Faculty Mentor of the Month

Mentors make a difference.

The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) officially launched the Research Faculty Mentor of the Month recognition program in August 2017 and have since recognized 82 faculty mentors.

Each month the OUR office will highlight one of UK's outstanding and very much appreciated research faculty mentors who offer leadership and support to undergraduate student researchers.

John D'Orazio

Week 13 Nov 19, 2018

Dr. John D'Orazio is a Professor of Pediatrics in the UK College of Medicine, as well as the Interim Director of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology. Dr. D'Orazio is a physician scientist who combines a clinical career in pediatric hematology/oncology, caring for children with cancer and blood diseases, with melanoma and melanocyte research. Over the last year, Dr. D'Orazio has mentored 4 students in his lab and many others in the hospital as clinical observers onn Pediatric Hematology/Oncology rounds.

Susie Thiel

Week 12 Nov 12, 2018

Susie Thiel is a multi-media artist, choreographer, performer and educator. She is the Director of the Dance Program and Assistant Professor of Theatre at the University of Kentucky. Over the past year, Ms. Thiel has mentored 10 undergraduate students and explained, "I work hard to teach my students the importance of dance research and practice as research. Most students do not realize the importance of dance scholarship or that dance performance and choreography is research.

Sarah Kercsmar

Week 11 Nov 5, 2018

Dr. Sarah Kercsmar is Director of Undergraduate Studies and CLM Assistant Professor in the College of Health Sciences. Dr. Kercsmar loves teaching and working with students, from the very first year until graduation. She especially likes trying out new teaching methods and active learning tools to help students learn through hands-on experience. Her research interests include the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, service-learning, and population level public health interventions.

Christia Brown

Week 9 Oct 22, 2018

Dr. Christia Brown is Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Psychology, as well as the Director of Center for Equality and Social Justice. Over the past year, Dr. Brown has mentored 15 students. When asked how her role as a mentor creates value in her life, she explained, "I am deeply inspired by my mentees. The most rewarding part of my job is helping students develop a passion for research and a drive to ask the kinds of questions that can improve the world." Dr.

David Puleo

Week 8 Oct 15, 2018

Puleo joined UK in 1991 after receiving his Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. He became director of the Center for Biomedical Engineering (now the F. Joseph Halcomb III, M.D. Department of Biomedical Engineering) in 2005 and associate dean for research and graduate studies in 2015. He received UK’s Excellence in Teaching for Biomedical Engineering in 2011, 2013 and 2015 and the College of Engineering Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research in 2013.

Joao Costa

Week 7 Oct 8, 2018

Dr. Joao Costa is an Assistant Professor in Dairy Sciences at the Department of Animal Sciences. Over the past year, Dr. Costa has mentored 5 graduate, 12 undergraduates and 3 undergraduates from France as well as a section of the StemCats research mentorship program in Animal behavior.

DaMaris Hill

Week 6 Oct 1, 2018

Dr. DaMaris B. Hill is an Associate Professor of English and Creative Writing in the College of Arts and Sciences. Over the past year, Dr. Hill has mentored many over 15 students including graduate students across many colleges at the University of Kentucky. When looking for mentees, Dr. Hill looks for students with commitment, creativity, and vision. Dr. Hill believes that students should engage in undergraduate research "in order explore and engage with their interests in a way that can impact their "glocal" community."

Rebekah Radtke

Week 5 Sep 24, 2018

Rebekah Radtke is an assistant professor at the University of Kentucky. She has mentored 4 students and has said that mentoring students brings vibrancy to her work and allows her to think about her research from a different perspective. She says mentees have influenced how she approaches her research by providing valuable insights and energy to projects that impact our communities.

Amanda Adams

Week 4 Sep 17, 2018

Dr. Amanda Adams is an Associate Professor at the University of Kentucky. She has over 20 referred publications and has been working with students in research at the university since 2011. Working at the Maxwell H.

John Peloza

Week 2 Sep 10, 2018

Dr. John Peloza is an Associate Professor in the Gatton School of Business and Economics. Dr. Peloza's research focuses on corporate social responsibility and prosocial consumer behavior, and is characterized by interdisciplinary theories and methods. In the last year, he has mentored 2 undergraduate students, as well as numerous doctoral students. When asked about how his mentees have influenced his life, he said “First, undergraduates can bring useful insights and ideas to a project.

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