Nominations open for Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year Awards
LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 13, 2026) —The University of Kentucky Office of Undergraduate Research is accepting nominations for the 19th annual UK Excellent Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year awards. The student-nominated award recognizes excellence in supporting undergraduate research and conveys the campus’ high regard for outstanding contributions made to the academic and research community.
Nominations should be based on exemplary mentorship with a focus on advising students on enriching projects, a commitment to providing exceptional undergraduate research experiences above and beyond the classroom, as well as supporting and promoting undergraduate research initiatives on campus.
“A truly great mentor does more than guide individual students,” said Safiyah Sadek, current M1 student in the UK College of Medicine. “They change the world through their spirit of generosity, their commitment to uplifting others and their willingness to invest in futures beyond their own. Your nomination highlights their role in your personal and professional development, showcasing the transformative impact mentors have on students.”
Sadek’s mentor, Cassandra Gipson-Reichardt, Ph.D., associate professor of pharmacology and nutritional sciences in the College of Medicine, received the award in 2025.
Candidates must be faculty members from any UK department. Past award winners are not eligible for future nominations due to the large number of faculty participating in undergraduate research mentoring activities at UK.
“This award recognizes and celebrates the important role that faculty play in supporting and promoting undergraduate researchers,” said Brayden Nichols, a senior architecture major in the College of Design. “My mentor’s guidance, support, advice and other resources have helped me in being successful in my research endeavors and should be recognized.”
Nichols’ mentor, Lindsey Fay, Ph.D., associate professor in the College of Design School of Interiors, received the Excellent Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year award in 2025.
The awards will be presented at the Showcase of Undergraduate Scholars’ awards ceremony 3 p.m. April 29, in Historic Memorial Coliseum.
Nominations must be submitted by 11:55 p.m. April 1. Applicants will be reviewed anonymously by a student review committee.
Contact Jesi Bowman at jesibowman@uky.edu with questions about submitting a nomination.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.