Undergrads: Turn Summer into a Research Experience

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 15, 2022) — Summer offers an ideal opportunity for undergraduate students at the University of Kentucky to engage in research and creative experiences that prepare them for graduate school and future careers.

Seventeen colleges across UK’s campus have received funds from the Office of the Vice President for Research through the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) to fund undergraduate research and creative work. Colleges and the OUR host several summer programs where students can further their knowledge and skills in a specific discipline–or explore new areas of research and creative activity. Many also offer stipends to help support work on new or ongoing projects.

"Summer research is a great opportunity for me to continue the work that I do during the fall and spring semesters, so this experience has allowed me to work continuously and sustain a long-term project,” said Sundus "Sunny" Ghuneim, a senior Agriculture and Medical Biotechnology major who worked with mentor Analia Loria, Ph.D., in the College of Medicine’s department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences last summer. “This research has allowed me to learn not only laboratory skills, but also organizational and leadership skills that I can translate to my future career and research."

Students from all majors are encouraged to explore and apply for programs listed below and on OUR’s website here. Students are also invited to contact the college where their major is located to find out more information on how to apply. Application deadlines are approaching, with many set for March 1, 2022. 

Programs offered by the Office of Undergraduate Research:

• Commonwealth Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) Fellowships

• Sustainability Summer Research Fellowships

• Beckman Scholar Program

Programs offered by colleges across UK include:

• College of Arts and Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships

• College of Health Sciences Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowships

• College of Engineering REU program

• College of Medicine Summer Training in Environmental Health and Pharmacological Sciences (STEPS)

• College of Dentistry: Center for Oral Health Research Summer Undergraduate Research Scholarship Award

• College of Social Work Undergraduate Research Summer Fellowships

• Markey Science Training in Research, Oncology, Networking and professional Growth (STRONG) Scholars Program

• SCoBIRC African American Research Scholars Program

The OUR is also offering several workshops to help students apply:

• How to Write a Strong Personal Statement on Feb. 15 at 5:00 p.m. via Zoom

• Writing a Research Proposal Workshop on Feb. 17 at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom

• How to Effectively Communicate your Research on Feb. 22 at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom

The University of Kentucky is increasingly the first choice for students, faculty and staff to pursue their passions and their professional goals. In the last two years, Forbes has named UK among the best employers for diversity, and INSIGHT into Diversity recognized us as a Diversity Champion four years running. UK is ranked among the top 30 campuses in the nation for LGBTQ* inclusion and safety. UK has been judged a “Great College to Work for" three years in a row, and UK is among only 22 universities in the country on Forbes' list of "America's Best Employers."  We are ranked among the top 10 percent of public institutions for research expenditures — a tangible symbol of our breadth and depth as a university focused on discovery that changes lives and communities. And our patients know and appreciate the fact that UK HealthCare has been named the state’s top hospital for five straight years. Accolades and honors are great. But they are more important for what they represent: the idea that creating a community of belonging and commitment to excellence is how we honor our mission to be not simply the University of Kentucky, but the University for Kentucky.