Our Chellgren Student Fellows, "Chellows" for short, represent a variety of majors and interests. From throughout different colleges across UK, the Chellows represent the best and the brightest young professionals passionate about academic, research, and community engagement.
*Lewis Honors College
Blake is pursuing a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences and is also a member of the Lewis Honors College.
Blake is majoring in biology and plans to attend medical school at the University of Kentucky after obtaining a Bachelor of Science. Her research project will build upon previous research she completed in her BIO 198 class. She will extract, amplify, and analyze DNA to answer her research question regarding the gut microbiome of honeybees. Her mentor is Dr. Emily Croteau in the Department of Biology.
Stephanie is pursuing a degree in the College of Public Health.
Stephanie is majoring in Public Health and is on the Pre-Medicine track. She plans on attending a med school, preferably one in Kentucky or Michigan. She loves learning about med school in general, the students, what they learn, and the pros and cons. Her research role involves analyzing data from an ongoing longitudinal study of medical students' journeys through medical training at UKCOM, including studying the specialty choice process and how students effectively navigate towards academic and social success in professional school. Her mentor is Dr. Lillian Sims, who is the Director of Medical Student Research, an Assistant Professor, and is in the Department of Behavioral Science.
Ryan is pursuing degrees in the Gatton College of Business and Economics and is also a member of the Lewis Honors College.
Ryan is majoring in Economics and Statistics/Data Science at the University of Kentucky and hopes to build a career that leverages data to address complex real-world challenges. He was drawn to economics and data science for their widely applicable analytical frameworks and their power to translate quantitative insight into actionable results. His research explores the expanding footprint of data centers and evaluates their increasing economic, environmental, and societal impact. He is mentored by Dr. Eleanor Krause in the Department of Economics.
Carson is pursuing multiple degrees in the Pigman College of Engineering and is also a member of the Lewis Honors College.
Carson is a sophomore pursuing a dual degree in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering. His project is to lead the RockSat 2026 Kentucky Reentry Universal Payload Systems (KRUPS) mission. This project will require the design, manufacturing, and ultimately the flight of a basketball-sized hypersonic reentry vehicle that will allow the University of Kentucky to continue its long-standing legacy as the only university in the world to achieve realistic reentry conditions. The data that is gathered from thermocouples, pressure sensors, IMUs, spectrometers, etc. will allow the KRUPS team to reconstruct the reentry environment's interaction with the Thermal Protection System (heat shield) onboard the vehicle. This capsule will validate testing done at the University of Oxford on a "double-cone" shape for the heat shield. The experiment will fly on a NASA suborbital sounding rocket out of Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia and will achieve an altitude of over 100 miles. This mission follows in the footsteps of multiple suborbital flights as well as two previous flights from the International Space Station. Carson's mentor for this project is Dr. Alexandre Martin, Ph.D., P.E., Ervin J. Nutter Professor; Director, Kentucky Space Grant Consortium and NASA EPSCoR Programs.
Landon is pursuing a degree in the Pigman College of Engineering and is also a member of the Lewis Honors College.
Landon is pursuing a degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Kentucky. His research project focuses on exploring how sustainable communities can be developed on reclaimed mine sites, studying ways to repurpose post-mining landscapes through practical, community-oriented engineering solutions. He is working with Professor Rebekah Radtke from the UK College of Design and the Sustainable Futures Design Lab.
London is pursuing a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences and is also a member of the Lewis Honors College.
London is majoring in neuroscience and is on track to attend dental school after completing his bachelor's degree. He has been interested in dentistry ever since he had oral surgery along with braces in middle school, which sparked his interest in the field. His research project aligns with his interests as it focuses on if the medication Ozempic will reduce gingival inflammation and improve both local and systemic inflammatory and endothelial markers among children with obesity. His mentor during this research is Dr. Oelisoa Andriankaja in the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry’s Department of Oral Health.
Isabella is pursuing a degree in the College of Education.
Bella is majoring in Learning and Behavior Disorders and Elementary Education, with plans to become an elementary school teacher. She was drawn to education because of her passion for serving children, particularly those with exceptional needs. Her research project examines whether professional development training on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can increase college students’ self-efficacy as they prepare for careers working with children. Her mentor is Dr. Sarah Hawkins-Lear in the Department of Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education.
Clara is pursuing a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences and is also a member of the Lewis Honors College.
