Center for Undergraduate Research announces Faculty Fellow

LAWRENCE — The Center for Undergraduate Research has selected Professor Holly Storkel to serve as the initial Faculty Fellow starting this semester. This position will work with the Center staff to develop initiatives to support faculty involved with undergraduate research.

“Professor Storkel has an exceptional record of mentoring undergraduates both within her own research program and has served as leader in the department of Speech Language-Hearing: Sciences and Disorders,” said Center director John Augusto. “The Center is fortunate to be able to have Dr. Storkel working with us, and we expect her to have big impact on our work with KU faculty and students.”

Storkel will serve a two-year term and will begin working on the promotion and development of undergraduate research across the campus, meet with faculty across the campus pertaining to  undergraduate research course construction, and will serve as the chair of the Center’s Faculty Advisory Board. In addition, she will collaborate with the other faculty fellows within the Office of First Year Experience and the Center for Civic and Social Responsibility to promote experiential learning opportunities on the campus.

“I am excited to join the Center for Undergraduate Research," Storkel said. “My passion for undergraduate research stems from my own personal experience as an undergraduate where participating in a research experience opened my eyes to the exciting challenges of discovering new knowledge and created a long-lasting connection to mentors in my profession.

"For me, a research experience was one of the most transformative experiences of my undergraduate program," she said. "In this position, I plan to create programs and resources that will help faculty and graduate students actively and effectively participate in undergraduate research. In addition, I will assist the center in tracking the number of students and faculty involved in undergraduate research and in documenting the outcomes associated with this type of experience. Lastly, I hope to contribute to a university culture that values and celebrates great mentoring. I look forward to being a part of the team that facilitates this type of experience for KU undergraduates.”