VO: When undergrads get involved in research, they’re more likely to stay at their university,
enjoy their courses, and find career success.
The University of Kentucky fosters research experiences through the Office of Undergraduate
Research, and the student-run Society for the Promotion of Undergraduate Research.
Each spring these groups host a showcase that allows students to demonstrate what they’ve
learned and communicate why it’s important.
In April 2012, 198 students shared their discoveries through poster, oral and table presentations.
Here’s what a few of these students, and their faculty mentors, had to say.
Dominique Luster: For my project, I designed The Crucible by Arthur Miller.
I started out by researching many images I felt evoked the emotions of the play, and
I found one that was the most evocative, and I used it as the launching point for the rest
of my play.
Taylor Lloyd: My project is using the newest generation of PCR--so that’s Polymerase
Chain Reaction.
A lot of biological scientists are using PCR in many different forms.
This is actually quantitative real-time PCR, and so what we’re able to do is measure
the relative expression of different genes within the entire plant.
Drake Jackson: I’m looking at the relationship between government spending and education
on all levels--federal, state, and local.
And the NATE test scores, which is a national measure of students in a classroom.
I’m looking at that from 1990 to 2009.
Brandy Collins: This is part of a larger project.
I was working with compost barns, which is an alternative housing system for dairy cattle.
And we were looking specifically to find alternate materials to use in the beddings.
Sawdust is traditionally the method, but we were looking for something that could be used
from an Ag byproduct, or something that could be grown locally on the farm and chopped up
and used.
Miranda Richardson: My research project is dealing with Wobbler Syndrome, which is a
developmental disease that affects the vertebrae in the neck, which cause compression, and
the horses don’t know where their feet are.
So we looked for two factors, because it’s a very complex disease, we don’t know what
causes horses to get Wobbler Syndrome.
So our project specifically focused on foaling date and genetics.
Jennifer Janes: It’s very important to foster young minds into research and scholarship
because they are the next generation, and getting into the process of asking those questions,
and how to investigate and go from there.
They can bring so much to it, a fresh take, and new things that they’re learning.
The earlier they begin; they can contribute that much more.
Libby Knouse: The most important thing I’ve learned is probably collaboration, because
you go into it thinking that you’re probably going to be working on some low-level project
by yourself, but then it turns out that there’s other people in the lab.
Your mentor knows everybody and has connections everywhere, and there’s so many people that
are a wealth of information and actually really want to work with you and help you produce
something that’s awesome.
Josiah Hanna: If you can find something that you’re interested in and can be passionate
about, it can be a lot of fun and very rewarding and challenging.
Also, finding a mentor that you can work well with is very important because they’re going
to guide you, and if it’s someone you can work well with, you’re going to excel at
it.
Taylor Lloyd: There’s more than meets the eye in undergraduate research.
Your first semester you can get involved and really understand the process and the ideas
that go in behind it.
But the more you’re involved in undergraduate research; you can get further and further
into your project and begin to take ownership of it.
This project I’ve seen all the way from the beginning, along with two other projects
I’ve been working on at the same time.
It keeps you on your toes.
It’s amazing where it can go and where it can relate to other big-world applications
in the future.
Dominique Luster: When it comes to designing something, you really need to know where you’re
going and what your goal is in mind.
You have to be open for the design to change, but it’s really important to know where
the design is supposed to be going and staying focused on that.
Brandy Collins: I did get to participate in writing a grant proposal, so I did get to
experience doing that.
Really getting involved in the whole experimental design system.
That was really important.
I think it’s going to be beneficial in pursuing graduate school.
I think having that background as an undergraduate will really help me.
Jeffrey Bewley: One of the things I’m amazed with is almost all the students I’ve had
involved in undergraduate research their grade point averages have increased dramatically
after they started in undergraduate research.
It gets them engaged.
It shows them that they can contribute to something and then, for many of them, it’s
the door that opens graduate school or professional school afterward.
Drake Jackson: Research not only makes the undergraduate experience more special, but
also definitely opens doors to better experiences after you graduate, including at the graduate
level and also if you’re going straight into the workforce.
John Garen: We learn a lot of things in the classroom, sort of textbook theorems and examples,
but I think actually getting hands-on data and being expected to conduct a research project
is a completely different intellectual experience, and I think it’s very valuable for people
to go through that and learn what it’s like.
Rachel Evans: What I’ve really enjoyed is getting to know the grad students and my mentor.
It builds a great relationship and rapport with them.
I looked forward to going into lab every week.
I would say that’s really important, to make sure you’re somewhere that you want
to be.
Zaheen Rabbani: It’s a great way to get involved.
Academically, I’ve learned a lot from my experience.
I’ve learned more from doing research than I have from reading a textbook.
I’ve learned how to think critically, and I’ve had fun in the process.
I definitely recommend it’s something people should do once they get into UK.
Drake Jackson: Research will completely change your college experience for the better.
Taylor Loyd: It will pay off.
Not just in your presentation abilities, your different publications you might be able to
get, but just even in your coursework.
Libby Knouse: Ask questions.
Don’t be intimidated.
People really want to help you and learn with you and do a great project with you.