Explore, Engage, Emerge: The Office of Undergraduate Research

Undergraduate students are leaving a lasting mark on research and scholarship at the University of Kentucky.

This past year, UK journalism students teamed up with students in the College of Pharmacy's Rho Chi Honor Society to produce two public service announcements regarding a life-saving tool for drug overdose, naloxone, which was developed by UK researchers. These PSAs aired, in English and Spanish, on the Lexington Public Access Channel, UK Student News Network, local network stations, movie theatres and radio stations.

Last month, a group of UK College of Engineering undergrads, with funding from NASA Kentucky, witnessed the launch of their 7.5-inch diameter re-entry capsule to test heat shield technology developed here at UK. The capsule could solve practical problems like sending samples back to Earth or launching and testing new instruments in space.

These are just two examples of the breadth and depth of UK research and the unique opportunities undergrads have to be part of the discovery process. The Office of Undergraduate Research is here to help students get started.

In this podcast Phil Kraemer, the Chellgren Chair for Undergraduate Excellence, shares how his office can connect students with research mentors, support research travel and provide opportunities to present their work at Posters-at-the-Capitol, the Showcase of Undergraduate Scholars, and the National Conference of Undergraduate Research.

Kraemer says, “The University of Kentucky is quite fortunate to have outstanding researchers and scholars, and to put them in one-on-one connection with a very talented undergraduate, it can be transformative. Some of the students that have gone the furthest continue to tell us it was that research mentor that really made the difference—put them on a different path, supported them differently, gave them opportunities they never would have had.”

To learn more, visit www.uky.edu/chellgren/undergraduate-research.