Clara is a neuroscience major and is hoping to attend medical school to become an Otolaryngologist. She is passionate about neuroscience due to its complexities and is particularly interested in understanding the neurological components of hearing. Her research project focuses on the impact of biological sex on TRPA 1 channels and its effects on hearing. Her mentor is Dr. Velez-Ortega in the Department of Physiology.
Saidah is pursuing multiple degrees in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Saidah is majoring in Sociology and Economics with a minor in African American Studies. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. after completing her bachelor’s degree. Her interest in sociology stems from a desire to better understand how different cultures and societies are formed and how they interact. Her research project combines archival materials and existing scholarship to examine how Trinidadian Carnival has functioned as a form of resistance from colonial times to the present. Her faculty mentor is Dr. Bertin M. Louis in the Department of Anthropology.
Joseph is pursuing degrees in the College of Education, the Gatton College of Business and Economics, and the College of Arts and Sciences, and is also a member of the Lewis Honors College.
Joseph is pursuing his dual degree in Psychology and Finance with a Certificate in Structurally Responsive Mental Health Care. He plans to go to graduate school for Clinical Psychology to support clients with complex mental health needs, with a strong interest in PTSD. His research now focuses on a person's own thoughts, feelings, motivations, and action tendencies that can serve as both a key predictor of belief in a conspiracy and a defense mechanism for making sense of their social environment. His mentor is Dr. Steven A Arthur in the Department of Psychology.
Nancy is pursuing a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences and is also a member of the Lewis Honors College.
Nancy is majoring in Biology with a minor in microbiology and plans to attend Dental School after obtaining a bachelor's degree. She was drawn to Biology because she enjoys understanding how biological processes can affect real-world scenarios. Her research project uses communicative strategies to understand and combat the extremely low HPV vaccination rates found in three rural counties in Kentucky. Her mentor is Dr. Pamela Stein in the Department of Public Health.
Omar is pursuing a degree in the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment and is also a member of the Lewis Honors College.
Omar is majoring in Agricultural and Medical Biotechnology and plans to attend medical school after completing his bachelor's degree. He was drawn to agricultural and medical biotechnology because he likes the smaller class sizes and strong emphasis on independent research in the major. His research project focuses on how genetic and environmental factors may influence lipid metabolism and brain cognition in mice with a model of Alzheimer's disease. His mentor is Dr. Lance Johnson in the Department of Physiology.
Catalina is pursuing multiple degrees in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Catalina is double-majoring in Statistics and Law and Justice and plans to attend law school after she gets her bachelor's degree. She was drawn to these majors because she wants to find ways to use them both in her future and teach others how to utilize what seem as polar opposite fields, but in reality go hand-in-hand. Her research project will look at the connection of protest prevalence to judicial opinion and approval ratings. Her mentor is Dr. Zilis in the Department of Political Science. Her project is still in its initial phases and is subject to change or refinement.
Katelyn is pursuing a degree in the Gatton College of Business and Economics and is a member of the Lewis Honors College.
Katelyn is majoring in economics, accounting, and business management. She enjoys the field of economics because she loves seeing textbook concepts come to life in everyday decisions, whether in local settings, national policies, or global markets. It also allows her to explore the complexity of the production and consumption systems that define our world. Her research project assesses the economic and social impacts of Kentucky's shift to a presumptive equal custody law. Her mentor is Dr. Justin Heflin in the Department of Economics.
Taylor is pursuing a degree in the Pigman College of Engineering and is a member of the Lewis Honors College.
Taylor is majoring in electrical engineering with a double minor in business and mathematics. After completing his bachelor’s degree, Taylor plans to obtain a Master’s of Science in Electrical Engineering and develop solutions in radio-frequency, biomedical, and optics systems. He was initially drawn to electrical engineering because of his principal interests in visible light, waveforms, geometric phenomena, and magnetic fields. His research project focuses on measuring, analyzing, and modeling neural signals from the nervous system, then classifying them into predefined emotional states using machine learning algorithms. His mentor is Dr. Jihye Bae in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Hannah is pursuing a degree in the Pigman College of Engineering and is a member of the Lewis Honors College.
Hannah is majoring in Biomedical Engineering with plans to work in the biomaterials industry after completing her bachelor's degree. She is passionate about biomedical engineering because she is intrigued by the problem-solving strategies applied at the junction of technology and the medical field. Her research project focuses on the use of magnetic heating to regulate antitumor immunity, exploring the intrinsic connection between immune responses and body temperature. Her mentor is Dr. Sheng Tong in the Department of Biomedical Engineering.
