BRI GRIMSLEY NCUR 2022 Spotlight

Bri Grimsley

Senior, Anthropology major and Criminology minor

Research Mentors: Carol Street and Dr. Julia Ravenscroft

I enjoy research because.... "It’s ultimately fulfilling. Even completing small tasks feels like a victory in my research, and the excitement I feel when I’m approaching an end goal is unlike anything else."

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

"I knew that I wanted to do research before graduating because I wanted to get a feel for whether or not graduate school was the right option for me, and because I love to learn. I spent some time looking at the different research opportunities for undergraduates, and the Special Collections Learning Lab Internship sounded like something I would really enjoy and learn a lot from, so I applied just a few days after finding it."

How long have you been engaged in undergraduate research?

"I started my research at the beginning of the Fall semester of 2021."

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

"I am working with a 19th-century cookbook, and most of the recipes inside haven’t worked out well, but when my first loaf of bread turned out beautifully after a few modifications, I was ecstatic."

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

"Really think about how much time you’ll have to dedicate to your research each semester, and I don’t just mean with your classes. Think about how much time you spend doing homework, how much time you need to spend taking care of yourself each week, and if you have a job or any other commitments because it is so easy to overload yourself with work. You won’t enjoy your research or get all of its benefits if its a major point of stress or if it’s keeping you up all night to work, so just consider your schedule."