Three University of Kentucky College of Public Health (CPH) students were among the university’s 59 undergraduate researchers selected to attend the 2024 National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR).
CPH’s Princess Magor Agbozo, Sara Dickens, and Maylee Skovron traveled to Long Beach, Calif., for the three-day NCUR, which is the largest symposium of its kind in the world, bringing together nearly 4,000 undergraduate students each year from all fields and disciplines. The event was hosted by California State University – Long Beach.
“It is a great experience to be able to meet people and network,” said Skovron, a senior public health major. “No matter what type or field your research is in, it matters and can be presented at NCUR.”
Skovron said she also appreciated the opportunity to explore Long Beach and indulge in its culinary offerings.
Reflecting on her first trip to the West Coast, Dickens expressed her enthusiasm for both the academic and personal growth opportunities at NCUR.
"I enjoyed going to NCUR,” said the junior public health major. “I have never gone to the West Coast, so that was the farthest I have ever been. Besides networking and working on my professional skills, I was able to explore the city with other colleagues and make meaningful memories."
In addition to networking and exploring, the three CPH students had the privilege of presenting their research projects at NCUR.
Agbozo, a senior public health major, presented "Fear as a Barrier to Cervical Cancer Screening amongst Black Women," a project she worked on with mentor Dr. Adebola Adegboyega of the UK College of Nursing.
Agbozo found the conference to be insightful, highlighting the diversity of research disciplines represented.
“It was encouraging to see students finding answers to our world's issues,” she said.
Dickens presented "Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement within the Child Welfare System," a project she collaborated on with mentors Drs. Elizabeth Riley and Michael Cull of CPH.
Reflecting on her journey, Dickens expressed gratitude for the opportunities provided by the College of Public Health and emphasized the transformative impact of engaging in research.
“The College of Public Health has been nothing but amazing to me, with many opportunities I have been blessed to participate in,” she said. “I will always recommend research because without it I would not have left for that conference and made plans for post-graduation.”
Skovron presented "The Value of Survivor Narratives in Social Justice Education," a project she developed under the guidance of mentor Carol Street, Undergraduate Research Archivist with UK Libraries.
Skovron appreciated the organized nature of the conference and the opportunity it provided to spotlight different types of research.
“It was great getting to see everyone’s research at the conference, especially since there are so many different fields represented,” she said.
All three NCUR attendees recommend that undergraduate students submit for the conference.
“I did not think I was going to get accepted, and now, it has been the best decision I have made this semester to accept to go on the trip to NCUR,” said Dickens.
Agbozo added, “It is an amazing opportunity to present the research you are doing and to also learn something new from others that you may not have known!”
For more information on NCUR, visit https://our.uky.edu/ncur. The 2025 conference will be held April 7-9, 2025, in Pittsburgh, Penn., and hosted by at Duquesne University.