Aaron is pursuing a degree in the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment and is also a member of the Lewis Honors College.
Aaron is majoring in Agricultural and Medical Biotechnology and plans to attend Medical School after completing his bachelor's degree. He was drawn to Agricultural and Medical Biotechnology due to the emphasis placed on research in the major, along with the small class sizes. His project will be focused on determining how Listeria monocytogenes disseminates to the brain, using invasion assays in different cell lines. His mentor is Dr. Sarah E.F. D’Orazio in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics within the UK College of Medicine.
Ayusma is pursuing a degree in the College of Design, School of Architecture.
Ayusma Karki is a second-year architecture student with plans to pursue a master’s degree in architecture. Her interest in architecture emerges from its creative and interdisciplinary nature, as it is where the humanities, sciences, and arts converge. She is drawn to the ways architecture incorporates cultural and environmental knowledge to address spatial and societal challenges. Ayusma's current research project will focus on material reuse in post-disaster contexts. Her research mentor is Professor Leen Katrib in the College of Design.
Morgan is pursuing a degree in the College of Design, School of Architecture.
Morgan, majoring in Architecture, plans to become a future architect focusing on sustainable design for minorities. She was drawn to how the discipline can help those who are underprivileged and the aspect of storytelling in design. Her research is a project based on a closer connection between herself and her relatives by studying how they all speak Ebonics, which will influence a possible design method to better understand one’s culture for an architectural purpose. Her mentor is Professor Aanya Chugh in the Department of Interior Design.
Taylor is pursuing a degree in the Pigman College of Engineering and is a member of the Lewis Honors College.
Taylor is a Chemical Engineering major and a member of the Lewis Honors College. She intends to work in the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry after graduation, as she is interested in pharmacokinetics and has a passion for problem-solving. Taylor's research will focus on drug delivery and vaccine design; her mentor is Dr. Venditto in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy.
Norah is pursuing a degree in the Pigman College of Engineering and is a member of the Lewis Honors College.
Norah is majoring in Biosystems Engineering and plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering after completing her bachelor's degree. She was drawn to engineering for its holistic approach to technical problem-solving and hopes to use her degree to study scientific solutions to social challenges through the lens of biological and environmental systems engineering. Her research project explores the effects of simulated microgravity on female reproductive tissue cells to better understand how embryo implantation may function in space. Her mentor is Dr. Samantha Zambuto in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
Katherine is pursuing a degree in the College of Health Sciences and is also a member of the Lewis Honors College.
Katie is studying Human Health Sciences and Pharmacology and plans to attend medical school, ultimately pursuing a career in pediatrics. She was drawn to research because she is fascinated by the science of the human body and wants to use that curiosity to make a positive impact on others. Her research focuses on understanding how different types of motor neurons communicate and adapt by studying changes in their synaptic activity. Her research mentor is Dr. Cooper in the Department of Biology.
Lilly is pursuing a degree in the College of Health Sciences and is also a member of the Lewis Honors College.
Lilly is majoring in Human Health Science on the Pre-medicine track. She hopes to one day pave the way for other females wanting to pursue surgery and have the opportunity to make a difference in the world through her love of research and medicine. Her mentor is Dr. Cherry Ballard-Croft in the department of Cardiothoracic Surgery. The goal of the research project is to develop a new ambulatory mechanical circulatory support system that provides total left ventricle support via a minimally invasive technique. This system is designed to bridge severe cardiogenic patients to further treatment, recovery, a durable ventricular assist device, or heart transplant. The objective of this project is to test the sppVAD system in adult sheep for safety, performance, biocompatibility, and reliability. They expect the sppVAD system will provide total, efficient LV support with good biocompatibility. This may lead to a new, less invasive LVAD system that provides efficient, ambulatory LV support to improve patient outcomes.
Sutton is pursuing a degree in the Gatton College of Business and Economics and is a member of the Lewis Honors College.
Sutton is an economics and psychology double major who plans on attending Graduate School after his time in undergrad. He initially came to UK majoring in art studio, but after taking a microeconomics course first semester of freshman year, he was hooked on economics. His research project involves the use of statistics and economics as well as a programming software called RStudio, and he will look into the impact of the removal of cash bail in Illinois. His mentor is Professor Heflin in the Gatton College of Business and Economics.
