HULSMAN Award Winners 2026
The Jim and Mary Lois Hulsman Undergraduate Library Research Award program recognizes excellence in undergraduate research that incorporates the use of University Libraries resources and demonstrates sophisticated information literacy skills. Student award winners receive a cash prize – $500 for 1st place, $300 for 2nd place, $200 for 3rd place – and recognition for their outstanding efforts. Submissions are posted in the UNM Digital Repository.
The College of University Libraries and Learning Sciences sincerely thank UNM Alumni, Jim and Mary Lois Hulsman, for supporting our student recognition and engagement efforts. We are grateful and celebrate Mr. and Mrs. Hulsman for generously donating nearly $1 million to our college since 2007.
View the full submissions in the Digital Repository.
Advanced Researcher First Place
Isaac Suarez Flint
Archiving Erasure: Trans Absence in the Bennett Hammer LGBT Collection
Junior
Major in American Studies / Minor in Community & Regional Planning
Isaac Suarez Flint is a junior majoring in American Studies with a minor in Community and Regional Planning. He is a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Research Fellow working under the mentorship of Dr. Francisco Galarte and Dr. Myrriah Gómez. His research interests include queer and trans history, critical archival studies, and trans of color critique. He would like to thank Dr. Divana Olivas and his CCS495/593 classmates for their continued support and feedback on his work!
Emerging Researcher Co-First Place
Alina Barney
Creativity as Activism: Girl Zines and the Redefining of Modern Feminism
Freshman
Undecided
Alina is a freshman at UNM from Alaska hoping to pursue a career in healthcare as a physician. She is interested in sociology, medicine, and environmental science. Alina's favorite activities include backpacking, sewing and live music.
Emerging Researcher Co-First Place
Analisa Peña
The Many Faces of Christ: Understanding ‘Trifacial Trinity’ by Gregorio Vasquez Arce y Ceballos
Junior
Secondary Education, concentration in Social Studies
Analisa, an Albuquerque local, is bound to graduate Spring 2027 with a B.A. in Secondary Education. She plans to return that fall in pursuit of a master’s degree as well. A lover of history, she believes that to truly understand the contemporary world, you must be familiar with the subject. This ideology is the driving force behind her career plans to become a high school history teacher, following in the footsteps of many her family members as an educator. In her classroom she’d like to command an environment that fosters an accessible, fun, and engaging picture of history for her students.
Emerging Researcher Second Place
Maya Jio
Spatial Solutions: Examining the Intersections of Design, Policy, and the Housing Affordability Crisis in New Mexico
Senior
Major in Pre-Professional Architecture, Minor in Landscape Architecture
Maya Jio is a senior studying Pre-Professional Architecture, with a minor in Landscape Architecture, as well as a student employee for the School of Architecture and Planning. Passionate about family, church, the outdoors and all things design, she enjoys staying active and learning new things. Upon graduating from UNM, she plans to continue her academic studies, secure a job in the field of architecture and design, and hopes to travel as much as possible.
Emerging Researcher Third Place
Raychel Giles
The Sublimity of Vampirism and Vampiric Transformation in Stoker’s Dracula
Sophomore
English
Born and raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Raychel is a sophomore pursuing a degree in English. As a writing tutor with UNM's Center for Teaching and Learning and a Mellon Mays fellow, she has a deep and enduring passion for reading and writing. She hopes to continue her studies at the graduate school level.
