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A&S Professor Among Recipients of 2022 Excellent Undergraduate Research Mentor Award

By Elizabeth Chapin

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 8, 2022) — David Weisrock, professor and chair of the Biology Department in the University of Kentucky College of Arts & Sciences, has received one of the the 2022 Excellent Undergraduate Research Mentor Award. The award recognizes exceptional leadership and support of student researchers.

Presented each year by the Office of Undergraduate Research, this student-nominated award recognizes UK faculty members who demonstrate an outstanding commitment to mentoring undergraduate researchers, provide exceptional undergraduate research experiences, as well as support and promote the undergraduate research initiatives on campus. This year, students nominated a record 41 faculty mentors for the award, including four previous award winners. The awards were announced during the office's 16th annual Showcase of Undergraduate Scholars.

Weisrock was nominated by student Zoe Hert.

"Dr. Weisrock truly respects undergraduates as independent researchers, providing students with a high amount of freedom to pursue their own interests in his lab," Hert said. "Despite his demanding schedule, he always makes time for frequent communication and meetings with students, during which he provides guidance so that students are not lost within this freedom. His mentorship has been invaluable in my maturation as a researcher, and by far, my time in his lab has been the most rewarding aspect of my undergraduate career."

At UK, faculty mentoring is a valued investment and a key ingredient to students’ success in the relationships formed between faculty and students. The dedication and mastery of these mentors prepare our students for the rigors of not just their career fields but how they progress professionally and personally.

For a list of this year’s award nominees, click here. For a full list of previous award winners, click here.