Trenton is pursuing multiple degrees in the College of Arts and Sciences and is also a member of the Lewis Honors College.
Trenton is a political science major intending to pursue graduate studies in American Politics following completion of his bachelor's degree. He's a lifelong lover of the social sciences and a career advocate for civic engagement. His project involves studying how congressional candidates use social media in the course of their campaigns. His mentor is Dr. Maggie Macdonald in the Department of Political Science.
Isabella is pursuing a degree in the College of Health Sciences and is also a member of the Lewis Honors College.
Bella is a sophomore Public Health major with a certificate in Undergraduate Research. She is also a Singletary Scholar and Chellgren Fellow. Bella is passionate about community health promotion and advancing physical activity literacy and education. She serves as an undergraduate research assistant for the Families Moving Together and Active Girls, Healthy Women projects, exploring strategies that support health equity and promote active lifestyles in her community. Her current projects include an independent study on family physical activity co-participation and the cultivation of positive family health outcomes, as well as assisting with the Movement Mentors study, which evaluates the mentor experiences of a student-led physical activity organization. Her mentor is Dr. Dee Dlugonski in the Department of Health & Clinical Sciences.
Allison is pursuing a degree in the College of Health Sciences and is also a member of the Lewis Honors College.
Allison is an undergraduate student in the College of Health Sciences, majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders. She plans to go to graduate school to become a Speech Language Pathologist in the hospital setting. Her research project with Dr. Luke Bradley in the College of Medicine involves the development of an interactive scientific education tool for middle and high school students that uses data sonification (turning data into sound) of primary protein sequences to provide a new method to visualize mutations in disease-associated proteins. Each amino acid in the primary protein sequence is assigned a musical note and rhythmic value based on its hydropathy, and any mutations in this sequence create a dissonance in the audio when played through our sonification tool. With increased demand for careers in STEM, but a lack of accessibility and engagement for many, we created this sonification tool with the goal of improving middle and high school student engagement and comprehension of protein synthesis.
Paloma is pursuing a degree in the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
Paloma is majoring in Agricultural Economics & Agribusiness Management and plans to earn her MBA after graduation. She was first drawn to agriculture in high school, when she became a member of the Future Farmers of America. Her current research project focuses on developing a technological system to estimate auction prices and the desirability of Chincoteague ponies based on their white hair composition. Her mentor is Dr. Jill Stowe, who holds appointments in Agricultural Economics as well as Equine Science and Management.
Grace is pursuing a degree in the College of Health Sciences and is also a member of the Lewis Honors College.
Grace is majoring in Human Health Sciences with minors in Neuroscience and Biology, and she plans to attend Medical School after undergrad. She has a passion for biology, neuroscience, and a career in medicine because of her experience with type 1 diabetes. Her research project seeks to discover what functional role specific neurons in the brain have in the hormonal response to hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. Her mentor is Dr. Ioannis Papazoglou in the Endocrinology Division of the Department of Internal Medicine.
Samuel is pursuing a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences and is also a member of the Lewis Honors College.
Sam is dual-majoring in political science and international studies and plans to attend law school after completing his bachelor's degree. He was drawn to international relations and diplomacy for their ability to provide a better understanding of issues that impact all and to foster international cooperation. His research project explores the evolving dynamics of globalization by analyzing the economic empowerment and growth of emerging regional blocs. His mentor is Dr. Nazmus Sakib, Lewis Honors College.
Ivy, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing degrees in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
Ivy Addo aspires to become a physician-scientist, public health, and genetics advocate dedicated to advancing genetic research, and equitable healthcare access. She is pursuing a degree in Public Health, while exploring additional studies in Genetics and Biochemistry to deepen her understanding of genomic science and molecular biology. Her future plans include pursuing an MD-PhD to conduct research on rare disease therapies, gene-editing technologies, vaccine development, and personalized medical treatments based on genetic profile and makeup. Ultimately, she aims to lead a research lab, influence health policy, and start a biotech company that develops innovative therapies for under-served communities. Her research project aims to develop and optimize a novel intranasal influenza vaccine using pre-clinical mouse models. Her mentors are Professor Jerold G. Woodward and Professor Siva K. Gandhapudi in the College of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics.
Kylie, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing a degree in the College of Education while also being a part of the Lewis Honors College.
