1-3.
1. A proposal for the student's project should be written by the student. This proposal narrative should address the following questions:
- Why do you think this project is worth doing?
- What are the main goals of the project?
- Is this a project that can reach a stage of completion in one summer?
- What experiences and courses particularly prepare you for this work?
2. A proposal for the faculty member's project written by the faculty member. This proposal narrative should address the following questions:
- Why do you think this project is worth doing?
- What are the main goals of the project?
- Is this a project that can reach a stage of completion in one summer?
- What teaching and research experiences particularly prepare you for this work?
3. Include a brief discussion of how your projects complement each other and how you plan to work together. This portion of the application should be written in collaboration.
4. Include a brief and focused curriculum vita that indicates the faculty member's preparation for this project.
5. Include a letter of recommendation addressing the student's ability to undertake this project, written by someone other than her faculty co-applicant.
Interview: The CFAI Grants Committee interviews the SISTAR applicants, faculty and student together, following the initial application. The interview, which lasts about 30 minutes, assesses student and faculty interaction, preparation for, and commitment to the project.
If you have any questions, please call the Center for Academic Innovation at #4724.
Previous SISTAR Award Recipients:
2011 SISTAR Teams
Ryan Dombkowski (Biology) Catherine Batz Longterm Physiological Effects of Energy Drinks
Cassie Majetic (Biology) Brittany Sinka Assessing potential effectors of Phlox floral scent biochemistry: fertilizer floral color
Isabel Larraza (Chemistry) Caitlyn Wonski Superbases and Hexabromoacetone: A Novel, Sustainable Approach to the Hofmann Rearrangement
2010 SISTAR Teams
Mary Ann Kanieski (Sociology) Maryjeanne R. Burke and Daughters SISTAR
Ashley Feely Emerging Patterns in Relationships Between Mothers and Their Adult Children: Examining Mothers' Self-Constructed Identity
Susan Latham (Communicative Disorders) Maryjeanne R. Burke and Daughters SISTAR
Brynn Thomas Effectiveness of GIT and PROMPT in Autism Treatment
Patrick Pierce (Political Science)
Megan Griffin Race to the Top: The Political Economy of State Tax Incentives for Business
David Stefancic (History)
Alyssa Klubeck Women in Revolution: Comparing Women in the French and Irish Revolutions
2009 SISTAR Teams
Phyllis Kaminski (Religious Studies)
Mary Gross Educating for Transformation: Daughters in Conversation
Isabel Larraza (Chemistry/Physics) Maryjeanne R. Burke and Daughters SISTAR
Kara Joseph Hexabromoacetone and Ethyl Tribromoacetate: A Novel Green Path to Drug Intermediates
Daniel Party (Music) Maryjeanne R. Burke and Daughters SISTAR
Current Trends in Latin American Music: A textbook chapter
Stephanie Mitchell Where economics meets music: the Latin American Music Industries
Max Westler (English)
Kristle Hodges Exploring African-American Poetry
2008 SISTAR Teams
Jerome McElroy (Business Administration and Economics) Maryjeanne R. Burke and Daughters SISTAR
Wenwen Bai The Political Economy of China’s Incursion into the Caribbean and the Pacific
2007 SISTAR Teams
Kimberly Abeel ‘08 A Vision of the Church: Looking Toward the Future
Anita Houck, Religious Studies A Vision of the Church: Looking at Single Life
Ryan Dombkowski, Biology (Maryjeanne R. Burke and Daughters SISTAR Characterization of the vasoregultory capability of the heme-oxygenase/carbon monoxide pathway in isolated blood vessels of lower vertegrates
Beth Achterhoff ’08 Effects of exogeous and endogenous carbon monoxide on cardiovascular parameters of the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Jeanne Choquehuanca ‘08 Indigenous Identity and Democratic Political Identity in the Andes
Marc Belanger, Political Science Assessing the Role of NGOs in Democratic Institution Building in Latin America
Alexandria Zakrzewski ‘08 Consciousness, Metacognition and "Theory of Mind": A Scientific and Philosophical Search
Thomas Parisi, Psychology Exploring the "fictive anthropologies" of Dante and Freud
2006 SISTAR Teams
María Meléndez (English) Maryjeanne R. Burke and Daughters SISTAR
Monica Garvey Creating Fiction: Adventures in Listening to the Living and the Dead
Don Paetkau (Biology)
Christin Molnar Cloning a Drosophila Suppressor of Retinal Degeneration
Laurel Thomas (Music)
Mallory O'Brien Finding Our Voices: Repertoire for the Modern Woman in Opera and Musical Theatre
Julie Tourtillotte (Art) Captured Images: The Pace and Pattern of Change
Kristin Stransky Innardactions
2005 SISTAR Teams
Mana Derakhshani (Modern Languages)
Megan McGee The Magic Carpet Ride
Kurt Buhring (Religious StudiesMaryjeanne R. Burke and Daughters SISTAR
Sinnamon Wolfe Divine and Human Responses to Human Suffering In Liberation Theology and Process Theology
Kitty Green (Education)
Lauren Condon Using Multicultural Service Learning to Connect Teachers, Students and Communities
Frances Kominkiewicz (Social Work and Anthropology)
Megan Kennedy Increasing Understanding of Mental Health Issues Affecting College Women: How Can We Foster Student to Student Support?
