Austin Coke NCUR 2021 Spotlight

AUSTIN COKE

Junior, History and Anthropology major with minors in Jewish Studies, International Studies, and World Religions

Research Mentor: Carol Street

View Austin's NCUR 2021 Abstract and Presentation Information

I enjoy research because.... "it allows me to personally discover answers to my many questions about the past as I work to reconstruct history."

How did you first get interested in undergraduate research at UK?

"I was first interested in getting involved in undergraduate research after studying abroad in Israel in the summer of 2019. Learning from the research of the many professors I met on that program, I developed a strong desire to contribute to global knowledge myself. The opportunity I found with the UK Learning Lab provided the perfect platform for me to begin asking my own questions and work towards my own research goals."

How long have you been engaged in undergraduate research?

"I began working in undergraduate research in August of 2020 and have been actively researching since then."

What has been the most exciting aspect of your research so far?

"With my research project, I believe the most exciting aspect of it so far has been knowing that I am learning a lot about individuals of Lexington's past that haven't been researched much at all. I am the first person who has worked with the archival collection I've been utilizing for my project so each page I turn is new information that hasn't been studied before. There's something really exciting knowing that I'm directly helping to reconstruct narratives from Lexington's history."

What advice would you give to other UK students thinking about doing research?

"My advice to those who are interested in doing research is to choose something that you're passionate about. Over the past years, I've become really passionate about the field of Jewish Studies and I was excited to have an opportunity to contribute to a topic I had been thoroughly engaged in. By choosing a focus area that you have a deep interest in, the research feels more like fun than it does as extra work!"