Undergraduate research focus of alumni panel
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 22, 2025) — University of Kentucky faculty work with students not only in the classroom but in the lab, in the field and in the community to train them for their futures.
The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) will host the Research Alumni Career Panel 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23, in Room 150 of the Healthy Kentucky Research Building (HKRB). Five University of Kentucky research alumni will share their experiences, discuss how research prepared them for graduation and their careers, and offer tips on using research experience to strengthen resumes and stand out in applications and interviews.
“While we often consider research as a way to put to practice knowledge learned in the classroom to make discoveries, research also provides opportunities to practice so-called soft skills, including teamwork and communication and to learn about other career pathways,” said Chad Risko, Ph.D., OUR faculty director. “The Research Alumni Career Panel will demonstrate how these factors can foster educational and career growth and lead to future opportunities that are not often even being considered by the researcher.”
2025 Research Alumni Career Panel:
Patrick Bidros is an alumnus who did extensive undergraduate research with Lisa Cassis in the College of Medicine and studied the sex differences of selective serotonin receptors and their effect on abdominal aortic aneurysms. As an Undergraduate Research Ambassador, Bidros excelled at increasing awareness and involvement in research while providing valuable peer support. He is currently exploring research efforts in the College of Medicine as a medical student and plans to graduate in 2027 with an interest in surgery.
Danica Hak is a 2024 graduate of the College of Design, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in interiors with a minor in dance. Her leadership qualities were recognized through her selection as an Undergraduate Research Ambassador and Gaines Fellow, along with receiving Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships in immersive design. Hak has embarked on her professional journey at RossTarrant Architects, focusing on educational design and cultivating a culture of collaboration and innovation.
Kendra Hargis-Stenze, Ph.D., is the director of innovation talent development at Launch Blue where she works closely with the next generation of innovation, commercialization and entrepreneurial leaders by providing educational and experiential training opportunities. She earned her bachelor’s degree in forensic science from Eastern Kentucky University and her Ph.D. in pharmacology from UK. Hargis-Stenze works to educate researchers on campus about framing their research outcomes to ultimately impact the populations they seek to serve. She has launched the Innovation Training Micro-Certification for all students and researchers, as well as the Commercialization and Innovation Leadership and Entrepreneurial Leadership Programs.
Katie Land is a pharmacology Ph.D. candidate in the College of Medicine and a full-time research assistant senior in the Hannon Laboratory in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology. She began her research journey at UK as an undergraduate, studying how environmental exposures affect women’s reproductive health and was one of the university’s first Undergraduate Research Ambassadors. Land’s work has led to multiple first-author publications recognized internationally with Best Paper, Top Cited Article and Top Downloaded Article honors from the Society of Toxicology and the Journal of Molecular Reproduction & Development. Katie plans to pursue a career as an in vitro fertilization clinic laboratory director, where she hopes to bridge scientific discovery with clinical and personal impact.
Steven Poore is a Ph.D. candidate in the Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering. Poore engaged in undergraduate research focused on electric power systems and renewable energy technologies, showcasing a commitment to advancing knowledge in sustainable energy solutions. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering as an NSF Graduate Research Fellow and has authored multiple journal and conference proceedings papers focusing on emerging technologies, control and the reliability of electric power distribution systems.
The Research Alumni Career Panel is free and open to the public. Free parking is available in the HKRB lot. Register here.
For more information, contact OUR at 859-257-6420 or email Jesi Jones-Bowman, jesibowman@uky.edu.
About the Office of Undergraduate Research
Founded in 2000, the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) serves as a central hub for student research, scholarship and creative inquiry across all academic fields. OUR’s mission is to serve as a central resource to promote and expand experiential learning for undergraduate students through research experiences with skilled research mentors.
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.