Although seniors usually don't start writing their theses until the fall, many emphasize the importance of getting an early start. Supinda Bunyavanich '99, an Environmental Science and Public Policy concentrator, started planning her project in the spring of her junior year.

Bunyavanich then spent three months over the summer doing fieldwork in Malaysia researching the role of science in sustainable forest management.

"Every day I spent on it, I learned more," Bunyavanich said. "It did become a central part of my life."

"It's an incredibly rewarding experience," said Miriam B. Goldstein '99, who whose thesis focused on the Arabic influence on Medieval Hebrew poetry. "It is a wonderful finish to a Harvard career."

The following students, all Class of 1999, were named prize winners: Miriam B. Goldstein, Katherine R. Ives, Catherine A. Kreindler, Eric M. Nelson and Lamelle D. Rawlins, all of Adams House; Stephanie V.A. Gibbs, David A. Lyczkowski, Margaret E. Schotte, Samuel B. Shaw, Lee Shearer, Paul D. Todgham and Katherine R. Unterman, all of Cabot House; Olivia S. Choe, David W. Lerch and Jay T. Perron, all of Currier House; Kevin R. Amer, Chaunfei Chin, Jay H. Chyung, Joshua A. Eisner, Tera Hong, Karen Kim, Joel B. Pollak and Eijean I. Wu, all of Dunster House; Adam W. Bellack, Nikki L. DeBlosi, Dara Horn, Daniel Kirschner, Huyen-Lam Q. Nguyen, Jennifer J. Stetzer and Laura M. Weinrib, all of Eliot House; Ariel S. Frey, Maxwell N. Krohn and Semra A. Mesulam, all of Kirkland House; Heather S. Craw, Rachel A. Farbiarz, Benjamin D. Florman, Scott Rothkopf and Hanna R. Shell, all of Leverett House; Elif I. Batuman, Elizabeth S. Drogin, Elizabeth W. Dunn, Eric J. Feigin, Alma Hadar, Paul N. Lekas, Anil S. Menon, Ming-e M. Ou, Gad Soffer, Emily V. Thornbury, Nikhil Wagle and Markella V. Zanni, all of Lowell House; Daniel J. Benjamin, Jennifer A. Burney, Chelsea H. Foxwell, Doreen T. Ho, Amy B. Stanley and Stephen E. Weinberg, all of Mather House; Jared H. Beck and Judson L. Jaffe of Pforzheimer House; Supinda Bunyavanich, Dunja Popovic and Yukiko Sekino, all of Quincy House; and Rachel N. Carmody, Hadi N. Deeb, Shalimar A. Fojas and Evan L.R. Osnos, all of Winthrop House.

Honorable mentions were awarded to Elizabeth A. Buzney of Adams House, Ian Dunn of Leverett House and Halton A. Peters of Lowell House.