Kylie Armstrong is majoring in Elementary Education with a minor in English. She plans to get her bachelor's degree and then go on to get a dual certification to teach Kindergarten through Twelfth grade. She is passionate about teaching, literature, and composition and therefore is doing research with aspects of each. Kylie is assisting in research regarding the effects feedback and varying degrees of constructive criticism can have on one's writing. This also includes studies on writing anxiety and how feedback can decrease this. Her mentor is Dr. Pooja Sidney, in the Department of Psychology.
Akua, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing majors in the College of Public Health and the College of Arts and Sciences while also being a part of the Lewis Honors College.
Akua Asamoah is a public health major with an immense desire to help people in developing countries. Her interest in developing countries arose from her experience living in Accra, Ghana where she experienced prominent inequalities like health and educational inequality which governs the day-to-day life of most Ghanaians. She seeks to help many children like her who don’t have the means to navigate the “poor educational outcomes lead to poor healthcare outcomes” loop that generations of 3rd world countries are struggling to escape from. Given her new life in the US, Akua seeks to use all of the resources given to her to become a doctor for developing countries. Her research project studies the prevalence of HIV in Ghana. She is hoping to relate the prevalence of HIV in Ghana to how healthcare quality is distributed for infectious diseases. Her mentor is Professor Aaron Yelowitz from the Department of Health Economics at Gatton School of Business and Economics.
Gabbi, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing degrees in the College of Fine Arts and the College of Arts and Sciences while being a part of the Lewis Honors College.
Gabbi Beacham is a biology major and plans to attend graduate school for wildlife biology after completing her bachelor's degree. She was drawn to wildlife biology because she has always been interested in animal behavior. Her research project seeks to assess the effectiveness of using AI in identifying blank images and specific species at the Ecological Research and Education Center in Lexington, Kentucky. Her mentor is Professor Jake Ferguson in the Department of Biology.
Tara, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing a degree in the Pigman College of Engineering.
Tara Bose is majoring in Electrical Engineering, and she plans on attending graduate school for Biomedical Engineering. She is interested in exploring signal processing and machine learning in a wide range of fields from medicine to archaeology. Her research project aims to explore AprilTags as a possible ground control point (GCP) tagging system for drone-based remote sensing by evaluating and optimizing AprilTag detection parameters. Her project also seeks to design a GCP system that transmits RTK GNSS data to a drone-based receiver for image tagging. Her mentor is Dr. Sama in the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering.
Mark, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing a degree in the Pigman College of Engineering while being a part of the Lewis Honors College.
Mark Bowling is a mechanical engineering major and plans to complete his bachelor's degree before pursuing both a master's and doctoral degree. He is passionate about engineering because it enables him to solve complex problems in innovative ways. His research project involves working with aqueous-based carbon capture technologies to reduce the carbon footprint of power plants. His mentor is Dr. Kunlei Liu, Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering, and the Director of IDEA.
Alyssa, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing a degree in the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
Alyssa Chiarello is majoring in Agricultural and Medical Biotechnology with plans to pursue a masters degree in biostatistics. Growing up, she always enjoyed learning about biology and always wanted to discover new things. This led her to an interest in astrobiology. Astrobiology is the study of life beyond Earth. To understand how life could develop on other planets Alyssa plans to gain an understanding of how adaptation, genetics, and biodiversity may lead to the development of entirely new species. Her research project in Dr. Catherine Linnen’s lab in the Department of Biology aims to dive deep into the pine sawflies relationship with different types of pine trees to understand why these preferences and eventual physiological differences first sprouted.
Hunter, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences while also being a part of the Lewis Honors College.
Hunter Coady is majoring in Biology and English and plans to pursue an MFA in creative writing after completing his bachelor's degree. He is interested in how popular literature has changed over time, especially in conversation with the writing itself. His research will examine the development of magical realism as a genre from the 20th to 21st century. His mentor is Dr. Julie Boutwell-Peterson from the Lewis Honors College.
Taylor, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing a degree in the Pigman College of Engineering while being a part of the Lewis Honors College.
Taylor Davis is majoring in Electrical Engineering and plans to enter the power system industry after completing a bachelor's degree. She was drawn to Electrical Engineering because of her passion for solving problems, specifically the world's energy crises. Her research project aims to develop models to assess and quantify how electric distribution system operation affects the well-being of different stakeholders, considering their objectives and concerns. Her mentor is Dr. Aaron Cramer in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Misa, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences while being a part of the Lewis Honors College.
