CHS Student Selected as Undergraduate Research Ambassador

By Jesi Jones-Bowman and Ryan Clark
CHS Contributors

A College of Health Sciences student has been selected for the 2024-25 Undergraduate Research Ambassador program.

The University of Kentucky Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) has selected 15 outstanding undergraduates to increase awareness and create opportunities for students to actively engage in research. Ambassadors must demonstrate academic excellence, leadership potential and be involved in mentored research. This year’s ambassadors represent four colleges, nine disciplines and 10 research areas.

Congratulations go out to Madi Wilson, a senior Human Health Sciences major on the pre-Physician Assistant track from Ona, W.Va.

The student leaders’ goal is to make undergraduate research more accessible. Ambassadors promote undergraduate research involvement through student outreach and program events, such as tabling, drop-in advising sessions, information sessions, student workshops, speaking engagements, class and student organization presentations, and OUR-sponsored events including the 5-Minute Fast Track Competition and Showcase of Undergraduate Scholars.

The 2024-25 Undergraduate Research Ambassadors include:

Hannah Allen, biology and Lewis Honors College senior, College of Arts and Sciences, from Greenup, Kentucky
Kaitlyn Brock, neuroscience and psychology senior, College of Arts and Sciences, from Lexington, Kentucky
Hena Kachroo, biochemistry and Lewis Honors College senior, College of Arts and Sciences, from Lexington, Kentucky
Molly Lobel, animal sciences with equine specialization senior, Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, from Roswell, Georgia
Sarisha Lohano, biology and Lewis Honors College senior, College of Arts and Sciences, from Louisville, Kentucky
Abbey McNely, environmental and sustainability studies senior, College of Arts and Sciences, from Lexington, Kentucky
James Overly, biology, neuroscience and anthropology senior, College of Arts and Sciences, from Brentwood, Tennessee
Diksha Satish, biology, mathematics and Lewis Honors College senior, College of Arts and Sciences, from Frankfort, Kentucky
Dahlia Siano, neuroscience and psychology senior, College of Arts and Sciences, from Lexington, Kentucky
Erin Stratton, biology and Lewis Honors College senior, College of Arts and Sciences, from Lexington, Kentucky
Connor Stuart, neuroscience and Lewis Honors College senior, College of Arts and Sciences, from Florence, Kentucky
Austin Trotter, neuroscience and psychology junior, College of Arts and Sciences, from Liberty Township, Ohio
Dexter Vilt, biology junior, College of Arts and Sciences, from Crestwood, Kentucky
Caleb Weber, biology, music performance and Lewis Honors College senior, College of Arts and Sciences and College of Fine Arts, from West Lafayette, Indiana
Madi Wilson, human health sciences senior, College of Health Sciences, Ona, West Virginia

The Research Ambassadors are available upon request for class and organization presentations, college and university research events and campus outreach efforts. Requests must be submitted two weeks in advance and approved by the UK Office of Undergraduate Research staff.

For more information on the Research Ambassadors and to request an ambassador for an event or presentation, visit https://our.uky.edu/ambassadors.

Learn more about the Office of Undergraduate Research here.

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.