about the UGR program from a pre-physical therapy student group and pursued an opportunity in Dr. Brian Noehren’s BioMotion Lab. “I had the perspective that research may be boring, and I wanted to see if it could be not only interesting but applied to my life and future work,” said Robertson, who is engaged in Noehren’s research involving anterior cruciate ligament injuries, patellofemoral pain and patellar instability, trunk control, and hip/trunk/core stability. Fortunately, Robertson’s research experience proved to be an interesting learning experience. “Dr. Noehren has been a great mentor. I’ve learned a lot from him, both in the clinical perspective and in the research world,” Robertson said. “I’ve come to appreciate the field of physical therapy so much more and how important research is to advancing the profession. As an added bonus, it has also helped improve my patient care skills as well.” Participating in UGR also enhances a student’s ability to work in team settings through a real-world application, which is not always possible in the classroom. Travis Green, a UK biology senior, is grateful for the opportunity to understand how the research process works, and he now realizes that research is truly a team effort. “Being part of a team gets you interested in how you can benefit everyone and what you can contribute,” said Green, who is mentored by Dr. Joe Stemple and is involved in research on changes in aging laryngeal muscles. “In this sense, research becomes something you want to stick with … The research aspect of science is the future, and we have to stay interested and preserve it.” Students are not the only winners in the UGR experience. For faculty mentors, working with undergraduate researchers can reinvigorate their work. “The undergrads have provided so much energy and creativity,” said Charlotte Peterson, PhD, Joseph Hamburg Endowed Professor and CHS Associate Dean for Research. “It’s such a pleasure to have them in the labs. Their sheer energy makes being in the lab fun.” There is also the practical benefit of having additional hands on deck to help with research projects, and even the act of explaining the work to students can be beneficial. “They will learn from you, and you will gain hands,” said Esther Dupont-Versteegden, PhD, Associate Professor, CHS Division of Physical Therapy. “Explaining a research project to undergraduate students can be refreshing because it makes a researcher think about what he or she is doing and why.” The majority of students mentored through the CHS
UGR Program plan to pursue a health-care-related career. A strong motivator for faculty mentors is that the UGR experience helps students become better clinicians and better consumers of research literature by providing a firsthand framework for understanding research that they would not have otherwise. For some undergraduate researchers, the experience opens doors to other opportunities. “CHS has experienced great success in mentoring future scientists in health care, particularly in terms of student financial support,” Capilouto said. “Since the program’s inception, one student travel award, three summer grants, and two nationally recognized summer research fellowships have been awarded to undergraduate researchers in the college.” As the program continues to grow, more research mentors are needed to keep up with the demand. Capilouto aims to have at least 90 percent participation from CHS faculty and will continue to expand the opportunities available through faculty from other colleges as well.
CHS Undergraduate Research Program Faculty Mentors Anne Olson, PhD Bob Marshall, PhD Brian Noehren, PhD Catherine Mao, PhD Charlotte Peterson, PhD Donna Morris, PhD Esther Dupont-Versteegden, PhD Gilson Capilouto, PhD Kathy Sheppard-Jones, PhD Jennifer Howard, PhD Joe Stemple, PhD Joneen Lowman, PhD Karen Skaff, PhD Richie Andreatta, PhD Scott Livingston, PhD Stephen Firsing, PhD Tim Butterfield, PhD Tim Uhl, PhD Travis Thomas, PhD For more information, visit http://bit.ly/chs_ugr
The University of Kentucky will host the National Conference on Undergraduate Research April 3-5. Winter 2014 11