2026 5-Minute Fast Track Competition winners announced

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 4, 2026) — The University of Kentucky Office of Undergraduate Research has announced the winners of this year’s 5-Minute Fast Track Research Oral Competition. 

To build students’ presentation and research communication skills, competitors were challenged to present their research in five minutes using only one static slide before a panel of three judges and a virtual audience. 

The competition included a preliminary round, with the top 10 students advancing to the final. The final round was held in Room 150 of the Healthy Kentucky Research Building and livestreamed to a virtual audience. 

The 2026 winners include:  

First place: Evan Neary, neuroscience, psychology and Lewis Honors College junior; mentor: Shannon Macauley, College of Medicine 

Second place: Ben Haase, neuroscience junior; mentor: Michael Bardo, College of Arts and Sciences  

Third place: Callista Huber, chemistry senior; mentor: Chris Richards, College of Arts and Sciences 

Learn more about the competition here.