HANNAH ALLEN 2024 Posters-at-the-Capitol Spotlight

Hannah Allen 

Major: Biology

Minor: Chemistry 

Research Mentor: Dr. David Weisrock

I enjoy research because.... "I really enjoy challenging activities with outcomes which may be used for the good of all human beings. And what can be more challenging than to pursue for a problem which may not have been analyzed before by anyone else?"

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

"I took a Bio 198 class where my mentor guided the lab and I thought being able to sequence bacteria in your gut was neat and saw she had an opening in her lab. My intro biology course was talking about how humans change their gut microbiome for birth and it sparked my project idea with my mentor on tweaking her project to see it in freshwater mussels."

How long have you been engaged in undergraduate research?

"I have been in my lab for three years now."

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

"Probably making new discoveries in my project and getting to know other lab members."

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

"Do it. Don't be afraid of taking on research that you're not familiar with. When I was a freshman and looking for a lab, I didn't have any fabrication experience with graphene or anything for that matter. But it was really interesting to me! So, I reached out to a PI if I could help on a project and soon became a fellow in the Weisrock Lab."