2004 SISTAR Teams
Krista Hoefle (Art) Maryjeanne R. Burke and Daughters SISTAR
Dorothy Schultz Does Pink Make You Puke? & To Be Unlike Myself
Mary Ann Kanieski (Sociology)
Tosha Smith (Burke)
Education, Cultural Capital, and Standardized Testing
Don Paetkau (Biology) Maryjeanne R. Burke and Daughters SISTAR
Maria Khan Characterization of a Drosophila Retinal Degeneration Mutant: rdgE
Katherine Sullivan (Theatre)
Betsy Brown Rediscovering Michael Chekhov: The Old Becomes New Again
2003 SISTAR Teams
Keith Egan (Religious Studies)
Kathryn Harrison The Phenomenology of Edith Stein in Conversation with John of the Cross & The Phenomenology of Edith Stein in Conversation with Thomas Aquinas for a Deeper Understanding of Feminism
Indi Dieckgrafe (Dance)
Jaclyn Thompson Dance: Integrating Math, Motion and Forms
Bill Sandusky (Art)
Jennifer Trachy '04 in collaboration with Jill Feller '99 Aspects of The Brancacci Chapel of Masaccio, Masolino and Filippino Lippi Re-Created for the 21st Century
Rebecca Stoddart (Psychology)
Leticia Verduzco Writing Our Way to Finding Our Way in School & Mentoring Hispanic students’ high school success through language and cultural self-efficacy
2002 SISTAR Teams
Karen Chambers (Psychology)
Heather Engstrom "The Culture of Eating Disorders"
Sandra Ginter, (Art) "Indiana, the Crossroads of America"
Lisa Ritter "Transcendental Dinner Party" (Burke)
Astrid Henry (English and Women’s Studies)
Anna Lentz "Women's Sexuality and Empowerment at the Turn of the Twenty-First Century: Two Studies."
Jerome McElroy (Business Administration and Economics)
Leslie Morris "African Island Development Experiences"
2001 SISTAR Teams
Linda Berdayes (Communication, Dance and Theatre)
Hayley Dawson "A Media and Public Discourse: Narrative Diversity in the Era of Media Consolidation." (Burke)
Kara Eberly (Biology)
Angela Cederquist "Activation of Transgenic Mouse Macrophages: Which Genes Are Critical for Killing Bacteria?"
Jeffrey Jacob (Music)
Lilly Morales "A Poetry and Music Collaboration." - (Burke)
George Trey (Philosophy)
Alissa Blair "Philosophy, Emancipation and the Latin American Condition"
2000 SISTAR Teams
Christopher J. Dunlap (Chemistry/Physics)
Amy Dooms "Variables Affecting Available Phosphate Concentrations in Soils." - (Burke)
Clayton Henderson (Music) "Good's Opera House and the Oliver Opera House: Cultural Resources for South Bend, Indiana: 1880 - 1905"
Rebecca J. Klest "Women Composers of the Late Twentieth Century"
Patricia Sayre (Philosophy)
Nora Byrne "Epistemology"
Joanne R. Snow (Mathematics)
Angela Finke "The Philosophy of Mathematics"
1999 SISTAR Teams
Deborah McCarthy (Chemistry/Physics)
Anne Pangilinan "Studies of Antioxidants Produced for Use on Carbon/Carbon Composite Friction Materials"
Charles Peltier (Mathematics)
Chengdong Liu "Determination of the Variables that are Significant to Student Retention at Saint Mary's College"
Max Westler (English)
Emily Cardinali "Words and Images: Exploring Screen Writing"
Ann Loux (English)
Cara Ford "Voices from the Avenue and Beyond: A Current Reader for Literary Non-Fiction" - (Burke)
1998 SISTAR Teams
Marc Belanger (Political Science)
Amy Shepherd "Teaching Writing in the Borderlands Between Politics and Literature"
Jeffrey Breese (Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work)
Stacy Davis "Service Learning in Higher Education"
Patrick Pierce (Political Science)
Madeline Carpinelli "Constituency Contact and Citizen Knowledge"
Catherine Shoupe (Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work)
Carrie Goldbeck "Studying Music and Dance in Scotland: The Meaning of Meanings" - (Burke)
1997 SISTAR Teams
Jerome McElroy (Business Administration and Economics)
Patricia Olazarri "Measuring Tourism Development in Small Mediterranean Islands"