Misa Devries is majoring in biology and plans to attend Veterinary School after completing her bachelor’s degree. She has always been fascinated by animal medicine, especially with exotic/zoo animals. Her research project studies the activity of bird species in local reforested urban areas to determine the impact of these areas on wildlife. Her mentor is Dr. Kenton Sena in the Lewis Honors College.
Sarah, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing a degree in the Pigman College of Engineering while being a part of the Lewis Honors College.
Sarah Freeland is a sophomore Mechanical Engineering student who is also pursuing a minor in biomedical engineering. Because of this, she is fascinated with the science and mechanics at the intersection of mechanical engineering and medicine. Therefore, her spring research project will be analyzing the mechanical strength and presence of biofilm adhesion on implants. Ultimately this will address what biological factors most greatly impact the adhesion of biofilms. She will be working under her mentor, Dr. Martha Grady of the Grady Lab in the mechanical engineering department.
Dory, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing degrees in the College of Fine Arts and the College of Arts and Sciences while being a part of the Lewis Honors College.
Tristan, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing a degree in the College of Education.
Tristan Herzog, majoring in STEM Education at the University of Kentucky, plans to become a high school math teacher, inspired by his admiration for his high school math teachers. He is conducting a research project entitled "Exploring the Routes of University of Kentucky STEM Students into the Teaching Profession," under the mentorship of Dr. Sahar Alameh from the Department of STEM Education, College of Education. The study involves a survey that explores various aspects of STEM Education, aiming to understand what college students in STEM fields think about the teaching profession.
Adah, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing a degree in the College of Communication and Information.
Adah Hufana is majoring in journalism and is interning at WUKY for her Spring semester. She chose journalism because she has a passion for writing and sharing stories that might not otherwise be shown to the public. Her research project is an analysis of a survey of local Kentucky newsrooms regarding their perception of AI in the newsroom. Her mentor is Dr. Deborah Chung in the School of Journalism and Media.
Martin, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing a degree in the College of Health Sciences.
Martin Keltee is a student majoring in Human Health Sciences and plans to attend medical school after completing his bachelor's degree. Martin is interested in health equity, particularly within the African American community which plays a big part in his current research. His research project includes a meta-analysis of the racial differences in the effects of the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan. His mentor is Dr. Brandi White, Department of Health and Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences.
Claire, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences while being a part of the Lewis Honors College.
Claire is majoring in neuroscience with a minor in psychology and plans to attend PA school after finishing her bachelor’s degree. She has always been fascinated with the complexities of the human body, and she hopes to use her interests to help others in the future. Her research is in partnership with NASA to discover the effects of unloading and sleep restriction on muscle strength and balance. Her mentor is Dr. Lance Bollinger in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion, College of Education.
Lily, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Lillian Melton is an environmental and sustainability studies major with a focus in economics. She plans on attending law school and becoming an environmental lawyer. Her research project is through the sustainable manufacturing lab at the University of Kentucky. She will be researching ways to minimize waste in the manufacturing process of products. Doctor Jawahir is the mentor and is in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Chloe, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing a degree in the College of Health Sciences while being a part of the Lewis Honors College.
Chloe Olegario is majoring in Pre-Medical Laboratory Sciences and plans to pursue a future career as a physician. She was drawn to her research project by a passion for supporting student success and understanding how specialized educational strategies can impact academic outcomes. Chloe is currently conducting independent research under the mentorship of Dr. Jennifer Osterhage, focusing on the impact of a specialized introductory course, BIO 101, on first-year biology students' learning strategies, metacognitive skills, and sense of belonging within the field. The project aims to determine whether BIO 101 can improve students’ study skills and metacognitive abilities, foster a stronger sense of identity in the biology community, and provide career exploration opportunities to enhance engagement and retention. This research will also contribute to course improvements based on student feedback for Fall 2025.
Joy, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing a degree in the Pigman College of Engineering while being a part of the Lewis Honors College.
Joy Resig is majoring in mechanical engineering and plans to apply her undergraduate work to issues in the medical field. She is working on a proof of concept for Laser Assisted Separation and Sorting (LASSo) technology that leverages a YAG laser to displace cancerous cells from healthy cells due to the difference in cytoskeletal properties and mechanics of the cell types. She is exploring this solution with the help of her research mentor, Dr. Martha E. Grady in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
Laura, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing a degree in the College of Communication and Information.
Laura Ribeiro da Mata Silva is a sophomore majoring in journalism, with a minor in criminology and a certificate in peace studies. She is deeply committed to journalism, driven by its core values of truth, information verification, and serving the public. Moreover, she is drawn to criminology and the understanding of criminal behavior. Her research bridges her two areas of interest - journalism and criminology - by analyzing the differences in crime reporting between Brazil and the United States. Her mentor is Christopher Huggins, an assistant professor in the Department of Sociology.
Leah, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences while being a part of the Lewis Honors College.
Leah is majoring in Psychology with a minor in Human Development and Family Science. She is interested in a range of topics but particularly focusing on diversity and family dynamics in her research. She will be collaborating with the Family, Adoption, and Diversity Lab to study diverse adoptive families in the U.S. Her research project focuses on common themes relating to contact and communication with adolescents’ birth families. Her mentor is Dr. Rachel Farr, a professor in the Department of Psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Lizzie, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing a degree in the Pigman College of Engineering while being a part of the Lewis Honors College.
Lizzie Scheetz is majoring in materials engineering and plans to pursue graduate education after earning her bachelors degree. She was drawn to materials engineering because it merges her passion for chemistry with the opportunity to apply chemical principles to the development of new materials. She will be researching at the Center for Applied Energy Research, combining electrical engineering knowledge with her focus in materials engineering to aid in the advancement of research on organic electrochemical transistors. Her mentor is Dr. Alexandra Paterson in the Department of Materials Engineering and the Department of Electrical Engineering.
Jackson, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences while being a part of the Lewis Honors College.
Jackson Schwamburger is majoring in Biology and has plans to attend Medical School. He enjoys biology because of the way it explains the natural world. His research project looks into the pharmacological profile of dORK1, a K2P channels subtype known in Drosophila. His mentor is Dr. Robin Cooper in the Department of Biology.
Luis, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing a degree in the Pigman College of Engineering while being a part of the Lewis Honors College.
Luis Silva Nunes is majoring in Electrical Engineering and has a passion for math, physics, and information theory. His research project involves developing a fast and efficient compression algorithm for Gaussian-distributed digitizer data, specifically for the Neutron "a" and "b" (Nab) experiment at Oak Ridge National Lab. He aims to implement the algorithm in firmware to reduce bandwidth and storage requirements by improving current decorrelation and entropy encoding methods. Luis's mentor is Dr. Christopher Crawford from the Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Arts and Sciences.
Regan, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing a degree in the Gatton College of Business and Economics while also being an active member of the award winning University of Kentucky Debate Team.
Regan Slish is majoring in Business Administration and plans to attend law school to pursue a career in corporate law. Her research aims to understand how marketing influences voting by analyzing voter data and trends using business analytics. Her research mentor is Dr. Stephen Voss in the Political Science Department.
Zoe, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing a degrees in the College of Fine Arts and the College of Communication and Information.
Zoe Stefanic is currently majoring in Art Studio and ISC. She is very drawn to helping people and making a difference. She has always been interested in mental health studies. Her research project consists of interviews, data, and lots of writing. Her mentor is Dr. Sarah Geegan in the Department of Integrated Strategic Communication and Information.
Lance, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing a degree in the Pigman College of Engineering while being a part of the Lewis Honors College.
Lance Wyse is majoring in Chemical Engineering and plans to pursue a career in the food and beverage industry through process engineering or research and development. He was drawn to chemical engineering because he enjoys applying science and math to solve complex, real-world problems. His research project examines the impact of microplastics on human health, focusing on reproductive health. He is mentored by Dr. Brittany Givens in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering.
Grace, a 2024 Chellgren Student Fellow, is pursuing a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences while being a part of the Lewis Honors College.
Grace Yi is dual decreeing in history and sociology and plans to attend graduate school after completing a bachelor’s degree. She specializes in using Asian American history to examine how American minority disunity has been historically used to protect White privilege. Her research comparing East Asian American interactions with Black Americans before and after the coining of the Model Minority Myth hopes to find the impact that the White American conceptualized term has had on minority unity. Her mentor is Dr. Nikki Brown in the Department of History.
* Lewis Honors College