John Pauley (Communication, Dance and Theatre)
Anne Werring "Reintroducing Voices from the Past: Sister Miriam Joseph Ruah, C.S.C. and Sisters of the Holy Cross" (Burke)
Sean Savage (Political Science) "The Rise of African American Political Influence Within the Democratic Party"
Jennifer Warner "The Impact of the 1965 Voting Rights Act on Southern Democratic Politics"
Julie Storme (Modern Languages)
Genevieve Morrill "Collaborating on the Development of a New French Studies Course: French Colonization: History, Interpretation and Aftermath"
1996 SISTAR Teams
Theodore Billy (English)
Michele Kuhlmann "The Aesthetics of Iconography: Nathaniel Hawthorne's Psychology of Art"
Indi Dieckgrafe (Communication, Dance and Theatre)
Caroline Quinlan "Two Women Dancing"
Deborah Norin-Kuehn (Music)
Jill Switzer "A Study of Extended Vocal Techniques of the Twentieth Century"
Thomas Platt (Biology)
Kara Masucci "Molecular and Morphological Analysis of Larval and Adult Spirochids (Digenea: Schistosomatoidea), Parasites of Freshwater Turtles and Snails"
1995 SISTAR Teams
Susan Alexander (Sociology, Anthropology, & Social Work)
Johnna Skyles "The Social Construction of Feminism"
J. Philip Bays (Chemistry/Physics)
Amy Brinkhoff "Molecular Modeling in the Undergraduate Curriculum"
Sr. Jean Klene (English)
Suzanne Kondratenko "A Search for the Sociopolitical Context of Lady Anne Southwell"
"Friendship in the Writings of Women of the Renaissance"
Katie Sullivan (Communication, Dance and Theatre)
Kathryn O'Donnell "The Method to His Madness: A Performance Study of Jean Genet's The Maids"
1994 SISTAR Teams
Andrew Cutrofello (Philosophy)
Jennifer Shea "Reconstructing the Life-Philosophy of Lou Andreas-Salome"
Philip Tiu (Mathematics)
Elizabeth Go "On the Deterministic and Probabilistic Aspects of a Problem in Applied Combinatorics"
1993 SISTAR Teams
Herold Weiss (Religious Studies) "The Question of the Sabbath in the Epistles of Paul"
Lisa Hardman "Paul's Letter to the Romans: Ethical Guidelines in a Diverse Community"
Laura Haigwood (English) "The Romantic Link Between Feminine and Feminist: Gender and Ideology in Wordsworth and Coleridge's Lyrical Ballads"
Catherine Adams "Eliza Allen Starr: The Romantic Roots of a Woman-Centered Art Pedagogy"
Patricia Sayre (Philosophy) "Seeing the World Aright: Wittgenstein and Moral Psychology"
Katherine Bumb "Exploring Empathy: Wittgenstein and the Problem of Private Experience"
Zae Munn (Music)
Marcie Thorson "Composing Two Large-Scale Musical Works: From Creative Inception to Public Access"
1992 SISTAR teams
Rebecca Stoddart (Psychology)
Janine Felder "Self-Esteem, Social Problem Solving and Social Adjustment in Abused Preschoolers"
Tom Bonnell (English) "The Most Disreputable Trade: Publishing the Classics of British Poetry 1765-1810"
Rene Young "Stocking the Shelves: Women Poets in 18th-Century Anthologies"
Julie Wroblewski Tourtillotte (Art) "Contemporary Fiber Art: Rites of Passage, With an Investigation of Surface Design in Multi-Cultural Textiles"
Frances McMahon "The Human Form: Sculptural Fibers"
Ann Clark (Philosophy) "John Dewey and the Feminist Debate on Experience"
Lisa Claussen "Women's Experience: bell hooks and Vandana Shiva"
1991 SISTAR Teams
Gail Mandell (Humanistic Studies)
Moira Murphy "Rediscovering Times Past: Biographical Research into the Life and Times of Sr. Madeleva Wolff, C.S.C."
Marcia Rickard (Art)
Brenda Hull "Nine Drawings: Curatorial Problems in Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Art"
Catherine Pittman (Psychology)
Mary Beth Tusing "Facilitating the Return to Driving After Brain Injury: Neuropsychological Assessment of Driving Ability"
Jerome McElroy (Business Administration & Economics)
Angelique Dioguardi "Tourism in the Pacific Basin"
